Jigsaw

I have always loved jigsaw puzzles. The challenge, the art, the resulting picture I have always found fun. As a kid I loved buying puzzles that, after completing, I would hang on my wall. Of course, I never did that. It seems I always forgot to complete the puzzle on a movable surface and could never quite figure out how to then get the puzzle glued, framed and hung without it falling apart. Currently, it has been a long time since I have done a jigsaw puzzle.
Ryder, however, has taken an interest in puzzles. Though he began with the chunky piece Melissa and Doug puzzles of animals, vehicles, and underwater creatures he has moved on, now, to large piece jigsaw puzzles. We currently only own two of them.
It is the 4 FT school bus floor puzzle that captures his interest.
He can put the whole puzzle together by himself, though the first few times he did it I helped him. He completes the whole thing using thought and logic, or perhaps just a lot of memory. Either way, it is a thrill to watch him as he picks up a piece and tries all the different angles with another piece until he gets a match. He will think out loud, saying "No, that's not right" or "yea, there it is" when he gets an interlock. Once complete, he stands above his masterpiece presenting it to us with a "TaDaa!!" Then, after a round of applause and a moment of confidence and pride builders, Chase comes along and asks if he can break it apart. Though he has learned to ask first, Ryder almost always say yes, then goes back to putting it together again!

Admiring his work!!