Puzzles to Stretch the Mind, to Distract and to Grow

Research continues to show that solving puzzles can have significant impact on our brains. I haven't seen much certainty about how they help or to what extent, but hopefully ongoing research will have more concrete answers in the near future. In the meantime, the likelihood that puzzles help us build and maintain our cognitive skills is enough for me to be intrigued. Here are some fun options from the NYTimes, or you can pick up a soduku, word search or crossword book for about $2 at your drugstore or airport overpriced bodega.

It's also a great practice to do puzzles collaboratively with a friend or partner. Rather than a competitive stance, try them in partnership. It's likely to build your empathy and compassion, test your patience (which is good), demonstrate how you can pursue collaboration well, and create a positive experience upon which you can pursue further, rewarding mutual experiences.

Let me know what you think...