Have you ever dumped a box full of puzzle pieces on a table and spent the next couple of hours trying to reassemble them into the box cover photo?
While you may have thought you were zoning out, you were actually giving your brain a major boost in memory, visual perception and spatial reasoning, which may delay cognitive decline like dementia. When my late grandmother suffered from the disease, we often gave her children puzzles to finish to help her memory.
Knowing their benefits, more puzzles with designs and concepts that recognize and celebrate us are available for this fun and brainy pastime. In honor of National Puzzle Day, here are Black-owned puzzle companies, like Puzzles of Color, where you can get your snap on.
Greenhouse
Be Rooted
Founder Jasmin Taylor offers a beautiful collection of home and lifestyle goods at her curated site that weaves culture and representation into every design and message. This 500-piece puzzle is a colorful and peacful potrait that reminds us all of the importance of nature.
Price: $25
Marching Band
Upbounders
With a mission to celebrate belonging and self expression through play, Kemi Tignor founded Upbounders in 2018. The Washington D.C. based entrepreneur offers puzzles that celebrate multicultural connections and encourage kids to pursue their dreams. This double-sided band-oriented puzzle is one of our faves.
Price: $15.98
Muumuu Afternoon Puzzle by Shar Tuiasoa
Piece Love Soul
Launched during the pandemic, Piece Love Soul amplifies diverse, female artists who create the art featured in its designs. “We believe it’s past time to change up this pastime and normalize our vibe, our genius,” says founder Joy
Price: $30
Pretty Brown Eyes
Unified Pieces
Gamaliel MEEZY James, a passionate puzzle enthusiast, launched his company to share a diverse array of puzzle images that often go underrepresented. The result are vividly saturated designs that celebrate our culture.
Price: $35
“Migration Westbound” By Joseph Watson
Puzzles of Color
Founded by siblings Ericka Chambers and William Jones, Puzzles of Color works with Black artists who create the puzzle art featured. Themes include historical, holiday and words of wisdom, and can be selected by piece count and difficulty.
