Who Needs GPS? Map Puzzles
Who needs GPS when you have maps- map puzzles that is. Technology can be both good and bad. Like anything there’s pros and cons to it. I’m not the best with directions and often need to use the GPS on my phone and my car at the same time. Even with such technological advancements, I still manage to miss turns and get lost. That being said (and I know I’m dating myself by disclosing the following) I prefer traditional maps. Note that I said I prefer them…not that I use them. I mean can you even imagine what my passengers would think if I unfolded a paper map to get to where I’m going? It would be comical to say the least.
Not only do I prefer old school maps to GPS, but I also enjoy map puzzles. Why? Map puzzles are a fun way to learn about places you haven’t been to before. They’re a particularly cool way to check out a city that you may visit in the future or even one you’re familiar with. Plus the best part about them is that a lot of them contain a variety of fonts and text- which is so much fun to puzzle.
My daughter has been wanting to go to Hawaii for years and I’ve yet to make that happen…one day. So, when I was deciding on which map puzzles to choose, I decided to go with Hawaii, a 1000-piece puzzle by Re-marks. This was my very first Re-marks puzzle. The pieces were small, which is a great thing especially if you like to do larger puzzles but are limited on space. I initially thought the piece cut was slightly loose and because of this, I didn’t think it would withstand a puzzle pickup, but it did! The piece cut ended up being just right. It wasn’t so tight that I had to sit there and gingerly take each piece apart one at a time and it wasn’t so loose that it couldn’t be picked up. Just a happy medium- like Goldilocks.
When I initially opened the box, I saw a lot of blue and was slightly intimidated.
Luckily, it had so much going on that the blue turned out to be no problem. Here’s how I tackled it: First, I sorted out all sections that stood out (a.k.a. things that weren’t blue), like the sun,
the compass and flowers,
and the sections of land with their associated text.
Lastly, I moved on to the water, which also had a bunch of fish, boats, scuba divers, and more text.
My point is, the array of details and beautiful things to look at within the puzzle made what I thought would be daunting, so enjoyable. I actually finished it quicker than I expected. The artwork is so vibrant and pretty that it even caught the attention of my teenage daughter who requested that I hang it in her room. Yay!
I also completed An American Quilt by SunsOut, a company that’s been around for a long time.
This 600-piece puzzle had large pieces all with funky shapes. FUN!
This was a different take on map puzzles, because it incorporates the history and hobby of quilts. Each state, because of their different patterns, was easy to decipher and sort. It’s a perfect sort-as-you-go kind of puzzle.
Just look at the variety of colors and patterns.
Going on a road trip this summer??? If so, scoop up a puzzle from Geo Toys. They have these awesome puzzles in a can, for instance, this 100-piece puzzle of New York State. So unique, huh?
New York State Puzzle by Geo Toys
The coolest thing about bringing one of these with you is that the pieces are magnetic.
Puzzle Warehouse carries a load of these magnetic, map puzzles. Be sure to check out all the available cities here.
Puzzle Warehouse literally has a map for anyone and everyone. Have a kid who’s learning about the states in Geography class? There’s a puzzle of the US map for them. Let’s make learning fun!
Love birds? There’s a map puzzle representing state birds. There’s even world map puzzles, individual state puzzles, and so much more. Check out all the map puzzles available here. I could honestly go on and on.
Have fun exploring new and/or familiar places through a puzzle. And as beneficial as technology is, sometimes it’s good to go back to basics. Regardless of where your geographical curiosity takes you, remember to make time to puzzle!
: ) Jaime @introvertedpuzzler