Jigsaw ability

[zozzle]

Hi - my DS (2 years and 8 months) enjoys jigsaws and does 25 piece jigsaws on her own. Is this fairly typical for her age (I was quite impressed but am happy to concede that I'm probably biased and it may be completely average)?

Any teachers etc out there?

Sorry meant to say DD not DS!!

My two DSs are brill with jigsaws, DS1 particularly could do jigsaws for 8 year olds at 2-3. I think it's just a spatial awareness thing? Me and DH both have very good spatial awareness so perhaps it's a genetic thing?

I wouldn't say it was typical though.

It's great he likes jigsaws!!! Think that it may be fairly typical though, or at least not unusual. I remember ds1 doing 60 piece jigsaws at 2 and a half. But he isn't actually a jigsaw genius now at age 8!!!! He just had a knack!

ds used to really enjoy jigsaws at this age, he did a box of 10 thomas jigsaws (from 6 piece to 60 piece) and laid them out on the living room floor. however, around 3 1/2yrs he went off them, and won't do them at all now!

I think it completely varies. DD1 was doing 50- 60 pieces at that age, but DD2 is still only doing 12 pieces at 3 1/2. DD1 is a bit brighter than DD2, but DD2 can draw to a standard that rivals DD1s drawings when she was 5.

They have all got their strengths and weaknesses, if they're ahead in one area, then usually slightly weaker in another and so on...

My DD was very talented ahem at jigsaws when she was two, I can't remember the exact number of pieces by how many months though. DS is 3.3 and is rubbish at them . I try to help him and am completely crap myself. I am rubbish at all things spatial awareness related.

DD burnt her hand at 2yrs3 months and while she was bandaged up got fixated on jigsaws. She went from doing 3 piece to 100 piece within a few weeks. She was doing the 5+ little piece ones.
I was raiding all the charity shops to get a fix for her habit. Fascination latest for about 6 months then went onto something else.

I don't think it's typical, but probably not that unusual. DS (2 and two weeks) has been really into more complex jigsaws for a few months now. He regularly goes 12 piece ones entirely by himself and also does 30 and 48 piece ones with a little help and encouragement. We are naturally very proud but I don't think it means he's a boy genius or anything, and to be fair, he's best at the ones he does all the time - a lot of this is about learning by heart where the pieces go.

ds was brilliant at them but no longer so since he started school

That sounds like the sort of thing dd was doing at that age. How we would marvel at her budding genius!

Then she got bored of them. Now if I say "how about a jigsaw?" she looks at me like I've just asked her to eat vomit and goes back to her Polly Pockets.

DD was like that. She'd do 50 piece ones at the age of around 2 and a half.

Now she can do 250 piece ones, but fairly easy 250 piece ones.(eh a map of Aus and NZ with each state a different colour)

She's fabulous, but most definitely not a genious

And clearly, neither is her mother who can't even spell genius

I am absolutely rubbish at jigsaws and reversing DS cannot do really simple jigsaws (11) DD (6) very good at them. My spatial awareness is appalling.

My dd2 was fabulous at jigsaws. She still likes them - we sometimes do a big one. She is 13,and excellent at technical drawing in school - nobody else in the family is. So I wonder if it is connected!

Oh my goodness think I may need to book dd in to some sort of jigsaw summer school. She is 3 and totally hopeless at them! Bless her she can however make up the most fascinating stories & games with her teddies and little people. I would have said your dd is a genius op!

Maybe start her off on teddy based jigsaws? I was a teddy story child myself!

I really do think it's just one of those things in life you either 'get' or don't. Like map reading and reverse parking .

Thanks for all your comments guys - looks like its not unusual. I'll hold on the MENSA application then .

Yep totally agree that they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

Loolop - sounds like you have a v. imaginative child to me .

zozzle i think your dd is definitely a genius, my ds is the same and i am constantly amazed by his jigsawwing ability. We are clearly brilliant mothers!

Actually I think DS2 probably wins.
He became interested in jigsaws at about 2 years and was soon doing his older brothers ones. He would do 100 piece ones without any problem
Things was though that he would do them upside dwon too so there was no picture - just the cardboard backing.
It is a skill he still has but he doesn't enjoy it anymore really. he did an 800 piece simpsons one the other day. Took him about an hour.

He is 13 now though and is profoundly autistic.

My DD started doing jigsaws overnight when she turned 3 - pre-school said it was quite unusual for a 3 year old to do jigsaws from start to finish on thier own without looking at the box (I didn't ask! They
mentioned it to me when I picked her up). I kind of think they all even out eventually with thier different strengths.

pagwatch, my ds was the same - a freaky ability to do huge jigsaws and upside down too. He has aspergers.