They’ve seen many science games, but Dr Louise Robinson and Dr Ian Turner can’t hide their enthusiasm for Doctor Livingston Jr. jigsaws.
Is it fun?
Jigsaws have always been a popular pastime and saw a massive resurgence in the restrictions enforced by the pandemic. These amazingly detailed examples are certainly fun. A hundred pieces sounds fairly simple, but the unusual subject matter and odd shaped pieces present a good challenge with each one taking between 30-45 minutes to complete. The good thing about jigsaws is you can break them up and start all over again – the ultimate replay!
What are Doctor Livingston Jr. Jigsaws?
They are jigsaws. To be precise they are anatomy floor puzzles, with each composed of 100 pieces. There is the 71cm x 64cm, 5x magnification of the human brain encased in a skull, a 71cm x 56cm, 6x magnification of the human heart and a whopping four-foot-tall human body. The jigsaw pieces are beautifully illustrated by Mesa Schumacher, come in a colourful book-like box and are made of very durable and thick cardboard pieces.
Is it educational?
The jigsaws were designed to be edutainment and a relaxing experience (if jigsaws are your thing) where you learn a little anatomy and physiology. They are expertly illustrated and would not be out of place in a school textbook. As they are only images there is a risk that a youngster may build them and not know what they are looking at without some input from an older sibling or adult. Each one comes with a thick cardboard guide to the jigsaw. This includes an anatomy guide, detailed component description and a host of fun facts.
The detail here is great, for example the human brain jigsaw has 28 anatomical features highlighted on it. The first page of the guide just labels the structures, but the centre pullout provides details on them. It is an important detail allowing a curious builder to move from remembering the names of unusual structures to understanding it is the tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord.
Conclusion
These jigsaws are aimed at youngsters for whom building is part of a normal play session. Why not double up this fun experience with a little bit of science learning as well?
Details
- 100 pieces
- Build time 30-45 minutes
- Genius Games Junior
- Dr Louise Robinson is Lecturer in Forensic Biology and Dr Ian Turner an Associate Professor in Learning and Teaching, both work at the University of Derby
