The Great Screen Time Escape: How UK Parents Are Ditching iPads for Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzles beat screens: UK children's puzzle searches rise 300% during Christmas periods

Wales leads the UK in children's puzzle searches with a preference ratio of 0.473, showing the strongest interest in physical educational toys over digital alternatives
Puzzle searches in December surge by over 300% compared to summer months, boosted by a seasonal multiplier of 3.23
97 out of 100 on the search index for puzzles occurs in December, while educational apps drop to their lowest point of 74 during the same period

A new study by Happy Puzzle reveals a significant shift in how UK parents are approaching children's entertainment and education, with physical puzzles gaining ground against digital alternatives during key periods of the year.

Top findings show strong seasonal puzzle preferences

The data shows that December consistently records the highest search volume for children's puzzles, with an average index value of 97 compared to just 30 in July. This represents a more than 300% increase in puzzle interest during the Christmas period.

Parents in Wales show the strongest preference for puzzles over digital entertainment, with a puzzle preference ratio of 0.473, substantially higher than the 0.286 recorded in Scotland.

Back-to-school periods in September and October trigger notable increases in puzzle searches, rising to an index of 48 and 50 respectively, suggesting parents increasingly seek educational toys to support learning.

When comparing the three entertainment categories, educational apps maintain the highest overall search volume throughout the year with an average index of 78, but show their lowest interest (74) during December when puzzle searches peak.

The data reveals a clear pattern where iPad game searches reach their highest points during school holidays, peaking at an average index of 46 in July, while falling to 31 in September when children return to school.

Top 5 most significant findings from the study

Rank Finding Key Statistic
1 December puzzle search spike 300%+ increase from summer months
2 Wales leads in puzzle preference 0.473 preference ratio
3 Back-to-school puzzle surge 48-50 index in September-October
4 Educational apps maintain the highest overall search volume 78 average index year-round
5 iPad games peak during holidays 46 index in July vs 31 in September

Less significant but notable trends

The study found that February consistently records the lowest puzzle search interest with an average index of just 32, making it the least popular month for puzzle-related searches.

Among UK regions, Scotland demonstrates the lowest preference for puzzles with a ratio of 0.286, suggesting Scottish parents favor digital entertainment options more than their Welsh counterparts.

Mid-summer (July) shows minimal puzzle interest with an average index of 30, but this coincides with the peak period for iPad game searches which reach an index of 46.

The research indicates that educational app searches remain relatively stable throughout the year, with the fewer fluctuations of the three categories, varying between 74 and 83 on the index.

Northern Ireland recorded the lowest total search volume across all categories with 153 combined index points, compared to 186 in Wales, 183 in England, and 168 in Scotland.

Bottom 5 least significant findings from the study

Rank Finding Key Statistic
1 February lowest for puzzle searches 32 average index
2 Scotland's low puzzle preference 0.286 preference ratio
3 Mid-summer puzzle interest drop 30 index in July
4 Educational app search stability 9-point variation throughout year
5 Northern Ireland's lower search volume 153 total combined index

Expert commentary

Joshua Miller, General Manager at Happy Puzzle, commented on the findings:

"These results reveal how parents' choices about children's activities shift throughout the year. The dramatic rise in puzzle searches during December shows that physical toys remain a crucial part of family traditions during the festive season.

"What's particularly interesting is seeing how puzzle searches rise significantly during back-to-school periods. This suggests that parents are making conscious choices to supplement classroom learning with hands-on activities that develop problem-solving skills.

"The regional differences also tell an important story, with Welsh families showing a much stronger preference for puzzles over digital alternatives compared to other parts of the UK."

The findings align with recent government research into early years education, which found that many children born during or just before the pandemic have experienced developmental challenges in social skills and communication. According to a report by Ofsted, early years providers are prioritising activities that develop children's communication, language and social skills - areas where puzzles can play an important role.

"Traditional puzzles offer much more than entertainment - they help children develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities while providing valuable opportunities for family interaction," Miller added. "Our data suggests many parents are recognising these benefits, especially during key educational transition periods."

The study's seasonal data reveals that Christmas is the primary driver behind December's high puzzle searches, with a seasonal multiplier of 3.23 compared to baseline months.

Methodology:

The study analysed 5 years of Google Trends data (Aug 2020-Aug 2025) comparing UK search volumes for "children's puzzles," "kids iPad games," and "educational apps." Data was extracted from Google Trends UK with regional breakdown across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Monthly puzzle search index (2020-2025)

Month Puzzles Average Index Educational Apps Average iPad Games Average Seasonal Multiplier Primary Driver
January 53 83 38 2.0 Baseline
February 32 72 39 1.27 Baseline
March 30 72 33 1.17 Baseline
April 38 76 40 1.17 Baseline
May 33 78 30 1.63 Baseline
June 36 78 32 1.5 Baseline
July 30 67 46 1.1 Holidays
August 30 73 40 1.37 Holidays
September 48 93 31 1.6 Back-to-School
October 50 86 31 1.87 Back-to-School
November 57 77 38 2.3 Baseline
December 97 74 55 3.23 Christmas

Full dataset available on request.

The Happy Puzzle Company
Unit 720 Catalyst House
Centennial Park, Centennial Avenue
Elstree, Borehamwood
WD6 3SY

Happy Puzzle, formally The Happy Puzzle Company offers a fantastic range of over 300 award-winning puzzles, games, challenges and puzzle books to both families and schools. Started 33 years ago by former CEO Gavin Ucko, Happy Puzzle has produced a huge range of unique puzzles and games, many of which have gone on to become multi-award winners.

This release was published on openPR.