Jigsaw was started in 1971 by a group of extremely creative people, headed by two of Australia’s top Graphic Designers - Bruce Weatherhead and Alex Stitt. They wanted exciting, stimulating, well-designed products for their own children and couldn’t find what they were looking for in the shops.

They got together with a number of other creative people, and as the name ‘JIGSAW’ suggests, an interlocking of ideas and talents took place. Everyone added their ‘piece’ to the puzzle to produce a very special range of educational fun games and toys – designed by Australians for Australians.

In 1973, under the ownership of Jeanie McKendrick, Direct Selling was chosen as the best method of marketing.  Thus the Jigsaw Product Advisory Service came into being, creating the 'The Toy Shop With a Difference, We Come to You'. Now under the ownership of Jeanie's son, Jigsaw Educational Toys is a recognised leader in its specialised field of educational games and toys.

The original and innovative range covers every stage of child development and includes: games, toys, books, posters, craft materials, construction sets and laser cut wooden puzzles for toddlers through to adults. One of the most popular items in the range are the laser cut wooden name puzzles which are individually made to order. Approximately 85% of Jigsaw products are designed and manufactured by Jigsaw to a standard that is the equal to that found anywhere in the world.

Jigsaw is unique in its concept towards play and learning. Jigsaw's mission is expressed in a plaque that hangs on the office wall ‘this business is dedicated to the ultimate benefit of children everywhere’. Jigsaw believes that toys, far from being unimportant, are the means through which children grow and learn and develop the skills and abilities they need for adult life.

There are two reasons why Jigsaw has enjoyed continuous success. One has been the commitment to the production of good quality toys and games which has seen the product range get better and better. Secondly the method of sales through the proven concept of direct selling by their fantastic team of Independent Product Advisors. Great personal satisfaction comes from providing parents with products that you know will become family favourites.

Jigsaw believes they have an outstanding opportunity for people to go into business for themselves and provides full support and training and is proud of the unique partnership that has developed over the years between the company and it's Product Advisors.

In 2000 Jigsaw in recognition of excellence in business achievements was inducted into the Monash Hall of Fame.

In 2002 graphic designer Alex Stitt and Bruce Weatherhead were honoured by the Australian Graphic Design Association by being elevated to the AGDA Paperpoint Hall of Fame.

In 2006 Jeanie McKendrick was honoured by the Australia Direct Selling Association by becoming a member of the Hall of Fame.

Once upon a time (as all the best stories begin) there were two designers in Melbourne, designing and winning awards and altogether doing very nicely thank you.

One day they sat down and decided they were not doing enough to make the world beautiful. They thought for a very long time, and finally decided that one of the most noticeably barren patches in the Australian environment was well designed things for kids.

So they began to write down happy ideas that would help kids learn things and make things and do things. Very soon the designers had a great big book full of drawings of games and toys and posters and other things such as a Giant called Og and an Ostrich called Oliver.

They called in some friends, who happened to be school teachers, and soon they had another big book of even more ideas.   By now, to tell the truth, the whole thing seemed to be so much fun that they weren't sure it was all educational enough. So they gathered together a group of very important, experienced, educational persons, and asked them to look at the ideas.

That is how we got our name, JIGSAW, an interlocking of many people's ideas and talents. Do you know what the very important, experienced, educational persons said?

They said, "Hurrah!"

And to make these exciting products available to children all over Australia we started a toy shop like no other toy shop. "The toy shop that comes to you." The Jigsaw Product Advisory Service.

And the moral of the story (because of course, all good fairy stories have a moral) .... For new and different toys, games, books, posters and honest-to-goodness surprises, have Jigsaw Educational Toys come to your place.
- the end -

“Play is the beginning of all learning”

Fun, Pleasure, Joy

Jigsaw believes that learning takes place best in an atmosphere of fun, pleasure and joy. Therefore, all the games and other products are designed to stimulate these emotions. Anything that is not pleasurable, is by definition, not a game or a toy and so Jigsaw is not interested in it.  Jigsaw not only believes that enjoyment is a prelude to learning, but also that enjoyment is worthwhile in itself apart from its educational benefits. Fun, pleasure and joy are important human experiences which add to the quality of living. Hence Jigsaw is happy to produce games that are simply fun to play and have no further serious intent. 

Learning

But children need avenues to express and develop their intelligence, creativity and imagination – to learn basic skills such as reading and spelling; to learn to relate effectively with others, have fun with them, co-operate and compete with them – activities which allow them to express their emotional needs. Games can make a significant contribution to children’s development in all these areas. 

Good Games and Bad Games

Many games which are currently sold, limit or thwart these desirable educational goals. Instead of encouraging the child’s initiative, providing alternatives between which the child can choose, allowing scope for an imaginative contribution on the child’s part, they provide a set of routine, predetermined, programmed alternatives. 

An example to illustrate the differences: 

 Colouring Books – most colouring books provide complete, representational pictures of cows, flowers, etc which the children colour in, often following instructions as to which colours to use where. The Jigsaw Colouring Book provides a few lines on each page which are designed to stimulate the child’s imagination. The final pictures will vary widely according to the child involved.

Self-Directed Activity

Many educational games have been developed by others for school use and often demand the presence of a teacher to be used effectively in schools and make an important contribution to learning. Jigsaw games, however, emphasise self-directed activity. Jigsaw believes that where possible it is desirable to learn to take the initiative in directing their own learning. 

Developmental Stages

Children’s needs vary a great deal from one stage of development to another. To be fun and to be educational, games must relate to the needs of particular developmental stages. Most games are devised with little real study of the needs of particular age groups. Jigsaw places a strong emphasis on research and development to ensure that games really do relate to various stages and give the maximum pleasure and learning possible. Consequently, it uses educational consultants and employs trained teachers to advise on children’s needs, to develop games by testing them extensively before marketing them. Most games firms are essentially marketing firms with very limited research and development sections. Their aim is simply to maximise profits even if it means unloading thousands of stultifying and joyless games on children.

Good Design

Because Jigsaw is concerned with enhancing the quality of living, our designers ensure that all products exemplify principles of good design. Good design means clear bright colours which convey a happy feeling, simple logical and well-balanced forms which contribute to the function of the object rather than distracting from it; sturdy materials which can withstand the onslaught of real children. 

Profits

Jigsaw is in business to make a profit. It is however, committed to other objectives as well, and is not prepared to sacrifice its other objectives in the search for a ‘fast buck’. Its basic aim is to market well designed, fun and instructional games, toys, etc at realistic and competitive prices and to make enough profit to continue in the business.