Puzzles are a great way to pass the time, but creating your OWN puzzle is even more fun. We have two different ways to create a puzzle, each with their own unique spin. Designing your own puzzle is quite easy and requires a few simple materials and your imagination.
1. First, tape your popsicle sticks together and then flip them over creating a blank puzzle canvas.
2. Second, draw a picture.
3. Lastly, remove the tape, mix up your sticks and enjoy your new puzzle.
Or, try creating a puzzle in another way. This is even more simple!
Draw, paint or create a picture in whichever way is inspiring. Once you are done, you can cut it up into different puzzle pieces. Voila!
The great thing about designing your own puzzle is that you can make it with anything that interests you. If you don’t want to make a puzzle out of your own art, you can turn photographs, coloring sheets, greeting cards, and magazine pages into a puzzle, too. Or you could even use boxes from your favorite foods!
Children love the challenge of putting together a puzzle, which is wonderful since puzzles have many developmental benefits. Putting a puzzle together encourages children to use their problem-solving skills as well as memory skills.
When working on fitting pieces together children are working on better understanding shapes, forms, and space. Hand-eye coordination is also put to work as children work on manipulating pieces into their correct spots.
You can support other areas of learning by creating matching puzzles, letters, numbers, or word building. And above all, puzzles require children to work on patience and perseverance. Now that we think of it, this is good for adults, too!
Our gift shop has a great array of puzzles for adults and children!
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