My kids LOVE puzzles. When I thought about having babies, I thought about the late nights and diapers, but my mind also jumped ahead to chubby fingers pushing puzzle pieces into place for the first time! Yup, I’ve been thinking ‘puzzles’ since before my kids were in utero!
Some of our favorite puzzles come from Melissa and Doug. They are wooden puzzles with great themes like animals, shapes, letters, numbers, dinosaurs, and much more. I think the shape one is my favorite, because not only does it have the most common shapes, but they are different colors, have an animal beside each spot, and the shape word written there as well. There’s so many ways for a child to learn with it. One awesome tip I got recently was to use the pieces themselves to draw AROUND to make a coloring page. Since they’re wooden, they stand up to being chewed on, stepped on, thrown, and everything else that the kids can throw at it, and still live to tell the tale…and be handed down!
I have a great craft idea for kids, especially with Valentines day coming up – to share with you. Here’s a link to an awesome puzzle themed pin that is one of my most often re-pinned. Note: Make sure you open your printer settings, set it to landscape and as close to 100% as you can get (print page 1 if you make it bigger than 100% since it is scaled so small). Cardstock is a must if you’re dealing with the younger set that will want to put it together again and again!
There are so many great ideas of things to do with puzzles, especially blank ones. I love that you can decorate it, cut it apart and have someone else put it back together to find a special message. I did something similar with a cardboard puzzle for my husband once a long long time ago. *sigh* Grandparents or other far away relatives would enjoy receiving this craft decorated especially by your little one, or to send in the lunchbox of a parent who works as a special surprise. YOU can even make it for your child for their lunchbox at school! Wouldn’t they love opening an envelope with their name on it and a little something that they can put together that says ‘Let’s make cookies tonight’ or ‘special surprise at home!’ Valentine’s is still a couple of weeks away, so you have plenty of time to plan!
Okay, it’s time to put together that shape puzzle with my 2 year old! She’s asking for me now! I hope you have a great puzzle day!
Wooden puzzles (Specifically Melissa & Doug!) were at the top of our wish list this Christmas for my son (16 months). Now I have to get over my desire to keep all puzzles perfectly organized….
Ohhh thank you so much!!! This is going to be great for homeschooling activities!