Cardboard Puzzle For Kids

This homemade puzzle is simple, fun and will surely get the kids creative juices flowing.

Homemade puzzle activités are fun for everyone but can especially be beneficial to kids as builds cognitive skills, hand eye coordination and problem solving skills.

This is a very simple puzzle activity for toddlers. However, you can put the older kids to work by encouraging them to make this puzzle paper craft.

How to make Cardboard Puzzle For Kids

To make this homemade puzzle craft will need

Materials

Cardboard

A4 paper (card stock preferred)

Craft knife

PVA Glue

Scissors

Used coloured paper (optional)

Instructions

Cut out two 15cm by 15cm square card board. You may draw the square on the cardboard using a ruler before cutting

Take one cardboard cut out and draw a 12cm by 12cm square making sure it is centered.

Highlight the 4cm and 8cm mark on all sides of the square and draw lines from end to the other.

Number all the boxes.

Using a craft knife, carefully cut out the number 12cm by 12cm square and put aside. You should now have the numbered cutout and a frame

Apply glue to the PVA glue to the frame and stick it on to the other cardboard. Make sure you are gluing the back of the cut out.

Now let’s decorate the frame. You can decorate with tiny paper strips as pictured. (optional). You could also decorate with craft stones or paint the frame in bright colours.

Print any image of your choice on the A4 paper. Make sure the image is 12cm by 12cm.

Now cut out the image.

Apply PVA Glue to the other side of the cardboard with numbers.

Stick the image on the cardboard and let it dry.

Trim 0.5cm of each side  to allow for free movement of the puzzle pieces.

Turn to the numbered side and cut out each puzzle piece using a pair of scissors

Arrange the puzzle pieces in the frame.

Make a game of it. Show a picture of the puzzle to be solved armed with the puzzle pieces.

To make it more challenging, you could cut out 3cm by 3cm squares making 16 puzzle pieces.