Homemade puzzles for kids

Safety first

Scissors are for grown-ups only. Cut at a table while children are sitting down, and put the scissors away before the puzzle starts. Paper can give a nasty cut, so handle sharp edges and corners gently. Small pieces are not for children under three, and older children need an adult close by. Never give them to anyone who still puts things in their mouth. Count the pieces before and after play, and sweep up scraps. Keep pencils pointing down and away from faces, and sit rather than run with them. Avoid staples and pins, and use thick paper or card. If you glue thin paper to card, a grown-up does it with a small dab of glue, kept away from eyes and mouths, and wipes sticky fingers straight away. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

1. Cut-up postcard jigsaw

Age hint: 3 and up with large pieces, 5 and up for more pieces.

Bring: an old postcard, greeting card front or a child's drawing on thick paper, a pencil, a ruler and scissors for the grown-up.

1. The grown-up turns the picture over and draws big shapes on the back with a ruler: two to four pieces for age three, four to six for age four, and up to nine for age five and up. Use straight lines first, then wavy ones when you are ready.
2. The grown-up cuts along the lines, away from the child.
3. Mix the pieces on the table, picture side up.
4. Put the picture back together, starting with the corners.

Chat: Which piece did you find first, and what was on it?

2. Sorting-tray odd one out

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: thick paper, crayons and a shallow tray or a box lid.

1. Draw or colour four cards. Three should match in one way, such as three red cards, and one should be different.
2. The grown-up cuts the cards out as big squares.
3. Lay the four cards in the tray and ask, "Which one does not belong?"
4. Take turns making a new set for each other. There can be more than one good answer.

Chat: How did you decide which card to pick out?

3. Maze drawn on paper

Age hint: 5 and up.

Bring: a sheet of paper, a pencil and a coloured pencil.

1. The grown-up draws the first maze, and older children can draw their own next time. Draw a big box and mark a start on one side and a finish on the other.
2. Draw wiggly walls inside the box, leaving a gap wherever the path should go.
3. Add a few dead ends that stop at a wall.
4. Trace the way through with a finger first, then with a coloured pencil.

Chat: Where did you get stuck, and how did you find your way back?

4. Spot-the-difference pair

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: two sheets of paper and coloured pencils.

1. The grown-up draws a simple scene on the first sheet, such as a house, a tree and the sun.
2. On the second sheet, draw the same scene again with three to five small changes: a missing window, a different flower, a bigger cloud.
3. Keep the changes secret and hand both sheets to the child.
4. Lay the sheets side by side and circle each difference you find. Then swap roles and let the child make a pair for you.

Chat: Which difference was the sneakiest?

5. Paper shape matching

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: two sheets of paper, a pencil, crayons and scissors for the grown-up.

1. On one sheet, draw a circle, a square, a triangle and a star, each large and clearly apart.
2. On the second sheet, draw the same shapes again, then colour them.
3. The grown-up cuts out the coloured shapes only.
4. Lay each cut-out on the outline of its twin. Turn a shape around until it fits.

Chat: Which shape was the easiest to match, and which one needed turning?

6. Follow-the-arrows path

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a sheet of paper and a pencil, or a few sheets taped into a trail on the floor.

1. Draw a star at the start and a heart at the end.
2. Draw arrows between them: one pointing up, then right, then down, and so on.
3. The child follows the arrows with a finger and says each direction aloud.
4. Make a harder path with a turn or a loop, or draw one for your grown-up to follow.

Chat: What would you change to make the path tricky?

How these differ from other pages

These are paper puzzles you make first and solve second. For ready-made shape fun see shape and colour games. For rhythms to continue, try pattern games, and for recall play memory games. Dice and counters live in make your own board game.

More to do on Rangooo

Cut and fold with easy paper crafts, play pencil games with drawing games for kids, find more ideas in indoor games for kids, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are homemade paper puzzles for?

Most of these suit ages four to eight with a grown-up. Children of three can try a two or four piece jigsaw with large pieces and the arrow path. Pieces that are small enough to fit in a mouth are not for children under three, and older children need an adult watching.

What paper works best for a cut-up jigsaw?

A used postcard, a greeting card front or a drawing on thick paper works well. If your paper is thin, glue it to a flat piece of card from a cereal box first so the pieces stay firm and easy to pick up.

Can children cut the pieces themselves?

Scissors are for grown-ups only in these puzzles. Children can draw, colour, sort and solve. A grown-up does all the cutting, and children should not handle scissors while making these puzzles.

How do we keep the puzzles to use again?

Keep each puzzle's pieces in an envelope or a paper bag with the finished picture or a note on the front. Count the pieces before you put them away, and check the floor for stray scraps afterwards.