Puzzles are so much fun for kids and are a great way for them to build cognitive and fine motor skills (and they happen to be the theme for this week’s Playful Preschool). The Sugar Snaps are taking an enrichment class and bring home art work each week. One fun thing to do with kids’ artwork is to turn it into puzzles. They made rainbows using tempera paint and we turned their rainbow art into puzzles. This is so easy and gives them lasting enjoyment from their own art.
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You will need:
- Craft Foam
- White glue or Tacky Glue
- Scissors
- Art work on paper (or photocopy of your child’s artwork if you don’t want to part with it)
- Thin cardboard such as poster board or the side of a cereal box
- Cookie cutters (if desired)
- Permanent marker
- Ziploc Bag to store puzzle (if desired)
These steps can be done by an adult for a preschooler to play with or by a preschooler with adult supervision. First, take the artwork and line it up on the cardboard first, and then the craft foam. Cut around the cardboard and craft foam so that it is the same size as the piece of art. Glue the art onto the cardboard and then the craft foam. You may want to place a book on top of the layers while it dries.
Use the permanent marker to draw around the cookie cutters and to draw puzzle shapes freehand. The number and size of pieces can be changed to suit the level of difficulty appropriate for your children.
Cut out the puzzle shapes using the lines drawn on the foam. It’s that easy! Have your child put the puzzle together. Store the puzzle in a Ziploc bag so it can be used again and again.
Beginning Sounds Matching Puzzles with Stickers by Mom Inspired Life
Learning Your Name Playdough Puzzle by Growing Book by Book
Can You Follow The Puzzle? by Learning 2 Walk
Animal Puzzles in a Sensory Bin by Life Over C’s
Turn Your Child’s Artwork Into A Puzzle by Capri + 3
Rainbow Art Puzzle for Kids by Fun-A-Day!
Trace, Match, Write | Fine Motor, Math, and Literacy Activities with Puzzles by The Educators’ Spin On It
Rainbow Craft Stick Puzzle by Powerful Mothering
Preschool Made Puzzle Activity by Tiny Tots Adventures
Rainbow Name Puzzle by Still Playing School
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I want to do this with my son's artwork, but not sure he will let me cut it out! Maybe if I tell him the purpose before we begin he will be ok!
Love this idea! You could also make a photocopy of their artwork if they are like my kid and will turn complete crazy evil if I cut up their work.
Hi Amanda.
A photocopy would be perfect for you son. That way he can enjoy his work two ways.
: 0 ) Theresa
Hi Natasha.
Yes, photocopies would be perfect for parents or kids who do not want to part with the original art work.
: 0 ) Theresa
Wow what a fun idea!! A great way to re-purpose all of that art they make. I have a hard time throwing any of it away…
What a neat idea. my daughter has so many pieces of art and I had no idea what to do with them, this is the perfect idea
What a fun idea! This would give some extra use to those art projects that pile up all over the place!
Hi Twitchetts BlogSpot.
It is hard to throw it away! I have a box of their art and plan to take pictures of all of it and make it into a book. Otherwise, we would have mountains of art in a few years.
: 0 ) Theresa
Thank you Terri Lynne.
I hope your daughter has fun seeing her work transformed into puzzles.
: 0 ) Theresa
Hi Kim.
They do tend to pile up! There is not enough space on the refrigerator to display them all. This way, they can still be enjoyed for a long time to come.
: 0 ) Theresa
i love this idea! this is so smart! we have SOOO much kid's artwork lying around that is either taking up space…or headed to the trash. So this is a great, fun option for some of those pieces. Love!
Oh I love this idea. We have so much art work just piling up. I love the idea of coming up with a new idea for it!
Thank you Alyssa.
It is hard to keep up with all the art work that children create. I think it gives them a sense of pride to use it in a new way.
: 0 ) Theresa
Thank you Growing Book by Book.
I think most parents have a lot of art piling up. It is hard to let it go. We had fun repurposing it.
: 0 ) Theresa
I love this puzzle from the kids art work. This would be a great toy even as they get older, just make the puzzle harder.
What a cool idea! My daughter would love this! I hope you are having a great week!
Hi Megan.
That is one thing I like about it too (varying the degrees of difficulty by age). My husband tried the puzzle shown in this post when he came home from work and said, "this is actually harder than it looks!"
: 0 ) Theresa
Thank you WorkingMomMagic.
I am having a good week! I hope you are too.
: 0 ) Theresa
Such a neat idea! My son would love it if I turned his artwork into a puzzle!
This is a great idea! Funny because my toddler and I did puzzles all morning today.
Thank you Danielle.
I hope your son enjoys trying this out.
: 0 ) Theresa
Thank you Melissa.
Toddlers and preschoolers love to figure out puzzles (and we parents love that it is great for their cognitive development)!
: 0 ) Theresa
This is such a great idea! Wow, thanks for posting. I might have to repurpose some of my daughter's artwork and do this for a busy bag!
Hi Sara.
This would be a great busy bag. That is a fun idea!
: 0 ) Theresa
What a super cute idea!!! I never thought of this!!! Thanks for sharing!
~Jen
http://www.appledapplepancakes.blogspot.com
Thank you Apple Dapple Pancakes!
: 0 ) Theresa
This is such a cute idea, Theresa! My daughter is really into puzzles right now, so I think we will give it a try.
Thank you Jess.
I hope your daughter enjoys trying this out.
: 0 ) Theresa
This looks a great way to celebrate kids artwork. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
MommyCrusader.com
Thank you Deborah!
: 0 ) Theresa