Pick up some blank puzzles and let the kids design and decorate their own personalized jigsaw puzzles. In this post, we’ll tell you where to get them and how we made ours.
My daycare kids kids love doing puzzles of any kind, so we often make homemade puzzles. It’s a win-win – making the puzzle is an art activity or craft in itself, and they end up with a puzzle they can play with.
Well, the other day, the kids made their coolest puzzles yet. They made DIY Jigsaw puzzles!
They designed and decorated blank interlocking jigsaw puzzles. They were fun to make and they turned out great! The pieces really snap together, and bonus… you can decorate the back of the puzzles with a second design so you get two puzzles in one!
I didn’t even know blank puzzles were a thing until I came across them in the art store the other day. I was like “Whaaat??? The hooligans would LOVE these!” They were only a couple of bucks each, so I grabbed a bunch.
The hooligans love doing puzzles. They have from the time they were little, when I used to make homemade name puzzles and shape puzzles for them.
As they got older, they advanced to more complex jigsaws, and they used to spend hours laying on the floor putting them together, so I knew they’d be excited to make interlocking jigsaws of their own.
Where to buy blank puzzles
I bought these blank puzzles at Curry Art Supplies, but you can probably get them at Michael’s, and you can get them right here here on Amazon. (That’s my affiliate link).
Assorted Sizes
They come in assorted sizes. I could only get the 12- piece puzzles but believe it or not, this size does a decent job of challenging you when you’re putting it together. For toddlers and preschoolers, You wouldn’t want to go any bigger than 12 pieces.
They come in 28 and 36-piece sizes too, which would be great for older kids or creative adults.
Note: For a larger puzzle, you’d want to photograph the puzzle before taking it apart the first time, so you’d know exactly how to put it together.
To Make Our DIY Jigsaw Puzzles, We Used:
- blank jigsaw puzzles
- pencil/eraser
- acrylic craft paint, markers or pencil crayons
- paintbrushes
- craft varnish (satin finish)
How We Made Our Puzzles
To make their puzzles, each of the kids drew their design on their puzzle. Some drew their names, and others drew pictures. (Remember to flip your puzzle over and draw a design on the back side if you want to make two puzzles.)
One hooligan didn’t draw a design. Instead, she got straight to the painting, and painted her pieces in rainbow order.
The kids painted their designs with acrylic paint. You could also use pencil crayons, watercolours or markers.
When the paint was dry, they took their puzzles apart, and we varnished them to protect the painted finish and give them a bit of a sheen.
Note: you need to take the puzzle apart before varnishing it. If you don’t, the varnish will seal your puzzle pieces together.
Wait until the varnish is completely dry and then assemble your puzzle!
Fun Family Activity Or Gift
Wouldn’t it be fun to make a larger puzzle as a family? You could each family member design a different section of the puzzle. It would make a great keepsake, wouldn’t it. It would also be a cool gift for your kids to make together for a friend or a grandparent.
More Homemade Puzzle Activities
Homemade Shape Puzzle for Toddlers and Preschoolers
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
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