Homemade Cereal Box Puzzles to Make for Kids

Homemade cereal box puzzles are easy to make, and great for keeping the kids entertained and learning quietly.

Doing a puzzle is so beneficial for a child.  Puzzles get kids thinking, planning and problem solving, they’re great for fine motor skills, and a child feels a real sense of accomplishment when they complete a puzzle correctly.

We have all kinds of kids’ puzzles here in my daycare: jigsaw puzzles, name puzzles, number and letter puzzles made out of foam, wooden shape puzzles and giant, life-sized floor puzzles.  We also have a few homemade puzzles.  Our homemade shape-matching puzzle is my favourite.

These cereal box puzzles were really quick and easy to make.  At noon today, I was looking for a simple activity to keep the toddlers busy while I made lunch.  When we came into the kitchen, I spotted a couple of empty cereal boxes on the counter.  My wheels started turning, and in less than 5 minutes, I’d turned those boxes into a set of easy homemade puzzles.

What you’ll need to make your cereal box puzzles:

• cereal box
• pair of scissors

Making homemade puzzles from cereal boxes:

Start by cutting out the front panel of the cereal box.

Now, just cut the box front into a few large, simple shapes. I went with about 4 or 5 large, very simple pieces for our puzzles. For an older child, you could cut more pieces, and make the shapes a little more intricate.

The beauty of these homemade puzzles is that you can make them as easy or as challenging as you like, depending on the age of your child.

It’s such a simple activity, but the girls were quite excited when I handed them their puzzle pieces, and it kept them busy while I pulled lunch together.

Looking for more super-easy and inexpensive activities to make for your child?  Check out our:

Homemade Cardboard Construction Set

Easy DIY Matching Game

Fine Motor Mitten Match-up

Cardboard Drop Box

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Jackie Currie

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.