This post was contributed by Dyan of And Next Comes L. This post also contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please see my disclosure policy.
Make a Simple Magnet Puzzle for Early Learning Fun!
My boys love puzzles, and they love playing with magnets on our magnet board. Okay, it’s not really a magnet board. It’s actually just our deep freeze. Regardless, it works great, and it provides a huge surface for playing with magnets, so I thought it would be perfect to create a giant magnetic puzzle for the boys to have some early learning fun.
Using a large piece of easel paper, I arranged our Melissa & Doug animal magnets on the paper. I also wrote out the word “Animals” using alphabet magnets to add a literacy component to the activity. I then traced all the magnets with pencil, removed the magnets, and then retraced the lines using colored permanent markers. I also tried to match the color of the permanent marker with the color around the animal magnets in case K (26 months) had trouble finding the correct shapes.
Once it’s hung up, it’s time to do the puzzle!
Ta-da! They did it!
We have also made a dinosaur puzzle using dinosaur magnets, but you could make whatever kind of puzzle you’d like.
Married to her high school sweetheart, Dyan is a stay at home mom to two boys, J and K, who also teaches piano part time out of her home. She began her blog “And Next Comes L” in March 2013 after some mom friends encouraged her to share her creative ideas. You can read more about how her blog came to be here. She loves to dabble in all things creative and crafty, but particularly enjoys making homemade toys and quiet books for her kids.
I am so in love with clever kids’ activities like this that use just what you already have around the house. And this DIY puzzle is full of early learning opportunities, too. Perfect! Thanks so much for sharing your great ideas, Dyan!
More DIY Early Learning Ideas
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Rebecca says
What a fun way to learn!
I’ve featured this on The Sunday Showcase this week: http://www.herecomethegirlsblog.com/2013/11/23/fun-learning-activities-kids.html
Monica says
Krissy,
Thanks for linking to Family Fun Friday! Since we had over 200 link-ups I decided to do a giveaway and you won! I’m sending you an eBook called iPhone Photography Visual Guide. I hope you can use it and if not maybe give to a friend. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Monica
http://happyandblessedhome.com
Ashley says
Thank you for linking up at the Thoughtful Spot Blog Hop. I love this idea. It is so simple, yet so powerful! Thank you!
ashley says
Wow, what a fantastic Idea! We have both the animal and dinosaur magnet sets. I’m totally going to do this with my little guy. Thanks for the great idea.