Let’s be honest. Puzzles can be fun and some people find them relaxing. Not Mr. Greg. I get stressed out a bit with those pieces and trying to make them fit. BUT kids love puzzles and using puzzles in the classroom opens up plenty of learning opportunities.
Puzzles In The Classroom
We all know the benefit of play in the classroom. Puzzles in the classroom makes play easy. Throw out some puzzles during indoor recess and you’ve got instant fun with some serious benefits. Puzzles promote problem solving, higher order thinking, collaboration and communication skills. For our EL students, the conversations that happen while doing puzzles is priceless. So if admin walks in and your kids are playing with puzzles rattle off all of those skills and they’ll probably leave you alone. Or invite them to work the puzzles with the kids!
Puzzles In The Classroom: Academic Skills
You can find puzzles for $1 at the Dollar Tree. I grabbed several different puzzles because I wanted to make several different puzzle centers. (Note: puzzles are PERFECT for teaching routines and procedures for centers at the beginning of the year!)
Here’s how I made our puzzles in the classroom activities:
First, I put together the puzzle. (Not my fave thing to do, ya’ll!)
Then I slid a piece of cardboard under the puzzle and flipped it over.
Next, I wrote the skills on the back of the pieces using a Sharpie!
Finally, I took the puzzle apart and placed it in a bag.
Now students can practice sight words, addition or subtraction to put the puzzle together.
Sight Words Puzzle
The great thing about puzzles in the classroom is that they can be easily differentiated to target specific skills or sight words your students need to practice!
Addition And Subtraction Puzzles
For more puzzles in the classroom check out these puzzle creations:
For more ideas on games to use in the classroom, check out this post:
