Creating a fun learning environment at home doesn’t have to be about expensive toys or complicated games. Sometimes, the best activities are those that involve a little creativity and the things you already have lying around.
Today, I’m excited to share a simple, yet fantastic, do-it-yourself activity that not only entertains your little ones but also boosts their developmental skills: a Shape Match Puzzle made using toys or objects from the home and a large piece of cardboard!
With little ones bustling with energy and curiosity, finding activities that are both engaging and educational can be a delightful challenge.
That’s where the Shape Match Puzzle comes in! It’s a game that encourages your children to recognize and match different shapes, and it’s tailor-made for their inquisitive minds.
Why It’s Great for Learning and Development
As your toddler or preschooler plays with the Shadow Match Puzzle, they’re not just having fun; they’re also sharpening their cognitive skills. This activity helps with:
- Shape Recognition: Identifying different shapes and understanding their properties.
- Fine Motor Skills: Picking up and placing the pieces hones hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
- Problem-Solving: Deciding which piece fits where encourages critical thinking.
- Memory: Remembering the shapes and where they fit helps improve memory.
How to Set Up Your DIY Shape Match Puzzle
Before you start, you can go on a scavenger hunt around the room or around the house with your toddler to find interesting shape objects to include.
Some of the items we used for our shadow match or outline match puzzle are…
- toddler scissors
- wooden train track
- letters from wooden alphabet puzzle
- dentist mirror
- roll of tape
- shaped eraser
- glow in the dark star
- Duplo LEGO piece
- triangle from a shape puzzle
But the beauty of this activity is that you can choose any items from around the house, it doesn’t need to be the exact same as ours.
- Find Your Canvas: Grab a large piece of cardboard as the base for your puzzle.
- Gather a Variety of Items: Look for toys and objects with clear shapes – scissors, wooden train tracks, a glow-in-the-dark star, letters from a wooden puzzle, a Lego block, etc. The great thing about this activity is that you can adapt and use whatever you have to hand.
- Trace the Shapes: Draw around each object onto the cardboard, creating an outline for each one. Using a thick marker for this is best so that the outlines can be clearly seen when the objects are removed.
- Set the Stage: Place the items beside the cardboard.
Playing the Game with Your Child
Invite your child to match each item to its drawn outline on the cardboard. This can be a fun challenge for kids as young as 18 months and continue to be entertaining and educational through the toddler and preschool years.
My 2-year-old daughter found it incredibly engaging, and I bet your little one will too!
This game is simple to set up and provides valuable learning opportunities. Plus, it’s flexible; you can swap out items to keep the game fresh or increase the difficulty as your child grows.
It’s a playful way to learn, and the best part? You’re using what you already have at home to create a unique educational experience.
So, let’s get creative and watch our children learn and grow, one shape at a time!
Nature Version
For those who appreciate the beauty of the outdoors, we also have a natural twist on the matching game with this nature match puzzle, which encourages little explorers to match shapes of various leaves and other natural elements.
It’s a wonderful way to bring the outside world into your learning space and add a breath of fresh air to your child’s developmental play.
More DIY Puzzles and Games to Play at Home
These DIY projects are a crafty pastime and also a gateway to learning and bonding with your children.
From the comfort of your playroom, discover how to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary with simple, homemade puzzles that challenge and delight young minds.
If you’ve enjoyed the Shape Match Puzzle, we hope you’ll love these simple ideas too.
Let’s get crafting and create playful learning moments at home!
- DIY Wooden Shape Puzzles
- Star DIY Color Matching Puzzle (Printable Template)
- Free Printable CVC Word Puzzles
- Glue the Missing Parts Shape Puzzle Activity
- DIY Pom Pom Counting Cards
- DIY Personalised Magnet Dress Up Dolls Game for Kids
If you’ve found joy and value in these DIY puzzle activities, we’d be delighted if you’d share this blog post with friends and family who might also enjoy creating and playing these games. Please consider saving this to your Pinterest boards for future crafting inspiration and to spread the fun to the vibrant community there. Your shares and pins help us grow and keep the creative ideas flowing!
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