Brain games and puzzles
Maze Maker
Design your own maze on squared paper with one true path and lots of dead ends, then swap with a friend.
Thinking sheet · Brain games and puzzles
Cut-Apart Picture Puzzle
Draw a picture, color it, then draw puzzle lines and cut it into pieces for a friend.
- Grades
- K–3
- Time
- about 25 minutes
- Kids practice
- part and whole, fine motor, spatial reasoning
What kids do
“Make your own puzzle! Draw it, color it, cut it up.”
- My puzzle picture (fill the whole box)
- Number of pieces:
- Solved by:
How to run it
- Color the whole box so every piece has a clue.
- Draw 5 to 12 wavy cutting lines.
- Store the pieces in an envelope with the title on it.
Talk about it
- Which pieces were easiest to fit?
- Do more pieces make it harder?
- How do edges help?
Take it further
Make it double-sided with a different picture on the back.
Pairs well with
Free for home and classroom use. Print as many copies as you need.
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Dots and Boxes
The classic pencil game: take turns joining dots, close a box to claim it and draw a tiny face inside.
Free for teachers
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12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.