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Making a puzzle together is a fun way to help develop your child's concentration and coordination skills.
Watch the video below to see how you can have a go at making your own puzzle by cutting up old cereal boxes.
The benefits of making a puzzle together
- It helps build children's fine motor skills as they use child-friendly scissors to carefully cut out the pieces.
- Piecing the puzzle together again is great for their coordination and concentration.
- It helps to build problem-solving skills.
- Deciding on what to make a puzzle from can help spark their imagination.
- It gives kids opportunity to use and hear words like cut, straight, piece, top and bottom etc. as part of the instructions and chance to guess what the final picture will be.
- Asking them about what they're doing gives them chance to explain their ideas in sentences.
How to make your own jigsaw puzzle
Let your child decide what to cut up and make a puzzle from - it could be a cereal box, leaflet or other piece of card from the recycling. Ask them about why they have chosen that picture to use.
Supervise them as they carefully cut out shapes. Ask them 'what shape is that?' as they cut up the picture.
Mix up all of the pieces and then see if they can piece it back together again. Ask them 'where do you think this piece goes?'. This gives them chance to explain their ideas to you.
When they get it right, offer plenty of encouragement and praise.
Remember to use child-friendly scissors and supervise at all times.
More crafty play ideas for 4-5 year olds
Why not try making and flying paper planes together? This can be a fun way to learn early STEM skills.
You could use the recycling to make junk model toys together and have some imaginative fun.
Find out more about the benefits of crafty play for children
