3 1/2 years old

Apple Puzzle Making

13:01

We are always looking for fun ways to work on basic skills, and what better way to practice cutting with scissors than to make a puzzle?  So now that autumn is approaching and we're thinking of all things apples, we've made a fun apple puzzle to play with!


I started by cutting out a large apple shape from construction paper (sugar paper).  Then I drew some different types of lines on the apple for Ethan to cut along.  I drew some straight lines, some zigzag and some wavy lines.  I was careful not to do too many to make the puzzle too difficult, but I also wanted it to be tricky enough to challenge him.  For children who are just learning to cut this could be done with just a couple of straight lines to follow.


Then Ethan set to cutting along the lines.  There were points at which he said that it was too tricky, and those children's safety scissors aren't always the easiest to cut with, but I was able to hold the paper for him and that helped him to make the cuts.


After cutting out all of the pieces I set out a piece of contact paper (sticky backed plastic) for Ethan to place all of the apple pieces on to assemble his puzzle.  He was able to do this quite easily, and could peel the pieces off carefully if they ended up in the wrong place.  


After that Ethan decided to make his own puzzle!  So I cut out a large red apple for him this time, and he set to cutting it up into his own shapes.


I did say that he probably shouldn't cut it into too many pieces and that he wouldn't really want them too small, but of course he didn't listen to me!  So he ended up with about 16 pieces that he then needed to piece together to form an apple shape!


This time it was a lot trickier and he needed quite a bit of help to find the pieces that fit together.  But I'll admit that in the end I couldn't even quite figure it out, I swear someone must have eaten part of this apple because we just couldn't make it fit together!  But we laughed as we pieced it together as best as we could, and it did end up in sort of an apple shape in the end!


Ethan really enjoyed making his own apple puzzles and having a purpose for his cutting along the lines.  We will definitely be making more puzzles I'm sure, but hopefully not with quite so many pieces!

On the hunt for even more apple themed activities for kids? Check out these fun ideas from some of my favorite kid bloggers.


16 awesome apple activities for kids. Craft projects, math games, free printables... tons of stuff!


FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Apple Counting Activity // The Pleasantest Thing
Felt Apple Pie Making Kit // Still Playing School
Free Apple Playdough Mats // Playdough to Plato
Apple Tree Quiet Book // Teach Me Mommy
Apple Number Match Up Activity // Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
Apple Color Sorting // Modern Preschool
Apple Puzzle Making // Play and Learn Everyday
Apple Collage // Powerful Mothering
Apple Print Animal Art Activity // Liz's Early Learning Spot
Toy Apple Busy Bag // Stay at Home Mama
Apple Time Write and Wipe // Fairy Poppins
Apples // Think Magnet
Apple Patterns // The Kindergarten Connection

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