Puzzle & Shape Matching Cards

So, what do you do with a puzzle after a child has mastered it? Do you stash it away until another child needs it? What if you only have one child to use it? With some high-quality puzzles, that could get very expensive. Some kids get bored with a puzzle after the first time they have solved it. I love re-using puzzles for other purposes. Today we used this puzzle & shape matching cards to explore our puzzle in a new way.

Materials needed for the Shape Matching Cards Activity:

2 Pieces scrapbook paper 

Laminating pouches & laminator

Melissa and Doug Shape Chunky Puzzle

To prep: Print the shape cards on scrapbook paper, laminate and cut apart.

Printing on scrapbook paper makes it so the kids can’t see through the cards which is important for a memory game. Regular printer paper becomes see-through after color is printed on it.

Plus, the cute backgrounds are so much more fun to play with than plain white paper!

There are lots of fun ways to use the shape matching cards with the Melissa and Doug shape puzzle.

More Shape Learning Fun: Exploring Shapes with Play Dough

Use one set of cards to match to each of the puzzle pieces.

Because the colors do not match between the puzzle and the cards, it offers a challenge to children who have already mastered matching the colors with the shape pieces in the puzzle.

More Shape Learning Fun: Doghouse Shape Activity for Preschoolers

Match the shapes around the puzzle

My daughter created this idea on her own. She enjoyed placing the matching cards above and below the completed puzzle.

Sort the cards with the matching puzzle pieces

We used both sets of cards to pair up with the coordinating puzzle pieces.

More Shape Learning Fun: Shape I Spy for Preschoolers

Play a Memory Game

Use both sets of shape cards to play a memory game or do independent matching.

More Shape Activities:

• 3D Shape Activity Pack
• Doghouse Shape Activity for Preschoolers
• Exploring Shapes with Play Dough
• Snow Shapes
• Shape I Spy for Preschoolers

More learning fun with puzzles!

Stamping Shapes in Kinetic Sand from Still Playing School

Rainbow My Name Puzzles from Powerful Mothering

Brain Games for Kids: The ‘Puzzle’ puzzle from Edventures with Kids

Hillarious Number Line Game (using foam number puzzles) from Teach Me Mommy

Missing Number Puzzle from Adventures of Adam

Simple Puzzle Sensory Bin from School Time Snippets

Letter Recognition Sensory Bin from This Outnumbered Mama

In-Hand Manipulation Letter Puzzle Activity from Sugar Aunts