Home and Office: Tangrams and Puzzles for Kids

Puzzles are a great way to entertain your brain. Many are designed to improve your memory, problem-solving skills, and creativity. One of the best things about puzzles is that they can be played anywhere. A jigsaw puzzle can be put together at a lunch table, a desk, or a clean space at home. Try different types of puzzles on paper or online to find your favorite!

Tangrams

Tangrams were invented in China, and when explorers brought them back to England, the game became wildly popular. A tangram is a puzzle made up of seven shapes. Pictures can be made by putting the shapes together in different ways. The best part is that tangrams can be played by anyone at any age.

• Tangrams: How to Play: You’ve probably heard of tangrams before, but what are they? Learn about tangrams here.
• Online Tangram Game: Tangrams are usually made from paper or wood. On this website, play with a set of virtual tangrams.
• Geometric Shapes With Tangrams: Learning about shapes and geometry can seem hard. Tangrams are a good way to practice what you know.
• Geoshapes: Timed Tangram Puzzles: Think you’re pretty good with tangrams? Test your skills with this online challenge.
• Birds from an Egg: This egg-shaped tangram can be turned into birds. Can you figure out how?
• Constructing Your Own Set of Tangrams: Making your own set of tangrams is super easy. Just follow the instructions here.
• The Tangram Zoo: You can make your own tabletop zoo at home with a set of tangrams.
• Make Your Own Tangram Puzzle (PDF): This fun printout includes a tangram you can make at home.
• Interactive Tangram: Try out these online tangrams. If you get stuck on a puzzle, there are hints to help.
• Museum of Play: Tangrams: Puzzles are a popular way to enjoy tangrams. You can come up with your own just by using your imagination.
• The Origin of Tangrams: Tangrams began as a way to play with table arrangements for banquets. Over time, they became a popular puzzle.
• Make a Classic Tangram Puzzle: You can make wood or foam tangrams right at home. Just ask an adult for help!
• Tangrams: An Introduction: The seven basic tangram pieces look like a bunch of odd shapes. They actually all fit together to form a perfect square.
• Find the Right Solution! (PDF): Tangrams are a great introduction to design and art. Take a look at the creative side of tangrams with this printout.
• The Never Girls Tangram Puzzles (PDF): If you’re looking for a fun afternoon activity, try this easy, printable tangram set.
• Big Brothers, Big Sisters Tangram Puzzle Printable (PDF): One story says that tangrams were accidentally created by shattering a glass window. Try your hand at solving these creative puzzles.
• Double Tangrams (PDF): One tangram puzzle is a good introduction. With two tangram sets, you can make even more complex shapes and designs.
• Tangram Pattern and Puzzles (PDF): This big, clean tangram pattern is easy to print out, easy to decorate, and easy to play with.
• Tans: Create Puzzling Pictures: In a tangram, each piece of the puzzle is called a tan. Use the tans in a tangram to try to re-create these pretty puzzle designs.
• Tangram Puzzle Sheet and Solutions (PDF): As fun as puzzles are to try, many of them don’t have solutions or hints for when you get stuck. This printout has several designs to try as well as how to solve them.
• Tangram Outline Solutions: Are you stumped for ideas on what to make? This site has 100 different tangram diagrams!

Puzzles

A puzzle can be anything from a jigsaw puzzle to a group of riddles, but puzzles are usually played on paper or with wooden pieces. Jigsaw puzzles use a picture cut into differently shaped pieces, which must then be put back together. Crossword puzzles come with clues to help figure out the words needed to solve the puzzle.

• Just for Kids: Puzzles: Word searches are fun games to test your language skills. Try out the ones on this page!
• Wild Animal Puzzles: Can you put the animals back together in this online game? Once you finish, there are plenty of others.
• Test Your Powers of Observation Puzzle (PDF): Your eyes can fool you. These three puzzles will show you how observant you are!
• A Crossword Puzzle for Kids (PDF): Crossword puzzles use clues to help you find certain words. Give this one from the University of South Carolina a try.
• Animated Puzzle for Kids: Solve this online puzzle and be rewarded with a cute animation of a puppy. If you get stuck, it’s easy to restart.
• Jumbled Jets: The jets have gotten out of order on the runway. It’s up to you to figure out how they should go in this fun online game from NASA.
• Jett’s Crossword Puzzle (PDF): Puzzles can be a good way of reviewing information. This game tests your knowledge of fire safety.
• CIA Interactive Puzzle: Can you put the picture back together? See if you can beat your best time in this game, provided by the Central Intelligence Agency.
• The Lorax: Word Search: The words needed to solve this puzzle are also ways that you can help defend the environment.
• How Many? Not all puzzles have pieces. To solve this puzzle, you’ll have to unscramble some words.
• Picture Sudoku: Traditional Sudoku uses numbers. In this kid-friendly version, each row is filled with pictures.
• Coin Memory Game: Puzzles are designed to help your brain stay strong and healthy. Test your memory with this coin match game!
• Economics: Fedmatch Memory Game: When preparing for a test, it’s a good idea to review the material you learned. Memory games, like this one, can be a fun way to study.
• Picture Puzzles: Pollution: To solve these online puzzles, just drag and drop the shapes into place!
• Presidential Word Search (PDF): There have been dozens of presidents of the United States. Solve this word search to uncover their names.
• Memory Solitaire: You can improve your memory with some special training. This game will show you how.
• Puzzles and Brainteasers: What are brainteasers, and why are they so popular? Read this article to discover more about puzzles.
• What Is Science? Crossword Puzzle: Do you know what the scientific method is? Test your knowledge with this crossword puzzle.
• Gen and Flossy’s Crossword Search (PDF): Taking care of your teeth is important. Join Gen and Flossy for this fun activity to review dental health.
• Presidents and Their Homes: Seek and Find (PDF): For a quick history review, see if you can find the names of these presidents and the places where they grew up.
• Oklahoma Terms: Can You Find Them All? (PDF): Oklahoma is a state with a rich history. Can you find all of the words hidden in this puzzle?
• Science Crosswords: No paper is needed for these puzzles! Just type in your answers.