Puzzles are one of the best educational tools for children of all ages. Putting a puzzle together is a fun activity that teaches kids how to solve simple problems, among many other worthwhile benefits. While puzzles may seem like a simple recreational activity, children will learn how to connect the different pieces and the relationships between states, countries, cities, and the rest of the world.
Here we’ll explain how to make a puzzle map at home with simple supplies. Additionally, we’ll look into the main benefits of using a puzzle map as the foundation of geography studies and many other learning areas.
How to Make a Puzzle Map
One of the most important things about making a puzzle map is to keep the activity simple so kids of every age can participate. Connecting each piece is an excellent opportunity to review general information such as names, the climate, etc.
Supplies You’ll Need to Make a Puzzle Map
Here’s what you’ll need to make a puzzle map:
- An online source of printable versions of the maps. National Geographic is a good option
- Scissors
- Glue
- A brush
- Cardboard. Ensure it’s not too thin or too thick and difficult to cut. A cereal box will be perfect for the task.
Instructions to Make a Puzzle Map
Once you’ve gathered all the supplies, your children will be ready to start making their own maps. To do so, follow these simple steps:
- Select the map you would like to make and print it on a sheet of paper.
- Using the brush, glue the cardboard and attach the map. You’ll have to wait for the glue to dry completely before continuing.
- Cut the map following the boundary lines of the states or countries. Make sure to have a bag ready to store the pieces and keep them safe when you’re not using them.
Once the puzzle is completed, your children can color each piece individually. To protect the pieces, you can put cellophane over them.
The Value of Puzzle Maps
Maps have been used for years in every educational practice to help children learn the names of continents and countries. A puzzle map’s primary goal is the same as conventional maps. However, that’s just the beginning of the benefits puzzle maps offer.
Here are some other benefits of using puzzle maps:
Unfortunately, the concentration span of most children isn’t very long. Research shows that as many as 40% of preschoolers have attention problems. Making puzzles map will enhance a child’s ability to focus on a specific task.
While putting together a puzzle, children learn motor skills that help them to manage big and small pieces. This will strengthen their hand muscles and improve their writing skills.
Puzzle maps also help children improve their perception of space. It’s normal for small children to have problems with spatial awareness. The first attempts to put a puzzle together tend to be a trial-error process until they improve their skills in this area.
Studies show that tactile learning is essential, not just for the child’s physical abilities. Through touch, children also develop cognitive abilities and language skills. Tactile objects, such as the pieces of a puzzle map, will lead to a deeper appreciation of a country’s size, which will help develop problem-solving skills in the future.
Puzzle maps can be used as the starting point for other areas of study. Once the puzzle is complete, you can provide additional information about each piece, including cities, landmarks, flags, and more. As children age, educational practices may include reading about a country’s history and cultural studies.
Additional Work to Do With Maps
Puzzle maps are entertaining, and children have a lot of fun putting them together. Therefore, it’s imperative to make the most out of the experience. If your children started with traditional puzzle sets, it makes sense to transition to puzzle maps.
When children start losing interest in putting a particular puzzle together, they may have learned as much as possible from it.
When that happens, additional work can be done with puzzle maps to give your children a new fun activity and teach them about the countries and oceans of the world.
Here are some additional activities children can do using puzzle maps:
A Puzzle Map Can Be the Starting Point For Learning More About Each Continent
Choosing one continent at a time, a teacher can provide information about animals, culture, history, and more.
One common activity using puzzle maps is asking children to draw their own puzzle pieces. This will require them to copy what they see and touch. All of which will contribute to the development of hand-eye coordination.
Once their pieces are completed, you can provide them with a blue sphere to represent the earth and teach them how to place them in their respective places. As puzzle maps are flat surfaces, these kinds of additional activities help children understand the place each continent has in the world.
Encourage Additional Research
Puzzle maps spike children’s curiosity about a specific continent or country. You can give them supplementary reading material to learn more about the subject.
Using Puzzle Maps With the Montessori Method
The Montessori method allows children to learn at their own pace. This will encourage them to explore new topics and skills in tandem with their natural curiosity. Knowledge of the world starts with learning about the globe, which will give them a general understanding of the continents and the oceans.
Once children reach the age of three, they can start exploring the world through puzzle maps. They will expand their knowledge by learning about different countries and cities. Little by little, their initial conception of the world will broaden to include many other areas of study. If you want to create a Montessori environment for your children, puzzle maps are recommended learning tools.
Puzzle maps consist of a three-period lesson introducing and identifying cognition of a particular topic. In this case, children will learn the names of the continents, their sizes in relation to one another, and the place they have in the world.
The Montessori educational method states that children can use the same material as often as necessary. They are drawn to the material because they are still learning and taking something positive from the experience.
Once the child gets bored with one puzzle, they’ll be ready to move on to the next challenge. It’s recommended that a teacher provides an introductory lesson for every puzzle map so the student can familiarize themselves with the respective names.
Tips for Working With Puzzle Maps
As mentioned, puzzle maps have different approaches that will gradually enrich a student’s knowledge of the different continents and countries. Here are some tips to consider when working with maps:
- Keep things in order. We’ve mentioned the benefits of using the Montessori educational method. These practices provide students with valuable skills that go way beyond academic knowledge. The first thing students need to learn when working with puzzle maps is to be careful with the material. This includes learning to take the pieces out of the book, place them on a work mat, and put them away carefully to avoid losing any pieces.
- Give children the chance to play with the puzzle as often as they want. This may seem like a pointless, repetitive activity for parents. But every time they put a puzzle together, the child will reinforce the knowledge they have already acquired and spark their curiosity to learn more.
- If you’re considering how to make a puzzle map, be aware that it will require scissors. If your children are young, this is the kind of activity that will necessitate adult supervision.
Put the World Together Piece by Piece
Puzzle maps are an entertaining tool for promoting your children’s world knowledge. Among the most significant benefits, your kids will develop problem-solving skills while getting general information about the continents and oceans. It will also improve their concentration through an activity that keeps them focused for a prolonged period.
Over time, you may incorporate additional activities. Making a puzzle map and engaging your children in this task requires further concentration and dexterity.
Puzzle maps are a great starting point to build the foundations for other areas of study, including history, culture, and biology. Now that you know everything there is to know about how to make a puzzle map, prepare yourself for a fun activity with your children that will be an incredible source of new knowledge in the years to come.