Cereal Box Puzzle

What you need

• the front of an empty cereal box
• a sheet of scrap paper to build it on

How to do it

1. Cut the front off the cereal box and look at the picture together.
2. Cut it into four pieces with straight lines, then let your child put it back together on the paper.
3. Cut each piece in half to make eight, and try again.
4. Mix the pieces of two boxes together and sort them out first.

Why it matters

A puzzle from a box they know gives them the finished picture in their head, so they can work out where each piece goes.

What they're learning

Fitting pieces

Turning a piece round until its edge lines up.

Looking for clues

A corner, a straight edge, a bit of the picture.

Sticking with it

Trying another piece when one doesn't fit.

What to look for

Notice them looking for an edge or a corner piece first.

A tip

Do the cutting yourself with grown-up scissors, and keep the pieces in an envelope for another day.

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