How to Make a Jigsaw Puzzle
Do you love to do jigsaw puzzles but hate the corny pictures? Here's how to make a puzzle with any picture—your pet turtle, your favorite cartoon character, your little brother... okay, maybe not your little brother.
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Kids driving you crazy? Settle them down with the fun and easy art projects in this craft ideas for kids video series from Howcast.
You Will Need
- A grown-up to help with cutting
- A photo, a poster, a picture from a magazine, or a drawing
- A thick piece of cardboard or foam board
- Some glue
- Scissors
- A pencil
Steps
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Step 1
Choose picture
Choose a picture that you want to make into a puzzle, and then choose a piece of cardboard or foam board that's slightly bigger than your picture.
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The lid of a pizza box can make a perfect puzzle board—as long as it's not all cheesy and oily!
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Step 2
Glue image
Glue your image to the board you've chosen and let it dry overnight.
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Place a flat, heavy object on top—like a book—so the picture dries nice and evenly.
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Step 3
Trim board
Ask a grown-up to help you trim off any of the extra cardboard or foam board that's around your picture with the scissors.
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Step 4
Draw jigsaw shapes
Turn your picture over and draw jigsaw shapes on the back of the board.
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Shapes with at least two semicircular parts, facing either in or out, work best—small, complicated shapes will be hard to put back together.
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Step 5
Cut picture
Again with a grown-up helping you, cut the picture along the lines you've just drawn.
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Step 6
Do puzzle
Now jumble up the pieces and see how long it takes you to do your handmade puzzle—or challenge your friends to try it.
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The first jigsaw puzzle was made in England in the mid-1700s—it was a map to help kids learn geography.
