Making Wood Block Puzzles

Design Ideas

• Turn almost any shape into a puzzle, providing an endless supply of design ideas for your project. Draw the outline of your puzzle onto a solid block of wood using a pencil. Cut the design out using a jigsaw. The design you choose should be creative and age-appropriate. For young children, create a wood block puzzle in the shape of a barnyard or zoo animal. Bugs and cars are also fun for children. More advanced block puzzles include those in the shape of maps, famous buildings, artworks or cityscapes.

Creating Interlocking Pieces

• Consider making a puzzle with three to twelve interlocking pieces that form together to make a picture or a shape. When designing a puzzle from one solid block of wood, draw the interlocking pieces onto the face of the wood in pencil and use a jigsaw to cut the puzzle apart and into pieces. If you are handy with a jigsaw, cut out puzzle pieces without pencil lines to guide you. Always use caution when working with a jigsaw, as cutting out the pieces for your wood block puzzle is detailed work that requires your full attention.

Decorating Your Design

• While some puzzles look better with a natural wood finish, others need a splash of color to complete the design. Sand each puzzle piece to smooth away any rough edges. Be careful not to sand so vigorously that you alter the shape of the puzzle piece. Your pieces need to line up without any sever gaps when the puzzle is together. Leave the wood natural or stain your puzzle in your favorite wood color. For a creative twist, paint your puzzle in one solid color or multiple colors. How you decorate your design depends on the type of puzzle you are making.

Using Toy Blocks

• Toy blocks provide a simple template for glued images that line up to create a unique wood block puzzle. Carve out toy wooden blocks yourself or purchase a set of 15 to 20 blocks from your local toy store. Find a photo or an image and resize it to fit the measurement of your wooden blocks when they are butted up against one another, forming a rectangle or square. Using glue and a blade, attach the image to the wooden blocks before cutting them apart and trimming away any excess. Cover one or all four corners of the blocks with images. If you are skilled painter, paint a landscape or still-life onto your blocks to create a wood block puzzle.