This is a Guest Post by the super amazing One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Mel.
I’m not sure how it happened that I ended up making a homemade gift for my toddler almost each December of his life (e.g., the Advent Calendar and the quiet book), but it’s ended up being a cool and useful tradition.
It’s cool to make some gifts instead of giving him the usual mass-produced toys (don’t worry—he gets some of those too!), and it’s useful because he has a lot of motor delays where many mainstream toys do not work for him.
For example, this kid has long outgrown the simple peg puzzles but could not really do the cardboard jigsaw kind.
I’m not totally sure why—it’s probably a mix of the lack of feedback to his hands (you really can’t feel cardboard pieces lock together) and some vision issues—but the upshot was that I needed simple wood jigsaw puzzles for him.
And there were very, very few on the market. And so began my year of handmade wood puzzles, leading up to a set of wooden Christmas puzzles to gift him for St. Nicholas Day.
It took me a while to make peace with the fact that I was going to have to hand paint these things, but once I did, I found an amazing Etsy shop that sells custom blank wood puzzles.
You can choose the number of pieces and the thickness, so I ordered 2” x 4” two-piece puzzles in ¼” thickness. This made them nice and chunky and easy to hold, and my son only had to connect two pieces to finish each one, so they were very rewarding for him.
If you don’t want to hand paint them, I think you probably could print images and modge podge them on, but I really don’t like modge podge, so I didn’t attempt that.
Instead, I used these materials:
- Acrylic paint
- Paint brushes
- Pencil
- Unfinished wood puzzles
- Polyurethane (and an extra foam paint brush to use for sealing)
And I followed these steps:
1) After finding images online to incorporate or reproduce (sometimes I would wing it or combine found images), I sketched the outlines in pencil on the blank puzzles.
2) After sketching, I filled in the pencil outlines in with acrylic paint.
3) Finally, I sealed the puzzles with polyurethane (or another non-toxic sealant).
For the most part, I found it easier to sketch, paint, and seal the pieces with them all connected. Sometimes I would separate them to get at tight corners or to make sure the pieces weren’t sticking, but generally I kept them assembled.
The first set I made was based off of Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and was gifted to him for his birthday.
He has been a Carle fan since he was 4 months old, so I knew that these images would be both interesting to him and also extremely recognizable such that he would have an easier time assembling them.
The day he turned 3, he received them and was immediately in love with them and able to do them.
Since he really loved the first set, and since they were also great for some of the things he needed to work on in occupational therapy (fine motor skills, two-handed coordination tasks, etc.), I decided to make more.
Halloween was approaching, so I made these. Another hit!
He then started getting interested in Disney characters, so I made these.
He assembled them at least four times a day for weeks (Side note: I will never tire of him calling Tinkerbell “Tinky Bells”).
And then Christmas was approaching. I considered getting another round of two-piece puzzles and doing Christmas characters (e.g., a snowman, a nutcracker, etc.), but I thought he might be ready to level up to more pieces and more complex images.
I ordered more puzzles, but this time I went for nine-piece 6” x 6” ones and decided to do some Christmas scenes.
(In case you are wondering, yes, that is the stray cat I have been trying to tame for the past four years.
She finally moved in and loves my son, so I painted her waiting up for Santa for him and making Christmas cookies with him.)
While the process was the same, the sketching part required a bit more planning for the Christmas puzzles than I anticipated.
If you’re making these for an adult or older child, you probably don’t have to put a ton of thought into the designs, but I followed these strategies to make them easier for a puzzle novice to assemble:
No two pieces look so much alike that you could confuse them.
So, the tops of the trees are not going to be confused with Santa’s boots because visually, they’re very different even as part of the same scene.
If you do a design with an empty snowy field, for example, it’s going to be much easier to confuse pieces.
If multiple pieces have a lot of the same colors, then I tried to vary the texture to make them more distinct and easier to tell apart.
So, the Christmas tree, wreath, and chair are all green, but the tree has pine needles, the wreath is boxwood, and the chair is velvet.
Almost every piece is directional. It’s going to be very clear how to orient the pieces because you’re going to know that the sky is at the top, Santa’s head is above his body and feet, etc.
The puzzles are leveled in ability. The Santa one is easiest, and the cookie one is the hardest.
So, he can do the Santa one solo now but still needs a bit of help with the other two.
The colors are vivid, and the images have a lot of visual depth.
The added visual interest makes them extra engaging, so there’s more motivation for a small child to keep working even if they find it challenging. When assembled, they create a scene that draws the viewer in.
There’s a lot of visual feedback baked into that telling the kid “you did it right! Look at this cool image you made come to life!” And there’s also a lot of Christmas magic in that.
And there you have it! More than 50 custom puzzles in 6 months. And one very happy 3 year old.
~Mel
More Tutorials By Mel
- No-Sew Christmas Quiet Book
- How to Make Fabric Gift Bags
- Mini Sewing Room Makeover
- DIY Lemonade Concentrate
- Super Simple Summer Tomato Pasta
- Experience Joining a CSA and Eating More Vegetables
- Making Apple Cider with a Presspple Cider
- Mel’s Under The Sea Bathroom
Mrs. C. says
Wow! What a lovely idea!
Mel says
Thanks!
Jill A says
These puzzles are beautiful. What a wonderful, thoughtful mom your son has Mel.
Mel says
Awww thank you, Jill! If I could buy them instead of make them, I definitely would, so I’m sort of thoughtful just by necessity, but he is worth it!
Amber says
Oh my gosh, this is the cutest and coolest gift!!! I absolutely love the idea. Somehow I don’t think my almost 16 year old would appreciate the gift if I were to do this for him, and I have little to no talent for art, but I’m currently compiling a list of littles that I know now and thinking I’ll put the boy to work because HE has artistic talent.
Thank you for sharing, Mel!
Mel says
Thanks, Amber! And that’s a great idea! I think I would have loved working on something like this as a teen.
Christa H. says
Utterly beautiful! What a fabulous handmade gift and keepsake for him and his children someday. These are definitely something to pass down. Great job!
Mel says
Thank you, Christa! I hope they last that long–I’m always aware that they are potentially only a spilled juice box or so away from disaster, but so far they’ve dodged harm!
Brianna says
Wow! Your puzzles are amazing and you have some wonderful artistic skills. What a special gift for your son and it is awesome to see he loves doing his puzzles. I love how you are so committed to helping him make some gains and he will get there some day because of your help.
My youngest is SPED and we have been on the journey since he was a young toddler. He is 11 1/2 now and he has slowly gained traction on the delays. Some will always be there (can’t ride a bike, phonetics, etc.) but it has been years of going to all those appointments, evaluations, meetings, etc., but anyways stay committed and don’t give up. We moved from a very rural area of MT when he was 7 to a different state and metro area NOVA so he could get better resources and the support he needs. There are times you will feel resentful about having a regular repertoire of weekly standing therapy appointments, phone calls and emergency visits to and from school, and the kids and adults who are just mean to you and your child. It is hard at times and there are many tears shed, but also lots of celebrations when milestones are met. It is a difficult journey, but rewarding too. It is a dedication unlike any other. Your child’s success of meeting milestones and improving is supported by you and your commitment. After doing this for nearly a decade now, I have seen many of my son’s SPEC peers fall behind or give up because the parents don’t work on the ‘homework’ outside of therapy, have denial of the delays, expect the schools to do it all, or just aren’t committed. Your sons gains will be in part because to the helpful puzzles and things you are doing outside of therapy. I always thought of all of the appointments as a YouTube, to show me ‘how’ to help my child get gains for his delays and to find ways to apply those in our everyday living.
I have reached outside the box many of times and surprisingly I have found gains for him we were told weren’t possible. For example, he still cannot ride a bike and we have bought him a nice bike every time he has grown and let him pick out what he likes from the bike shop, but still it has not worked (balance/motion issue), I tried skateboards, scooters, swings, etc, but no luck. So, I bought him ice hockey gear last year and skates and he can balance very well and go fast around the rink and he loves it. He is a wonderful ice skater and skates at the same level as kids his age. He still cannot ride a bike, but that is okay because that kid can skate like he has been doing it for years. He looks and acts like every other kid out on the ice and that has been wonderful for him and a boost of confidence too.
He is a 5th grader (2yrs in Kindergarten) and this year he has been very conscientious of others, but also it has been a year where things have finally just all started clicking together for him. The persistence and commitment to him has finally paid off and we finally can see the horizon. We are doing a trial soon to get him off the spec bus he rides and start riding the regular bus and have him in the regular classroom and school activities more. We are also doing a soft close on some of his therapies to see if he regresses or maintains.
Your puzzles are beautiful and such a testament of all the loving and wonderful ways of fun ‘homework’ for your son. I wish you and your family all the best and a future of gains and milestones met for you all.
Mel says
Thanks so much for this, Brianna! We are walking a similar road with appointments and therapies, and none of them are local. For my son, we are zeroing in on a possible diagnosis based on the fact that he seems to have almost no motor memory. Some days the neurons fire and he can do complicated motor tasks, but other days he can’t even remember how to use a spoon. Like your son though, there seems to be a sneak sequence in there where he can do certain things really well. We’ve noticed that he is far more coordinated if music is involved, so I’m hoping to enroll him in dance eventually. He also seems to have great verbal and visual memory, so we may be able to leverage that.
Also, we are in Maryland, so we are nearly neighbors if you’re in NoVa!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks says
Mel, these are lovely and you are so talented! This would be a great project for my little 2 year old granddaughter. And as a physio, what great, engaging fine motor practice for your son 🙂
Mel says
Thanks, Lynn! They are definitely well-suited to the 2-4 year old crowd for sure! My son’s OT has him roll forward on a yoga ball (she holds his ankles) to assemble them on the floor, and he giggles hysterically while doing them. His PT has him sit on a doughnut ball and assemble them to work on crossing midline and building core strength. Tons more therapeutic applications, I bet!
Dawn says
These are wonderful, I wish I had some littles to make them for! I’ll be storing this in my memory banks just in case I have grands some day.
Mel says
Thanks, Dawn! I’m so glad they provide some future inspiration!
Margo says
Genius! And they are lovely! My husband used to make puzzles for our grandkids but he didn’t paint any scenes on them. Usually they were animals to be put together. Yours are wonderfully creative and beautiful! I hope you continue this even after he grows out of them. They would be a blessing for other little ones. My husband is now making a few puzzles for our great-grands. Keep up the good work.
Mel says
That’s amazing! I looked high and low for puzzles like that before I resorted to painting square ones. And how lovely to make them for the great-grands as well!
Lesley says
Mel is a gifted artist!
Mel says
Awww that’s so kind! I’m pretty good at reproducing images, which is mostly what these were but less good at doing everything from scratch. I’m a bit out of practice though, so maybe that piece will come back someday.
Ashley B says
That’s really awesome! I love that it’s not only a homemade gift, but very unique to your son. <3
Mel says
Thanks, Ashley!
Deb from Ohio says
Those are amazing, and you are a gifted artist!! How long did it take to make one of the later nine piece ones?
Mel says
Aww thanks! I’m mostly reproducing or modifying other images, so that saves some time. Our son has a lot of sleep issues, so I had to do them in the middle of the night. I think the 9 piece puzzles took maybe 4-5 hours each?
J in OH-IO says
WOW, WOW, WOW- LOVE this post!!! Mel, you are amazing, so artistic, thoughtful, and how wonderful for your son to have you as his Mom! Your sketching the ideas and bringing them to life with your painting is OUTSTANDING- you are so talented! I love that you included your son, cat, and activities into the scenes. How motivating for him to see these wonderful scenes come to life. I thank you so much for sharing this amazing post of what you’ve done with the puzzles for your son! (Also, appreciate the idea of photos and modge podge for the rest of us without those amazing painting skills and how he is using them in physical therapy, too.) Best wishes for good health, continued gains, strength, and encouragement for your family!
Mel says
Thanks so much, J! I have another simpler painting idea I’m going to try to pass to Mavis soon, so that might also work, though I’m sure modge podge would be a great alternative here.
Melinda says
You are a great mom, your son is lucky to have you. All that you can do amazes me.
Mel says
Thank you, Melinda! That’s so sweet.
Pat from NY says
Amazing! I thank you and Mavis for sharing your story and talents with us. Best wishes to you and your family for continued gains and accomplishments.
Mel says
Thanks so much, Pat! He’s doing well, and I appreciate the well wishes!
Sue S. says
Genius!! That’s what I would have to say
I’ve made a lot of crafts in my time but never thought of handmade wooden puzzles. I hope you signed the back of them, for posterity! Merrie Christmas everyone !
Mel says
I’m not sure it would have occurred to me either if he’d been able to do cardboard puzzles! I didn’t think to sign them–the second they dried, I tossed them in their boxes and wandered away.
Michelle says
Wow! This is a very creative idea. Also, you are a very skilled artist. You should sell these. I would most certainly buy them for my 5 year old. She loves puzzles but is in between the off the shelf puzzles for her age group. Just beautiful art and concept.
Mel says
Thanks, Michelle! I don’t think I could make them fast enough to sell, but you might look into the magnetic travel puzzles by Melissa and Doug or else search wood tray puzzles for kids. Both were contenders for me for my son, but required a bit more skill than he has now. Mud Puppy also makes some small/simple magnetic Christmas puzzles.
Emily says
These are so beautiful! You are a skilled painter and great mom!
Kimberly Vassar says
Mel, your puzzles simply speak of a mother’s love. Absolute treasures.
Molly says
Well Done! You are very talented. What. Wonderful Mom you are. That’s 1 Blessed Child to have you❤️
Nancy says
Mel, what gorgeous puzzles!! You are a talented artist!! Handmade gifts are the best and such treasures for your son! Merry Christmas!
Nancy