These puzzles are very popular with students from kindergarten through grade 3. Having only five pieces instead of the classic seven makes them much less intimidating for many people. Students who enjoy these puzzles may be encouraged to try the classic tangrams. Making the pieces I use craft foam because it is easy to handle and lasts very well, but if you are in a hurry, you could make them out of cardstock.

Streamers has been popular with everyone from grade 4 on up. Here are the demonstration puzzles to help you get started. To play, each student will need a set of 16 pieces: squares, triangles, circles, and rhombuses each in blue, green, orange and purple. Here are the puzzles themselves: 1&2 , 3&4 , 5&6 , 7&8 , 9&10 , 11&12

This is a wonderful puzzle which requires a person to think in three dimensions. Most people seem to find it easier (and more fun) to start by working with physical pieces on a grid. I’ve introduced it to classes as young as grade 5, and to individual students younger than that. Here are: A description of pieces and a template for the grid The process I use to introduce Towers to a group, which you might also use to help you figure it out for yourself The step-by-step solution for the example in the introduction A set of Easy 4x4 puzzles which can be solved using the blocks A set of Medium 4x4 puzzles , which can also be solved using the blocks A set of Hard 4x4 puzzles , for which you might want to get out a pencil and eraser, although they can be solved using the blocks A set of Easy 5x5 puzzles I’ll post more 5x5 puzzles soon!

Can you figure out the rules from this (mostly) solved puzzle? Here is another solved puzzle , and here is a description of the rules together with a very easy worked example. A great way to learn to play Magnets is to use physical pieces, as shown in the photo. Here are: A description of what’s needed A set of easy puzzles (and solutions ) A set of medium puzzles (and solutions ) A set of more difficult puzzles (and solutions ) If you would like examples of some useful types of logic, here is a step-by-step solution for an easy puzzle and one for a medium puzzle .