Gearing up for "school", we've been playing with a number of geometry/logic/spacial reasoning puzzles, like Thinkfun's IZZI© puzzle shown below.
In fact, that particular puzzle was the inspiration for yet another cookie project. Staring at the black and white squares, I just couldn't help but be reminded of chocolate and vanilla cookie dough, and finally couldn't resist baking up a couple of cookie puzzles to add to the game table.
The 64 black and white IZZI tiles were a little more project than I wanted to take on just now (maybe this winter). So, I settled instead for a 3x3 square style puzzle, like I've made out of cardboard for the children in the past.
Half a batch of sugar cookie dough (click here for the recipe) - with half left plain vanilla, and half with baker's cocoa added...
...is enough for two puzzles rolled 1/4 inch thick...
...and cut to be 4 and 1/2'' square.
Transfer the cut squares onto a large, greased cookie sheet, and then score the dough to divide each square into 9, 1 and 1/2'' squares.
Use tiny cookie cutters, or cut geometric shapes out of each square with a butter knife, crossing the scored lines in a pattern (so below the bears are all cut in half at the arms in the middle of squares, and the hearts are divided into quarters by the corners of the squares).
Pop the cut shapes out, and swap them with pieces of the alternate dough cut from the other square, or from the leftover scraps.
Finish cutting the small squares apart along the scored lines. Spread them out on the pan, using a ruler to double check they are all still 1 and 1/2'' square.
...and challenge children...
...to solve the puzzle (with clean hands, of course)...
...before eating the cookies.
It's great to be a homeschooler.
