Alligator Printable Puzzle | Homemade Toy
Preschool Lesson Plan Printable Activities

Themes

 Instructions and Suggestions

Materials

For children 18 months to 6 years old
*  Print your choice of  crocodile puzzle:  Stage 1, 2, 3 or 4

* These can be laminated for durability.

*Ideas:  Recycle magnet sheet material (from promotional items, like calling cards) and glue to the back of puzzle pieces to use on a metal surface (refrigerator door and such).

* The animal puzzles are designed to  grow with your child.  

*  We recommend that you include a combination of the following activities below before  presenting the puzzle:

1.  Read a book that features the animal in the story or is the main character.

2.  Discuss some simple facts about the animal.  Basic facts, images and sounds of an alligator.

3.  Mimic the movements or sounds that the animal might make.

4.  Suggest to the children to give a special name that starts with the first letter in the animals  word.  This will make the animal puzzle more special to the child and reinforce the alphabet letter.

5.  Ask what colors are in the animals body.

Presenting the Puzzle:  After presenting one or combination of the above activities: 
*  Present the puzzle to the child and allow child to put together, show briefly the small image on the upper left corner of the template so the child has a glimpse of the finished puzzle.  

Alphabet Activity:
* Write letter A in upper and lower case in different places on the puzzle pieces (or letter in your language of choice).  Have the children search for the hidden letters in the puzzle pieces.
Support materials:
Visit matching Alphabet A is for Alligator printable activities 

*Visit related activities in the alligator section.

*  Encourage child to store puzzle away after s/he is done (see recommendations for storage below)

Tips on how to store the puzzles:

*  Glue or tape the small image (in the left-upper corner of the template) to an envelope.  You can use those large left-over greeting card envelopes (from Christmas for example) usually these are bigger or create custom made envelopes by folding a piece of paper in half, close sides with tape.

*   Note:  We do not recommend plastic zip lock bags since these are a suffocation hazard to children.

Storage Box Project:  
* Use a large shoe box and cover and decorate if you desire with  wrapping paper and/or animal stickers.  Place the puzzle envelopes in the shoe box without a lid so children can reach and store easily.

* Encourage children to put the puzzles back in the envelope once they are done using them, and put back into their special animal puzzle box box or plastic box.
Enjoy the puzzles!

Print your choice of the alligator  puzzle

Stage 1
18 months to
to 24 months

*Stage 2
2+ to 3
years
approx  

*Stage 3
3+ to 4 years approx

*Stage 4
4+ to 6 years approx

* If you print on regular paper you need to glue unto a harder surface such as card board from a cereal box, or the thin carton in shirt packaging and then cut with sharp scissors (adults only)

* Printing the templates on heavy duty card stock works best

*  Cut and save the small image in the left upper corner of the template, refer to the instructions for using this image.

* To make the puzzles more durable cover with clear contact paper.

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