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The idea to create this 3-D color cube puzzle came straight out of our Spielgaben curriculum manuals. It reminded me a lot of the old Rubik’s Cube I used to play with while growing up. (A Rubik’s Cube is a deceptively difficult puzzle where the goal is to get the nine squares on each side of the cube to all have the same color.)
From my kids’ perspective, this was a fun little puzzle for them to tackle. From my perspective, aside from the nostalgia factor, this was a great little activity to work on 3-D shapes, with a focus on cubes.
Note: Find more fun shape learning ideas on my teaching shapes to kids page.
To create this 3-D color cube puzzle, I gathered 8 wooden cubes from our Spielgaben set (although any 8 cubes of the same size would work).
I stacked the eight mini cubes together to form one larger cube with six sides.
I then taped colored squares on to the surface of each mini cube to make each of the six sides of the larger cube the same color. (See the picture below to understand what I mean.)
I printed my own mini colored squares to tape on, but a simpler solution would be to use six colors of dot stickers.
Once I had prepared the 3-D color cube puzzle, I presented it to my children.
I encouraged them to start by matching the colors to just one side of the larger cube. QBoy started with orange, his favorite color.
I then helped him turn the four mini orange cubes upside down, so that the bottom of the larger cube he was constructing would be orange. He then used the colors on the sides as a guide for building the rest of the color cube puzzle.
The first time he did this puzzle it was quite tricky for him because he had to think about things in three dimensions rather than two.
But he got the hang of it, and successfully completed the puzzle.
And after he did the puzzle once, he wanted to do it again. 🙂
More resources for learning shapes
More shapes posts from Gift of Curiosity:
- 20 ideas for teaching shapes
- 15 books about shapes
- Magic disappearing shapes
- Trace the shapes art and fine motor activity
- How many ways to make a shape?
- Sand shapes
- Exploring 3D shapes through play
- 3D shapes graphing game
For more ideas and free printables to help kids learn shapes, see my Teaching Shapes to Kids page and my Learning Shapes Pinterest Board.
Follow Katie @ Gift of Curiosity’s board Learning Shapes on Pinterest.
