Being Sunday I thought I would share a fun book you and your children can do together which will allow everyone to slow down for a few minutes. The book is called Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures!
Before I share the book with you grab a pencil, pen, or crayon and anyone who enjoys working in Puzzles. Then you will be ready for a perfectly puzzling adventure?
Sunday might not be a day people want to celebrate Halloween but for my family we don’t dwell on all the negative things around Halloween. We just think of it as a fun #Holiday from our childdhood.
And you know what? It’s okay if you don’t believe in Halloween, I totally understand and respect that. But my family does celebrate Halloween, and we enjoy it.
For our 10-Minute Reading Challenge this week, and a new post for our Interactive Halloween Gift Guide I thought we would sit down together and read—and solve—Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures! from Workman Publishing.
I love finding books that give us something to do together, and this one definitely caught my attention. If you read this book or any other book this morning for at least 10 minutes make sure you grab your ticket to add to your Halloween Treat Jare because this counts as reading.
Inside, you’re going to find brain teasers, logic games, picture puzzles, math challenges which can be used when #Homeschooling, Sudoku, and more puzzles.
There are magical creatures, adventurous robots, swashbuckling pirates, wacky wizards, hidden treasures, alien worlds, and plenty of puzzles waiting to be solved.
When Charlie and David and I finish this book were going to love being called super solvers because were doing the book as a family. Wouldn’t you want to be a Super Solver to?
Before we even opened the book, the cover had us talking. There’s a rocket on the front of the book, and Charlie and David both said they wish they could get inside it and take off. Me to.
Then there are these cute little monsters in orange, yellow, and blue. Charlie said he liked the blue one because he has two eyes. David liked the orange one because he has three eyes. So I guess I’ll take the yellow one!
There’s also a green dinosaur that reminds me of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, little pencils, someone running and laughing, a treasure chest, a dog, people, keys, and what looks like a little case full of mysteries.
And behind it all are puzzles! The cover says brain teasers, logic games, and more, and I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to dive into this book. Grab your favorite beverage and meet me on the Porch.
Puzzletopia includes more than 100 activities created for children ages 8 to 12 to complete which will keep children entertained for hours on end. Which is a Godsend in my home because I wouldn’t be hearing mom I’m bored or I have nothing to do.
Inside the book kids can work through:
- Baffling brain teasers
- Snappy Sudoku
- Mind-melting logic games
- Perplexing picture puzzles
- Mega math challenges
- And so much more
While kids are having fun, they’re also practicing critical thinking, concentration, problem-solving, and perseverance. And I really like that the puzzles come in three different difficulty levels.
That means beginners can start with easier puzzles while kids who are already puzzle pros can challenge themselves with the harder activities. Even little kids can do the puzzles with a grown-ups help.
One of the things I like about this book is that you don’t necessarily have to start at the beginning. You can pick a puzzle that sounds interesting and jump right in.
One thing I wanted to point out is the puzzles become more challenging as you go, so you may want to work from front to back. Or maybe you’ll want to work from back to front. It’s your choice!
The first puzzles we found were Temple Trouble and Planet Pairs, which are Level 1 activities. Then we found Magic Mirror and Under Pressure. And before you know it, we’re moving into Level 2.
Level 2 has a Superhero Scramble, which looks like fun and I already know Charlie is going to love this puzzle. How about you. Are you a Superhero fan? While Charlie is working on that one, David can try Gnome Market.
That’s one of the things that makes a book like this fun for our family. Everyone can choose a puzzle that interests them. We’re not all sitting at the table trying to solve the exact same thing. We’re each becoming our own super solver.
And when we get to Level 3, I immediately spotted one that I know I’m going to try. Elephant Rampage! You know I love elephants, so there was no way I was skipping that one.
An overexcited elephant has crashed through a village market, knocking things over as it goes. Now you have to work out where everything came from so you can put each piece back in place.
It’s almost like a jigsaw puzzle, except you’re using clues and logic to figure out where everything belongs. I can’t wait to try it! If I get stuck there is tips to help me which I like.
Then there’s the Magic Beans puzzle. We’ve been given some magic beans as payment for a very non-magical cow—but something doesn’t seem right. We’re supposed to have 15 magic beans in total.
But one bean in each of three handfuls is most definitely not magical. The non-magical beans in each group fit together. Can you find each bean that doesn’t belong? Laughing out loud, it reminds me of Jack and the Beanstalk. How about you?
Now here’s something I really appreciate. Puzzletopia includes tips and tricks to help you solve the puzzles. Thank goodness! Because I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get frustrated, decide I can’t figure something out, and quit.
Here is one thing I loved about the book provides. It provides helpful examples and clear instructions, and if you get stuck, you can go back and read the instructions again.
Some puzzles have special rules, so make sure you read the story and instructions before you begin. And keep an eye out for those tips and tricks. They might be exactly what you need to get unstuck.
The book actually encourages kids to write in it. Grab a Pencil! Writing things down can be a helpful way to keep track of your thoughts while you’re solving a puzzle.
But because I want to use this book year after year, I’m going to do things a little differently. I’ll be printing out the activities we want to work on and putting them into a folder.
That way, we can keep our original book nice and use the printed activities for our puzzle time. And yes, when we’re finished, there are answers in the back of the book. But we’re not going to cheat! We’re going to give those puzzles a good try first.
Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures is exactly why I love our reading challenges. Reading doesn’t always have to mean sitting down with a traditional story.
Sometimes we can read a cookbook. Sometimes we can read a children’s book. And sometimes we can read the instructions to a puzzle, study the clues, and use what we’ve read to figure out a solution. That’s still reading.
And with Puzzletopia, we’re also practicing logic, problem-solving, concentration, math, and perseverance. It makes this a fun choice for homeschooling, family learning, or simply getting kids away from their screens for a little while.
One of the things that immediately stood out to me about Puzzletopia is that it gives us something we can do together without a screen. Charlie and I can work on puzzles. David can choose one of his own.
We can sit around the table, grab our pencils, and see who can solve their puzzle first. And nobody has to be the same age or have the same interests to enjoy it. That’s a win in my book.
Here is a question you might find yourself asking Could Puzzletopia go in a Interactive Halloween Gift Guide? Absolutely! I could easily see this fun and unique book in our Guide.
If your family celebrates Halloween, this would be a fun addition to a Halloween basket or gift. And if your family doesn’t celebrate Halloween, it’s still simply a great activity book for kids who enjoy puzzles.
It could also make a fun birthday gift, Christmas gift, homeschool resource, or family activity. Remember you don’t have to celebrate #Halloween to enoy the puzzles in the book.
I know your asking what happens when you finish reading the book. This is my favorite part. Once you’ve completed every activity in the book, you can flip to the back.
It says: Congratulations! You’ve completed every activity in the book. You’re officially a super solver. If this happens I think we should get a treat if we finish every puzzle. How about a cookie?
I think becoming an official super solver definitely deserves a cookie! Are you ready to become a Super Solver? Charlie, David, and I are going to sit down this evening, grab our pencils, choose a couple of puzzles, and see how far we can get.
Maybe we’ll solve an elephant puzzle. Maybe Charlie will tackle the superhero puzzle. Maybe David will just watch as Charlie and I conquer our puzzles.
And maybe we’ll all end up stuck on the same one and need those tips and tricks! Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to spending some screen-free time together.
Are you ready for a perfectly puzzling adventure? Grab a pencil, choose a puzzle, and let’s get solving! And when you finish? Don’t forget your cookie. Super solvers deserve treats!
About Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures!
Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures! is a paperback activity book from Workman Publishing, filled with more than 100 puzzles for children ages 8 to 12.
The activities are divided into three difficulty levels and include brain teasers, logic games, Sudoku, picture puzzles, math challenges, and more.
Book: Puzzletopia: 100 Perfectly Puzzling Adventures!
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Format: Paperback
Recommended ages: 8–12
This post is part of our 10-Minute Reading Challenge and may also be featured in our Interactive Halloween Gift Guide and homeschool activities.
Meet the Author: Workman Publishing
Workman Publishing publishes books for all of life’s big and small moments, created with passion, joy, hard work, and a fiercely independent spirit. They’re the kinds of books you’ll wonder how you lived without, and calendars that make the days count.
We publish Brain Quest®, the #1 bestselling educational series in the country, What to Expect® When You’re Expecting, the world’s bestselling pregnancy and parenting guides, award-winning cookbooks, kids books, unique travel books, plus books on self-help, craft, gardening—and cats! By the way, we also invented the Page-A-Day Calendar.
Grateful, Thankful, Blessed.
GreatfulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
