HYGLOSS® Community Puzzle Junior Worksheet & Instruction Guide
Puzzle piece (Fig. 1) is labeled with top, bottom, right and left. We suggest noting the orientation of each piece before designing to make sure that your artwork is displayed right-side up instead up upside-down. Use the white side of the puzzle piece for the artwork. Encourage each artist to use the entire surface of their puzzle piece, including the “nibs” (the tabs that stick out the sides of each piece) This will help each piece flow into the next when the Community Puzzle is assembled.
Full Set Planning Diagram
(*Fig. 2) is a full layout of one completed puzzle set. This layout shows one possible configuration for 1 set of 4 center pieces and 12 border pieces (for a total of 16 pieces). *Fig. 2 is a 1 set puzzle (4 center pieces), and the puzzle can of course be turned either way. For decorating, one suggestion is to make all of the border pieces one color, but if artwork is included on them, please plan for the correct orientation to avoid design hiccups! This includes mapping out how many of each style of border pieces are needed for the planned layout. Just trace around each style to create practice pages. Be sure to label the “top”. Note that while all 4 corner pieces are alike, each corner is rotated differently, and that the other has a pocket on one long side.
One 16 piece puzzle set has 4 large center pieces, 4 corner pieces, 4 border pieces with a nib or tab on one long side, and 4 border pieces with a hole or pocket on one long side. Refer to the diagram to see what each style of piece looks like and where it goes prior to designing.
Preserving Your Completed Puzzle
Once completed, why not permanently display the Community Puzzle? To hold the pieces together, turn the completed puzzle upside down, and coat the back with a quality white glue. Don’t use too much and try to keep the glue from leaking through the cracks to the face of the puzzle. While the glue is still wet, apply layers of newspaper, craft paper, or poster board, and let dry. Trim excess paper from edges as needed. To preserve the face, apply a UV spray protective coating available from an Art Supply Store. This will protect the surface and cut down on fading. Follow the directions on the can. Commercial puzzle coating materials sold for regular jigsaw puzzles may also be used. Be sure to test whatever materials used on the test puzzle piece mentioned above to make sure there is not an adverse reaction between the coating and the markers, crayons, or other materials used.
Additional Layouts and Configurations
The Hygloss Community Puzzle Jr. can be laid out in more ways than one! Either use the standard 2x2 design, arrange it long-ways with 4 across, or combine multiple sets to create a larger puzzle similar to our full-sized Community Puzzle. Each puzzle kit comes with a set number of pieces, but that does not mean that different puzzle configurations can’t be used to fit the needs of the project.
1 Set - 16 Piece Puzzle (4 Center Pieces)
Below are some suggested layouts when using 1 Set of the Community Puzzle Junior, #97403
2x2 – 4 Center Pieces, 8 Border Pieces, 4 Corner Pieces
1x4 – 4 Center Pieces, 8 Border Pieces, 4 Corner Pieces
1x2 – 2 Center Pieces, 6 Border Pieces, 4 Corner Pieces
*Simply discard or recycle extra border pieces
Activities For Multiple Sets
All of Hygloss’ Community Puzzles are all available to buy in bulk sets, and this option is perfect for birthday parties, play groups, summer camps, group projects, art contests and so much more. Each person or group can be assigned their own puzzle to be kept separate or merge all the creations together to make one collective mural.
General Group Projects
Teacher divides class into groups of up to 4 students, and they are tasked to decorate pieces based on the subject they are learning. They may design the puzzle as a visual research paper, displaying key facts or visuals for a person, place, or thing in the present or throughout history. This activity is also great for Science or Biology (such as an animal, dinosaur, plants, or ecosystems). Another idea is to create puzzles inspired by influential people such as artists, writers, musicians, family members, and more.
Decorating Contest
Single artists or groups up to 4 can come together to decorate puzzles to compete for bragging rights, or a party prize!
Worlds Collide
Single artists or groups up to 4 can come together to decorate puzzles in a unique theme. When finished, each puzzle is presented and then added to a collective larger puzzle, melding all of the designs into one mural of artistic expression.
Career Groups
Group students (up to 4) together based on what they want to “be when they grow up”; have each member decorate a piece of the puzzle with quote or picture of why or what they aspire to be. Have them select a presenter to introduce the main theme of the puzzle, with each artist then speaking on their contribution.
If Combining Multiple Sets into one Large Puzzle
For larger projects using multiple sets, just keep adding pieces to reach the desired size and add the needed amount of border pieces. When more than one set, remember to save or recycle the leftover pieces. You will want to construct this puzzle on a mountable surface if you are preserving or displaying it, to avoid having to re-assemble later if you plan to mount or seal it.
Artistic & Unique Ways to Combine Multiple Sets
If you are using multiple sets for one project, you will have a lot of border and corner pieces at your disposal to create a puzzle that is truly designed outside of the box. Use the imagination to map out block patterns or customize further with zigzags or irregular patterns. Sometimes you may need to alter or leave out a border piece to fit such artistic configurations.
Heart Shaped Borderless Puzzle
Below are some suggestions for a heart-shaped puzzle of three various sizes.
Small Heart – 24 Pieces total
Medium Heart – 49 Pieces
Fish Shaped Borderless Puzzle
Below are some suggestions for a fish-shaped puzzle of three various sizes.
Small Fish – 24 Pieces
Medium Fish – 39 Pieces
Theme ideas for the Community Puzzle
• Character Building – illustrate a positive trait or person you admire
• Nature – illustrate a plant or animal in a particular habitat
• Multi-Cultural – illustrate something about where you or your family are from
• Social Studies – illustrate a country – products, famous leader, or other
• Reading – illustrate a book you have read – visual measure of progress as puzzle grows or everyone illustrate a common book, story, or poem.
• Social Responsibility – recycling, environment, how to treat others, ethnic groups, etc.
• Summer Camp – illustrate something learned about the place you visited
• Gift for Special Visitor – illustrate something you liked about their presentation
• Birthday Parties, Reunions, Retirements, Holidays, & Staff Development
• Bridal & Baby Showers, Senior Citizens.
The Fund Raising Community Puzzle
Sell each piece for $5.00 – (or any other set price) – low price point lets larger segment of the community contribute – everyone decorates according to the theme and adds to the Community Puzzle – an automatic visual measure of progress of fund raising as the Community Puzzle grows.