DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Valentine's Day Jigsaw Word Match Templates

I have used picture clues and simple Valentine's Day themed words to create some "learn to read" jigsaw puzzle piece word matching templates for young children.
 

Materials:

• thin cardboard (ex:  old cereal boxes)
• printer,
• paper,
• glue,
• something to color with
   

Instructions:

• Print out the template of choice.
   
• Glue the template onto a piece of thin cardboard or cardstock.  I'm cheap *grin* so I always use old cereal boxes or granola bar boxes instead of buying cardstock when I need thin cardboard as a base for making crafts or templates sturdy.
   
• Let dry.
   
• Color the template, if using the B&W version.
   
• Cut out the template, separating the jigsaw puzzle pieces.  This may require the help of an adult or older child.
   
• Mix together all of the pieces and allow the child to pull the pieces out and match the words with the picture clues.
   
• You can reuse these over and over if you like and you can mix them with other sets to make them more complicated.
   
• You can make up games (of varying complexity) to play with children with these templates:
   
  • Line up all of the picture clue cards.  Each player picks a word card and tries to match it with one of the picture clue cards.
     
  • Go Fish:  I like to print two sets for this game.  Players each get 6 cards.  If they have a MATCH, they put the match down in front of them (with two sets, a match can be picture + picture, word + word or picture + word)  If player1 has no match, they can ask player2 for a card (ex:  Do you have a flower?)  Player2 either gives the flower if they have one or says GO FISH if they do not, requiring player1 to pick a new card from the pile of unused, face down cards.
     
  • Memory Game/Concentration.  All cards should be turned face down.  Players take turns flipping two cards up.  If the cards match (ex:  picture of a flower with the word flower) that is a MATCH -- those cards stay face up and the player gets another turn.  If there is not a MATCH, the cards get turned back face down and the next player gets a turn
     
• ALTERNATIVE:  Instead of making reusable puzzle pieces, you can just print the paper pieces and allow the children to glue the matching pieces together onto a blank piece of construction paper.
   

Templates:

• Close template window when done printing to return to this screen.
   
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).
   

Valentine's Day Jigsaw Word Match Templates:

candles, candy, card (color)   or   (B&W)	cupid, flower, gift (color)   or   (B&W)	heart, hug, ring (color)   or   (B&W)
bird, cat, cow (color)   or   (B&W)	lamb, lion, snake (color)   or   (B&W)

Printable version of these instructions