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Games, Puzzles & Brain Teasers for OSHC & Classrooms

Welcome to our Games & Puzzles library, where fun meets critical thinking! Finding activities that engage children of different ages simultaneously can be a challenge in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) and multi-age classrooms. That’s why we have created a collection of free printable word searches, crosswords, mazes, and logic puzzles. These resources are the ultimate “quiet time” saviors—perfect for settling a group after active play, challenging “fast finishers” in the classroom, or providing a fun brain workout during school holidays.

Educational Benefits & Framework Links While the children see these activities as fun challenges, they are actually hard at work developing essential cognitive skills. These printables align with the My Time, Our Place (MTOP) Framework:

  • Outcome 4 (Children are confident and involved learners): Solving a maze or cracking a crossword requires persistence, problem-solving, and logical inquiry. Children learn to apply different strategies to achieve a goal.

  • Outcome 5 (Children are effective communicators):

    • Word Searches: Excellent for pattern recognition and reinforcing spelling/vocabulary visually.

    • Crosswords: Build vocabulary, reading comprehension, and general knowledge.

    • Logic Puzzles: Encourage mathematical thinking and deductive reasoning.

How to Use These Resources

  • Collaborative Play: Puzzles don’t have to be solo activities! Encourage children to work in pairs to solve a difficult crossword. This fosters social collaboration and peer-to-peer teaching, covering Outcome 1 (Children have a strong sense of identity) as they help each other succeed.

  • The “Brain Break” Station: Create a designated puzzle station in your room. When children feel over-stimulated or need a break from physical play, they can self-regulate by choosing a puzzle to solve.

  • Themed Learning: Match our puzzles to your weekly program. If you are running a “Dinosaur Week,” our Dinosaur Word Search reinforces the vocabulary they are learning in other activities.

  • Competitions: For older children, print two copies of the same maze or word search and see who can find all the words first. It adds a layer of friendly competition and excitement.

Download & Play Explore our range of puzzles below. We regularly update this section with seasonal themes (like Easter or Halloween) and educational topics (like Space or Animals).