Create Digital Jigsaw Puzzles with Jigsaw Planet
Jigsaw Planet is a website that has been around for years which contains digital jigsaw puzzles that can be assembled using any device with a web browser. It also has the capability to upload any image and create a digital puzzle for someone else to solve. I wrote about this tool back in 2013 but wanted to revisit it after receiving a question on my Facebook page the other day asking if there was a way to create a digital puzzle from a photo. Why YES there is☝and it is E-A-S-Y to do.
Below is an example of a Jigsaw Planet puzzle (I made an easy one just for youš). This image is one a student designed of the Water Cycle in Google Drawing using my Digital Directed Drawing of The Water Cycle Activity that I uploaded to Jigsaw Planet. You can embed these puzzles on any blog or website! Go ahead, piece it together! You will notice that the pieces will click in place when you have successfully connected two together.
IMPORTANT: The Terms of Service states that users must be 13 years or older to use Jigsaw Planet. I reached out to Jigsaw Planet to ask about classroom use and they said it was fine as long as students are supervised. For elementary teachers, this tool would be better suited to use to create digital puzzles for students to put together. Students could always create the image that the teacher turns into a puzzle but they cannot create an account and upload a picture of their choice unless they have parental permission. (Educators can also create puzzles without an account). Even when these puzzles are embedded into a blog or website, students can access the Jigsaw Planet website with one click on the puzzle piece icon in the bottom toolbar. There are a few questionable puzzles posted on Jigsaw Planet that we wouldn't want students to run into.
How to Create Your Own Digital Jigsaw
Head to Jigsaw Planet and upload a photo or image you want to turn into a digital puzzle.
My favorite feature about this tool is the ability to make your jigsaws various levels of difficulty. For younger students you can have fewer pieces to manipulate. You can also change the shape of the pieces. The puzzle embedded above has 20 pieces.
Classroom Connection
A few ways I could see this being used in the classroom include but aren't limited to:
šDigital Breakout Clues
šReveal a top secret mission for students
šAnticipatory Set: Have students guess what your next unit of study might be after assembling the puzzle (Ex. A picture of a desert or pyramids for Ancient Egypt)
šAnswer to a Challenge Question of the Day
šSpecial Announcements
šAnything to build excitement!
Simple, easy to use and no login required! Embed on your class blog/website or share with a link. Other sharing options are available like email and social media.
Simple, easy to use and no login required! Embed on your class blog/website or share with a link. Other sharing options are available like email and social media.
Other Similar Digital Jigsaw Puzzle Creators
šJigsawsite
šEPuzzle