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Celebrate National Puzzle Day and Hobby Month

January is the perfect time to spark curiosity and celebrate what makes each student unique! With National Puzzle Day on January 29 and the entire month dedicated to hobbies, this collection of resources helps you tap into students' personal interests while building critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and perseverance. Whether your students love brain teasers, dance, artistic pursuits, or hands-on building, these activities honor learner agency by giving students voice and choice in their learning journey. When we connect the curriculum to students' passions and hobbies, we create more engaged, motivated learners who see themselves as active participants in their education. Let's puzzle it out together and discover what makes your students tick!

Grades K-12

All the World's a Stage: Incorporating Dramatic Arts and Dance into the Classroom

This article helps teachers incorporate drama and dance across the curriculum using Reader's Theater, tableaux, drama circles, and choreography. Discover book lists, activity ideas, and standards-aligned extensions for multisensory learning.

Grades 4-12

Jigsaw Planet

Foster problem-solving in your class with Jigsaw Planet, an online platform where players create, share, and solve jigsaw puzzles using personal images. Participants must be 13 years or older to use certain features (details are provided on the site).

Grades 4-12

Escape Games

Crazy Games offers a variety of digital escape rooms that require players to use problem-solving skills to solve puzzles, answer riddles, and apply logical thinking to escape a situation before time runs out. Two-player puzzles are available.

Grades 3-8

Kids Gardening

Kids Gardening helps students explore the rewarding hobby of gardening through free activities, growing guides, and lesson plans. Kids discover the joy of nurturing plants, connecting with nature, and developing lifelong skills in the garden.

Grades K-12

My Crossword Maker

Create crossword puzzles and word searches or browse the variety of ready-to-go puzzles. Complete the crosswords online or use the provided links to print or save them as a PDF. Find crosswords by grade level, subject, holiday, and more.

Grades K-12

TeachersFirst Visual Arts Resources

Find resources your students can use to explore creative hobbies like drawing, painting, photography, and crafts. With projects, tutorials, and museum resources, students discover artistic passions and develop skills in their favorite visual arts.

Grades 6-12

Climate Wisconsin

Climate Wisconsin includes stories about how climate change affects fly fishing and ice fishing in Wisconsin. Students who love fishing can explore how warming temperatures affect fish habitats, fishing seasons, and the future of their favorite hobby.

Grades 3-12

The Purring Test

The Purring Test is a TED logic puzzle game where players solve brain teasers by identifying patterns and testing hypotheses. Perfect for students who enjoy puzzle-solving as a hobby, it builds critical thinking and logical reasoning skills.

Grades 5-12

Made to Sew

Made to Sew is a YouTube channel offering sewing tutorials, patterns, and project ideas for both beginners and experienced stitchers. Students interested in sewing as a hobby can learn techniques, create clothing and crafts, and develop practical skills.

Grades 2-12

Brain Easer

Brain Easer offers logic puzzles, word games, rebus puzzles, and brain teasers—perfect for celebrating National Puzzle Day! Students can challenge their critical thinking skills and discover the joy of solving elegant puzzles across multiple categories.

Grades K-12

Virtual Musical Instruments

Students can explore music as a hobby for free online using virtual instruments such as the guitar, piano, drums, and flute . Using just a keyboard or touchscreen, students can learn chords, experiment with sounds, and discover their musical interests.

Grades 6-12

Puzzle Prime

Puzzle Prime celebrates National Puzzle Day with hundreds of free brain teasers, logic games, detective mysteries, and online challenges. Students can solve puzzles, compete in contests, and develop analytical thinking skills through puzzling challenges.

This Week at TeachersFirst

Join us next Tuesday for our first free OK2Ask virtual workshop of the winter season! We're also sharing our Infusing Technology Blog, a curated collection related to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and an opportunity to apply to join our team as a part-time consultant. Read the details below.