Are you puzzling over what to do with yourself during cold winter days? Well, wonder no more. In honor of National Puzzle Day on January 29, we suggest cozying up indoors with a fun (or maybe maddeningly challenging) puzzle!
JNPA is crazy for puzzles; we sell a wide variety at our partner park stores. Some are three- dimensional and require manual dexterity (and patience!). Others are flat jigsaw puzzles, both single- and double-sided. Some are kid-friendly, others will challenge any grown-up. The artwork on some of our puzzles are custom-designed for a specific park, while others have a broader national parks theme.
Check out some of our more popular puzzles:
Puzzle fiends who love a challenge will want to snag this 1,000-piece national parks puzzle featuring a colorful montage of national park patches.
But if you like your 1,000 pieces divided into two puzzles, go for one of our two-sided Gateway Arch jigsaw puzzles. When you’re done with one side, just break the pieces apart and start on the other side.
If two-dimensional puzzles aren’t your thing, how about trying your hand at some tricky 3D building sets? Warning – they’re challenging! We offer two buildable models of the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse, one made from plastic mini-blocks and the other from wood.
Our Arch mini-building block set has 1,913 pieces – enough to keep a team of puzzlers busy for weeks. When completed, it stands more than 14” high.
The pieces for this wooden Arch model are first popped out of their cards, then assembled into a handsome 16” replica.
And finally, to help start your kids off right (and not discourage them!), we offer these little Gateway Arch mini puzzles: either this adorable 24-piece set with a cute carrying strap or a slightly more challenging 140-piece puzzle – they’re great for travel.
One of these projects is sure to be just right for a winter’s day. Happy puzzling!
When the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, families can start to get cabin fever. If you and your loved ones are looking for fun activities, we’ve got you covered! Lucky for national park enthusiasts, there are several activities inspired by our favorite parks that can help pass the time during the long winter months.
Crochet a Walleye
Voyageurs National Park has 54 species of fish that can be found in the park’s aquatic habitats! Walleyes are some of the most popular, and you can make a cute, cuddly one for yourself. This activity is great for both older kids and adults. If you are new to crocheting, this is a great pattern to try, since it is on the simpler side. Click here to view the instructions.
Credit: NPS
Make a Telescope
On May 14, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery embarked from St. Louis, MO on an expedition to find a route to the Pacific Ocean. This expedition has been commemorated by many public lands sites along the route they journeyed, including Gateway Arch National Park and the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at Gavin’s Point Dam. While the kids in your life are cooped up indoors, you can make these working telescopes and go on your own pretend expedition. Since the telescopes are actually functional, you can also use them to view the winter landscape and wildlife out your window! Click here to view the instructions.
Credit: National Geographic Kids
Bake an Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
One of visitors’ favorite rooms at President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is the quaint 1940s-era kitchen, which is fitted out to look as it did when President Clinton lived in the home as a child. It is easy to imagine the family enjoying many warm meals in the modest home, including a nice pie like the one on display. If you want to recreate that same cozy feeling, try baking a delicious old-fashioned apple pie. You can serve it warm on a chilly day or make it à la mode with some vanilla ice cream! Click here to view the instructions.
William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
Weave a Diversity Heart
On September 23, 1957, nine African American teenagers entered Little Rock Central High School, defying an angry mob of adults protesting the desegregation of the school. Today, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site commemorates the story of those brave students as well as the broader civil rights movement in the United States. It is vital that we learn about and remember the struggles in our nation’s history.
If you’d like to help a young person learn to respect people with all shades of skin color, we have a fun craft for you – create a diversity heart. This charming activity was created for classroom students but it’s easy to do at home and doesn’t require many materials. Once it’s complete, it can display the many different skin tones we see in the world, including yours! Just follow the step-by-step instructions here.
Credit: Teach Starter
Create a Stuffed Horse
Fans of Ulysses S. Grant probably know the former U.S. president was a superb horseman who kept a number of horses while he lived at White Haven. How about creating a little horse of your own? Younger kids will probably need help making this unique little craft, but the teamwork will be half the fun!
You’ll find complete instructions on making your stuffed horse here.
Credit: Allpony
Make a Whirligig
Kids have always played with toys, but a few hundred years ago there were no stores or websites that sold toys. So what did a child play with when growing up in French Colonial America, like in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri? They created their own toys!
A whirligig was a favorite among 18th century children. This little spinning toy was easy to make from just a few common materials, such as buttons, worn out coins, or hammered musket balls. It was almost as much fun to make as it was to play with.
Want to make your own paper whirligig? Check out these simple instructions. The more you decorate it, the better it looks!
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