Tasks with sticks and matches. Educational game for children - Puzzles with matches
Logical puzzles with matches are a great way to entertain and occupy a child. For children, this is an opportunity to develop their logic and ingenuity in a playful way. In addition, logic games with matches develop imagination and design skills. This page contains puzzles with matches for children from 4 to 15 years old. Match puzzles can be played with children at home, on the street, or on the go. The main thing is to find a flat surface for laying out matches.
Puzzle No. 1
Ask your child to fold 6 identical squares from 17 matches as shown in the picture. And then remove one of the matches so that you get 5 squares.
Puzzle No. 2
Task for a child: Fold 4 identical squares from 12 matches as shown in the picture. Remove 2 matches so that you get 3 identical squares.
Puzzle No. 3
Task for a child: Fold 3 identical squares from 10 matches as shown in the picture. Arrange 2 matches so that you get 2 squares - 1 large and 1 small.
Puzzle No. 4
Task for a child: Fold 4 identical squares from 13 matches as shown in the picture. Add 2 matches to make 5 squares.
Puzzle No. 5
Task for a child: Fold 6 identical squares from 17 matches as shown in the picture. Remove 3 matches so that you get 4 equal squares.
Problem No. 6
Task for a child: Combine 11 matches into a mathematical example as shown in the figure. Now rearrange one match so that the equality becomes true.
Problem No. 7
Task for a child: Make a mathematical example out of 12 matches as shown in the figure. Now rearrange one match so that the equality becomes true.
Puzzle No. 8
Task for a child: Fold 9 identical squares from 24 matches as shown in the picture. Remove 4 matches so that you get 5 equal squares.
Puzzle No. 9
Task for a child: Fold 9 squares from 24 matches as shown in the picture. Remove 8 matches so that you get 5 equal squares.
Share Hello, readers, friends! Today the article is devoted to simple “toys” (they don’t even need to be made like others). And they are in every home.
For children there are many puzzles with matches, but how to get a child interested in them and what games are best to start with? These games are a great way to develop spatial thinking and logic! My sons really love these types of tasks. I’m sure you’ll like them too—you just need to start right.
Many matchstick puzzles are aimed at school-aged children or even adults. What to do with preschoolers?
In general, any “adult” logic game can be adapted for children: divided into several tasks, reducing the number of permutation options. And when the child is confident in handling such simple options (and most importantly, enjoys these games - after all, he can do it!), then you can move on to more complex versions. Let's try to do the same with matches.
A few simple rules for playing with matches with children
- play with matches Even children from 1.5 - 2 years old can do it, but provided that they do not chew wax, and you make sure that matches do not end up in the nose or ear
- be sure to prepare smooth flat surface. This could be a book, a smooth table or a board.
- start simple, even if your child is no longer a toddler. Make sure your child understands what it is rearrange 1 match, square, triangle. Let the child feel the joy of “victory”
Gleb and Mark play with matches
- don't show correct answer. Just postpone the task until next time, and next time give an easier one
- do not give assignments from the computer. Always give matches: it is important for children to try, they still have imaginative thinking is not developed enough to solve problems “in your head”
- to make the puzzles more interesting use small toys or pictures. You will understand how to do this by looking at our tasks.
Games and puzzles with matches I divided it into three stages. Start with the first stage - it will be interesting even for younger schoolchildren, and three-year-olds are usually completely delighted with these fairy tale games!
Stage 1: kids play
Children 2-3 years old are unlikely to rack their brains over the problem of how to make a square out of..... They need games of a different kind, namely laying out figures, objects, and even better, fairy tales from matches.
We felt comfortable playing at a low coffee table (we have it reserved for children's creativity and games). So, we pour a few packs of matches into the middle and begin the story. For example, like this:
Once upon a time there lived a hedgehog
He had his own house
One day he met a snake
The snake lived in the thick grass
And so on: tell us about how they became friends, met a horse, a man, tried to climb a tree and why the hedgehog didn’t succeed.
The child will definitely get involved if you don’t touch him, but it’s just interesting to create, tell and build. A little time will pass and you will already be listening to fairy tales performed by your child =)
Stage 2: continue to play and build
After a while (I think for children from 3-4 years old), when you tell a fairy tale and build with matches, ask the child to help you. Build SAME house, make a friend horse, chairs for all guests. Thanks to these tasks, the child will build “following a model,” which is very important for the development of spatial thinking. Without this stage, it will be very difficult to move on to the next one - real problems and puzzles.
Stage 3: start solving puzzles
Finally, you can move on to real puzzles. I collected simple problems that my 5 year old son could solve. I think your kids can handle it too!
The simplest "preparatory" games
1. Make 2 triangles from 5 matches
2. Add one match to make 2 squares. (More difficult option: Add one match to make 3 quadrangles)
3. Rearrange one match so that the hare’s chair turns towards the cabbage
4. How many squares are there? What about rectangles? Is a square a rectangle?
5. Add 2 matches to make 3 squares
6. Add one match to make 3 triangles
7. Turn the tracks in the opposite direction by rearranging 4 matches
8. There is a carrot in the basket. Arrange 2 matches so that the carrot is under the basket
9. Make the letter H into the letter P by moving one match
More challenging games
1. Arrange three matches so that the cancer crawls in the other direction
2. Turn the hut on chicken legs in the opposite direction
3. The wolf catches up with the hare. Arrange one match so that the wolf runs away from the hare
4. Arrange three matches so that the fish swims in the opposite direction
5. There is blue trash in the dustpan. Arrange 2 matches so that the scoop contains green trash
6. Make 100 out of 9 matches (Only if the child is familiar with this number)
7. Remove 3 matches to make a snowflake
8. Add three matches to make a wheel
9. The bunny is sitting on the roof. Hide it in the house by moving three matches
10. Arrange 1 match so that the crocodile eats not the bunny, but the carrot.
I will be glad if you like the games and matches become your favorite educational material =)
Sincerely, Nesyutina Ksenia
Join the conversation and leave a comment.
Very often, unnoticed and seemingly insignificant things can do more for the development of intelligence than special targeted actions. Learning through play is the best way of education, easy and interesting. An example of this approach is any puzzle with matches.
Why matches?
Medicine and psychology unanimously declare the relationship between areas of the brain and biologically active points on different parts of the body. In this case, the hands, namely the palms, are the area of greatest accumulation on the surface of the body. The phenomenon called fine motor skills is precisely the activity of handling small objects.
But it’s not just about the touch of your hands? A lot of absolutely identical objects in shape, length and width, and color are attractive because they give impetus to the imagination. After all, the matches themselves are practically neutral, dull and insignificant. You can create combinations and compositions from them, group them at your discretion. And then each match becomes significant, part of something whole.
How to put the garbage shown in the picture into a dustpan, moving only two matches? But in fact, you only need to move one match, and just move the other slightly to the right! Not every adult can solve this simple puzzle with matches, but the difficulty may lie only in the formulation of the task.
What is the method aimed at?
Puzzle games with matches are aimed at developing everyone. Excellent training in figurative, logical and spatial thinking - this is the result of such accessible and useful entertainment. Attentiveness and the ability to reflect are necessary conditions for successfully solving this type of problem.
In early childhood, when matches and puzzles with matches are not yet available to children, inquisitive children can get answers to their questions from adults. Parents can resort to creating fairy-tale scenes from matchstick figures. This prepares the child for the next stage of development and for independent logical reasoning.
Solving more complex puzzles becomes available with further development of logical thinking. Equality puzzles with Roman numerals are very popular:
It is necessary to rearrange one match so that the equation becomes correct. There are two possible answers here:
Or an even more complicated equality:
The answer is to take the root of unity:
What you should pay attention to
It must be remembered that matches are quite a dangerous object for children in the absence of proper attention from adults. Like any small and sharp object, a match can cause injury to the ear, eye, or be accidentally swallowed. Therefore, the issue of handling matches should precede games or training with their use.
The possibility of variability is an important point in activities where matches are used (puzzles with matches). The answers do not have to be strictly fixed, although there are quite definite answer options. Non-standard thinking, if the result is achieved, is allowed and even encouraged.
Expected result and indicators
Activities with matches can be used for intellectual entertainment and learning starting from the age of three, with the direct participation of an adult. Children and teenagers are especially interested in such riddles and puzzles. The competitive spirit plays a role here, and classes can be conducted in a team format.
Puzzles like “create a figure” or “rearrange the match” are acceptable for younger children, when the child is less assiduous. Tasks where you need to rearrange several matches to achieve the opposite result are ideal here. For example, an animal running or looking in a certain direction, shown in the figure above, may turn its head or run in the opposite direction when moving matches. Everything is simple here: just swap the matches that form the head and tail.
More complex and complex geometric shapes are more suitable for schoolchildren. Changing the result of an arithmetic operation or creating a numerical value from a figure can only be done by someone who is familiar with numerical combinations or has a developed understanding. For example, “9+0=6”. To get the desired result you need to move just one match.
There are two options here, as can be seen in the picture. You can rearrange the match in the first number, 9, making it a six. Result: 6+0=6. Or you can move the match in the six after the equals sign, making it a nine. Result: 9+0=9.
Games based on matches are universal. Such a puzzle with matches can be included in the program and used as elements of extracurricular activities. But we cannot fail to mention that since the popularity of match puzzles is growing again, mobile application developers have begun to offer them. So now you can train your intellect without looking up from your favorite device by installing a puzzle with matches on it, which is very important for the modern generation.
In this article you have collected the best riddles with matches. The puzzles presented are completely heterogeneous - here you will find all levels of difficulty: from the novice “detective” to the real genius. Go for it!
Many people love tasks that develop creative and logical thinking. A lot of puzzles have been invented, but tasks with matches stand out from the general list, not least because the material for them is always available to everyone. A box of matches takes up very little space, which means they can be used not only at home, but also on the train, on the street or at work. All you need for practice is a smooth, flat surface and enough space to lay out a certain number of matches. That is, quite a bit. And everyone can choose the complexity of the puzzles to their liking. Everyone knows that children should not play with matches, especially in the absence of adults, but our puzzle games are quite safe: the simplest of them will captivate younger students, and older people will be happy to solve more complex problems.
If you have difficulty solving a particular puzzle. But don’t rush to look at the answers, although they are also available here. After all, you will deprive yourself of the pleasure of finding the right solution on your own. You can even download the tasks you like using the link that you will find at the bottom of this page.
- Rules and help in passing
- Match puzzles with answers
Rules and help in passing
There are only two main rules. The first can be described in two words - rearrange the matches. The second rule is that matches should never be broken, but only moved and turned. Agree, the rules look quite simple. But in reality, fulfilling the conditions set in the puzzle is not always easy. The ability to think outside the box, as well as attention and perseverance, will be very helpful here. Attention will help when studying the conditions of the problem - there may be a catch hidden in it. Sometimes, to understand what exactly is required of you, you need to rack your brain a lot. It should be taken into account that often the key to the solution is hidden in the condition itself.
Ingenuity and logic will help you find a non-standard solution, maybe not right away. Matches can be placed on top of each other, moved in any direction or turned over.
Don't take the figures literally. Often there are problems with geometric shapes, where you need to move one or more matches so that you get the specified number of shapes. Moreover, several small figures can hide a large one. For example, if you see 4 squares arranged in two rows, do not rush to claim that there are 4 of them - in fact, the sides of the squares also form a fifth.
Trying to solve a puzzle as quickly as possible can lead to mistakes, so take your time and try to calculate all the options as you get closer to the correct answer. This is what perseverance and calm are needed here.
Match puzzles (with answers)
Below you will find a series of the most popular puzzles. This is a kind of Top 9 tasks of varying complexity. The difficulty of solutions increases from simple to complex problems. These tasks will appeal to everyone - both children and adults.
To compare your solution with the one suggested here, click on the "Answer" button. But don’t rush to give up and peek - otherwise you will deprive yourself of the pleasure of solving the problem, as well as a wonderful workout for the brain.
1. True equality
Exercise. Move one match to make the arithmetic equation “8+3-4=0” true. It is allowed to change both numbers and signs.
There are several ways to solve the puzzle, so matches and wits will help you...
First way: We turn four into eleven by moving the horizontal match to the left and down and turning it 90 degrees. And now our equality looks like this: 8+3-11=0.
Second way: We remove the top right match from the eight and move it to the very top of the four. Equality turns into 6+3-9=0, which means it is true again.
Third way: Let's turn eight into nine, and make eight out of zero. We get: 9+3-4=8. Equality became true.
There are other non-standard solutions to this puzzle, where it is not the numbers that are changed, but the “=” sign, for example 0+3-4? 0 (we break the match in several places!), 8+3-4 > 0, but this will no longer be equality, which means it violates the condition of the task.
2. Unfold the fish
The task is this: you need to rearrange 3 matches so that the fish begins to swim in the opposite direction. In other words, you need to rotate the fish 180 degrees horizontally. 
Answer:
We move two matches, which represent the lower parts of the body and tail, up and one match from the lower fin to the right. This is clearly visible in the diagram. Now our fish swam back. 
3. Pick up the key
Exercise. 10 matches are laid out so that they form the shape of a key. You need to move four matches so that you get a “castle” consisting of three squares. 
Answer:
Finding a solution is easier than it looks at first glance. We move the matches that make up the head of the key to the base of the rod. This way we get three squares laid out in a row. 
4. Tic-tac-toe field
Exercise. Move three matches so that the playing field turns into three squares. 
Answer:
We move the two lower matches left and right one row higher. Thus, they are closed side squares. The lower central match moves up, closing the upper figure and the given three squares are obtained. 
5. Problem “Glass with a cherry”
Exercise. Four matches form the shape of a glass containing a cherry. Move just two matches so that the berry is outside the glass. It is allowed to change the position of the glass, but it is not allowed to alter its shape. 
Answer:
To find a solution to this puzzle, it is enough to remember that we have the right to change the location of the glass in space. This means we just need to turn the glass upside down. We move the leftmost match down and to the right, and the horizontal one moves half its length to the right. 
6. Two out of nine
Exercise. You have twenty-four matches arranged so that they form nine small squares. You need to remove eight matches so that the number of squares is reduced to two. The remaining matches cannot be touched or moved. 
I found 2 solutions to this puzzle.
First way:
We remove the matches around the center of the square, leaving a large square, which is formed by the outermost matches, and one small square in the center. 
Second way:
We leave a large square consisting of twelve matches and a square with sides 2 by 2 matches adjacent to the sides of the large square. 
Maybe there are other ways. Will you find them?
7. Touching matches
Condition. Arrange 6 matches in such a way that each of them touches the other five. 
Answer:
To solve the puzzle you will need creative thinking. Matches are allowed to be placed on top of each other, which means you will have to look for a solution outside the plane. The correct solution is illustrated in the diagram. You can see that all the matches are actually touching each other. I admit, drawing this diagram was much easier than arranging the matches like this in reality. 
8. Seven squares
Exercise. Arrange just two matches in such a way as to get seven squares. 
Answer:
The task is quite complex and to solve it you need to step back from stereotyped thoughts. Take any two matches that make up the corner of the large outer square and place them crosswise in any of the small squares. We get 3 squares with sides of 1 by 1 matches and 4 squares with sides of half a match. 
9. Leave one triangle.
Condition. Move one match so that the number of triangles decreases from 9 to 1. 
You will have to rack your brains over the solution, since it requires a non-standard approach and creative thinking.
Answer:
We need to come up with something with a cross in the middle. Take the bottom match of this cross so that it simultaneously lifts the top one. We rotate this cross 45 degrees so that in the center we get not triangles, but squares. I note that with real matches this problem is solved much easier than on a computer. 
Play online
Puzzles with matches are a great way to have a good time and practice your ingenuity. Moreover, you can do this either alone or in a company. But despite this, they are used less and less. This may be due to the fact that more modern methods of starting fire are becoming increasingly popular - gas and electric lighters, kitchen stoves equipped with electric ignition and which do not require additional means to turn on the burners. Therefore, matches themselves are increasingly losing their irreplaceability.
But thanks to the development of the Internet, match puzzles are returning to their former glory.
What kind of riddles with matches we didn’t invent at school! Or maybe they didn’t invent it themselves, but just wished on their friends what they found out themselves? Is it really that important, after all? 🙂
Another thing is important: riddles with matches have indeed always been one of our favorite hobbies. Nowadays matches have become largely an anachroism. And in our time they could be easily stolen from any kitchen. 🙂 So we had fun.
Today, when I am already an adult, I nevertheless remember all these activities with great pleasure. And with the same pleasure I publish riddles with matches for you.
Riddles with matches with answers
1. How can you fold a triangle using one match without breaking it:
Answer. The condition does not say: “only one match,” which means you can use some improvised means, for example, the corner of a table. By attaching a match to it, we get a triangle.
2. How to fold a quadrilateral using two matches?
Answer. Place two matches parallel to the sides of the corner of the table.
3. Rearrange one match in a given fraction to get one.
Answer. This fraction is equal to 1/7. Place the match on the far right on top of the Roman five on the right. Let's get the denominator to be the square root of unity, which is equal to one. We get: 1/1=1.
4. You can make a square out of four matches. Therefore, to fold five squares, twenty matches are required. You can fold five squares using sixteen matches. And you try to put together five squares from nine matches. (Note: matches may not be completely included in the square.)
Answer.
5. The picture shows a fortress and a stone wall around it. Between the fortress and the wall there is a moat filled with water, with hungry crocodiles in it. Show how, with the help of two matches, you can build a bridge between the fortress and the wall.
Answer.
6. In the picture, a sad pig is made using 15.5 matches.
Make it fun by rearranging 3.5 matches.
Make the pig curious by removing one match and moving 2.5 matches.
Answer 1. Cheerful pig.
Answer 2. Curious pig.
7. In an incorrect equation made using matches, move only one match to get the correct equation.
False equality.
Answer. True equality.
9. Move three matches in this figure so that the fish swims in the opposite direction.
Answer.
10. A cow with a head, body, four limbs, horns and a tail is made of matches. You need to move 2 matches so that the cow looks not to the left, but to the right.
Answer
11. Arrange a) three matches in this figure; b) two matches in such a way that you get two rectangles.
Answer
12. Incorrect equations are made from matches using Roman numerals. Move just one match to get the correct equalities.
a) XI - V = IV;
Answer.
a) X - VI = IV or XI - V = VI or XI - VI = V - only three solutions.
b) IX - V = IV or X - VI = IV - two solutions.
13. Riddles are jokes.
a) The son argued with his father that if you add eight to five, you can get one. And he won the argument. How did he do it?
Answer. With the help of five and eight matches he laid out the word "one".
b) In this cross made of matches, rearrange only one match to make a square.
Answer.
Why is four not a square? After all, it is equal to the square of two. 🙂
14). Eighteen matches make six equal squares.
If you remove two matches, you can get four such squares. How can I do that?
Answer
15). A glass is made from four matches. There is a cherry inside the glass. You need to move two matches so that the berry is outside.
Answer
16). A house is made of matches. It is necessary to arrange two matches in it in such a way as to obtain its mirror image.
Answer
17). Arrange 3 matches in this grid in such a way that three squares are formed.
Answer
18 We have a snake made of matches. Rearrange five matches so that you get two squares of different sizes.
Answer. The problem has two solutions.
Solution 1.
Solution 2.
19 Rearrange two matches so that you get five identical squares.
Answer
20 In the given four squares, move four matches so that three squares are formed.
Answer
21 This spiral is made of matches.
Problem 1. Move two matches in a spiral to make two squares.
Task 2. Move the four matches in spirals to make three squares.
Answer to problem 1.
Answer to problem 2.
22 Place three matches on the table.
Place two more matches on top of them to make eight.
Answer. From two matches we add the Roman numeral V, we get: VIII - eight.
23 They made a figure out of matches that looked like a children's toy tumbler.
You need to rearrange three matches so that this tumbler turns into a cube.
Answer
24 Rearrange only one match on the left side of the incorrect equation to obtain a true equality.
Answer
25 A beetle is made of matches and crawls to the right. Move three matches in such a way that the beetle crawls to the left.
Answer
26 This incorrect inequality was created using 25 matches.
It is necessary to rearrange two matches so that the correct equality is obtained.
Answer We add the two matches that make up the right unit to the two and get an eight. The resulting correct equality will take the form: 16 – 8 = 8.
27 It is necessary to rearrange one match so that an incorrect equation turns into a correct one.
Answer 9+3 – 4=8
28 In this incorrect equation, you need to move one match to get the correct equality.
Answer We apply the right match of the left side from above to the right side of the Roman five, we get the square root sign. On the left we get the square root of unity, which is equal to one. We have the correct equality: 1 = 1.
29 Correct this incorrect equation without touching a single match. Make this equation true. (Matches must not be lit, moved, moved, etc.)
Answer
It is enough to turn the drawing 180 degrees. We get the correct equality.
