Encourage Creativity

Did you know that solving puzzles can strengthen your brain, boost your vocabulary, and reinforce concentration? Even better, it can be a whole lot of fun!

This type of puzzle is called a rebus – a picture representation of a word or phrase.

Can you figure out the common phrase this rebus represents? (Shh, don’t tell once you’ve figured it out – it’s top secret.)

How about this one?

Arranged in a row, there is a yellow five-point star, a plus sign, the letter "W", a plus sign, and a pair of brown boat oars.

(Hint: The force is strong in this one.)

Now that you know what they are, try creating your own rebus puzzles:

  • Think of a word or phrase you want to represent, maybe even your name.
  • Separate the word or phrase into syllables.
  • Draw a picture or use a letter to represent each syllable.

Ask a family member to try to solve your rebus puzzles. Have fun and keep strengthening that brain!