monkey puzzle

The Museum of Math is amazing. I had no idea until I went and now I {and my son} cannot wait to get back there.

Is this because my mother is a Doctor of Mathematics? Is it because my father was an accountant? My sister an actuary?

No.

It is because they have taken a really complex and dry subject {if you ask most people. People who are not related to me} and made it fun. Really fun.

Their continuous puzzle exhibit kept my son busy for a long time. So long that we didn't get a chance to view all the exhibits before the museum closed {and it is not a large museum}.

That is why I made this puzzle. Any thing that keeps him busy for that long is worth owning.

I have to say I cheated a bit. The museum is offering a magnet set of continuous interlocking monkeys, but it is selling for $35 for 6 monkeys. I decided to copy the image and make my own puzzle out of felt. Felt is great. It adheres to itself so you can make a magnetic puzzle without the fuss of actually using magnets. Genius.

{source}

Materials:
Print of the image above
Various sheets of felt {you can make this with any material - construction paper would work too, but you might want to back it with some cardboard}
Straight pins
Scissors
Markers, for the eyes and face outline

Method:
Cut out the monkey shapes. Pin the shape of one monkey to the fabric or paper you are using. Cut around the shape. Do this again six times using a different color each time. If you are ambitious you can make multiples of six. The more the merrier. Add the eyes and face {or leave them blank}.

This puzzle did not come out exactly as I'd wished. The monkeys do not line up perfectly to create a continuous effect. In any case, my son loves them and places them in patterns around the living room carpet, which is really all that matters.