Printable activities
20 printable mind puzzles
Gentle thinking activities using words, numbers, memory, categories and everyday logic.
Mind Puzzle 1
Number Steps
Fill in the missing numbers: 4, 8, 12, __, 20, __, 28, 32.
Answer / guide
16 and 24.
Mind Puzzle 2
Word Ladder
Change one letter each step to move from COLD to WARM in four steps. Try: COLD, CORD, WORD, WARD, WARM.
Answer / guide
One answer: COLD, CORD, WORD, WARD, WARM.
Mind Puzzle 3
Odd One Out
Circle the odd one out: spoon, fork, plate, chair, cup.
Answer / guide
Chair.
Mind Puzzle 4
Memory List
Read these words, cover them, then write as many as you remember: beach, lemon, clock, garden, music, wallet, flower, kettle.
Answer / guide
Open answer.
Mind Puzzle 5
Category Sort
Put these into two groups: apple, carrot, banana, potato, pear, onion.
Answer / guide
Fruit: apple, banana, pear. Vegetables: carrot, potato, onion.
Mind Puzzle 6
Pattern Boxes
Draw the next shape: circle, square, triangle, circle, square, __.
Answer / guide
Triangle.
Mind Puzzle 7
Simple Logic
Mary is older than Tom. Tom is older than June. Who is youngest?
Answer / guide
June.
Mind Puzzle 8
Letter Search
Write 10 words that start with the letter S.
Answer / guide
Open answer.
Mind Puzzle 9
Shopping Maths
Tea costs $4 and bread costs $3. You buy two breads and one tea. What is the total?
Answer / guide
$10.
Mind Puzzle 10
Opposites
Write the opposite of: bright, early, soft, loud, empty.
Answer / guide
Dark, late, hard, quiet, full.
Mind Puzzle 11
Sequence Recall
Look at this sequence for 20 seconds then cover it: 7, 2, 9, 4, 1, 8. Write it again.
Answer / guide
7, 2, 9, 4, 1, 8.
Mind Puzzle 12
Which Is Heaviest?
Put these in order from lightest to heaviest: feather, book, chair, car.
Answer / guide
Feather, book, chair, car.
Mind Puzzle 13
Find The Pair
Circle matching pairs: calm/rest, loud/quiet, happy/glad, cold/hot, big/large.
Answer / guide
calm/rest, happy/glad, big/large.
Mind Puzzle 14
Finish The Saying
Finish the saying: Better late than _____.
Answer / guide
Never.
Mind Puzzle 15
Map Thinking
You go north two blocks, east one block, then south two blocks. Are you east, west, north or south of where you started?
Answer / guide
East.
Mind Puzzle 16
Hidden Word
Find the animal hidden in this sentence: We saw a koala near the tall gum.
Answer / guide
Koala.
Mind Puzzle 17
Count Backwards
Write numbers backwards from 60 to 45.
Answer / guide
60 down to 45.
Mind Puzzle 18
Name Five
Name five things you might take to the beach.
Answer / guide
Open answer.
Mind Puzzle 19
Calendar Question
If Monday is the 3rd, what date is the following Friday?
Answer / guide
The 7th.
Mind Puzzle 20
Spot The Change
Study: cup, key, rose, book, chair. Then cover it. Which one was a flower?
Answer / guide
Rose.