Space Shuttle Block Puzzle — Fill Every Gap

A spacecraft-shaped tray and a set of coloured blocks in different geometric shapes. The task is to fit every block inside the craft so that no space is left over. There is more than one arrangement that works, and finding any of them takes real thought.

How you play

1. Tip the blocks out and look at the shape of the craft.
2. Start with the largest blocks — they have the fewest possible places.
3. Fit the smaller pieces into the gaps that are left.
4. If you cannot finish, take out a large piece and try it elsewhere.
5. The puzzle is done when there is no empty space left.

What it builds

• Fitting shapes into a fixed area — the foundation of spatial reasoning
• Starting with the constrained pieces rather than the easy ones
• Undoing a nearly-right attempt, which is hard and worth learning
• Rotating a shape mentally before placing it

Three ways to play it

• Solve it once, then scramble and solve it a different way
• Remove one block and see whether the rest still fit
• Time a solve and try to beat it

The details

• Ages: 3–5 years