User-customizable children's puzzles

Abstract

Provided herein are puzzles useful primarily by children, but also enjoyable by young adults and others. The puzzles of the invention permit a user to remove a piece of the puzzle from the overall construct, to reveal an image, the identity of which is customizable either by the user themselves, or by another person, which often may comprise a parent of the intended user. The images so revealed may thus be any image placed into the puzzle at the will of a person so capable, but are anticipated to often comprise images of the user's relations, including family members, famous persons, siblings and others. Additionally, geographical locations, images of outer space, images of famous persons, famous places, landmarks, pets, etc. are within the realm of potential images viewed. The instant puzzles are especially well suited to inspire learning in toddler-aged users, for stimulating cognizance of images, commensurate with provoking a physical response by the child. Although the present invention finds particular utility amongst enhancing the skills of special-needs children, it is well-suited to be enjoyed by children of all ages.

1 ) A puzzle construction, to be enjoyed primarily by children and young adults, which comprises: 
 a) a substantially planar, rigid bottom panel having a top surface and a bottom surface;    b) a substantially planar, rigid top panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top panel comprising at least one cutout hole through its surface, wherein said at least one cutout hole exists in the form of a geometric shape;    c) at least one attachment means for removably attaching said top panel to said bottom panel in a position having the bottom surface of said top panel facing the top surface of said bottom panel;    d) at least one puzzle piece; and    e) optionally, at least one image disposed on the top surface of said bottom panel, in a location which corresponds substantially to the position of said at least one cutout hole in said top panel, when said top panel is disposed atop said bottom panel,    wherein said puzzle piece and at least one of said cutout holes are both shaped sufficiently similar to one another as to enable the puzzle piece to be removably inserted into said at least one cutout hole, and to substantially hinder the ability of a person to see through the surface of said top panel, when said top panel is disposed atop said bottom panel and said puzzle piece is in position within said cutout hole.    
   
   
       2 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said top panel and said bottom panel are attached to one another such that the bottom surface of said top panel is in substantial contact with said top surface of said bottom panel.  
   
   
       3 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said top panel and said bottom panel is of singular construction.  
   
   
       4 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said top panel is attached to said bottom panel, by an attachment means disposed at a location selected from the group consisting of: an edge portion, the top surface, the bottom surface, and an end portion of said top panel.  
   
   
       5 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said top panel is attached to said bottom panel, by an attachment means disposed at a location selected from the group consisting of: an edge portion, the top surface, the bottom surface, and an end portion of said bottom panel.  
   
   
       6 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said top panel is hingedly attached to said bottom panel, so as to permit said top panel to be opened in book fashion with respect to said bottom panel such that the planes of the top panel and the bottom panel are not substantially parallel when the puzzle is in an open position.  
   
   
       7 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one image is selected from the group consisting of: photographs, mirrors, sketches, and drawings.  
   
   
       8 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said geometric shape is a regular geometric shape or an irregular geometric shape.  
   
   
       9 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein the top panel and the bottom panel are oriented such that their planes are substantially parallel, and wherein at least one puzzle piece is removably disposed within at least one of said cutout holes.  
   
   
       10 ) A puzzle according to  claim 6  wherein the top panel and the bottom panel are oriented such that their planes are substantially parallel, and wherein at least one puzzle piece is removably disposed within at least one of said cutout holes.  
   
   
       11 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  wherein said puzzle further includes: f) a locking means for securing said first panel and said second panel together.  
   
   
       12 ) A puzzle according to  claim 6  wherein said puzzle further includes: f) a locking means for securing said first panel and said second panel together.  
   
   
       13 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  comprising at least 3 cutout holes having perimeters of different shapes, and wherein said at least one puzzle piece comprises at least 3 differently-shaped puzzle pieces, each having a portion which corresponds substantially in shape to the perimeter of said cutout holes.  
   
   
       14 ) A puzzle according to  claim 1  comprising at least 3 cutout holes having perimeters of the same or similar shapes, and wherein said at least one puzzle piece comprises at least 3 identical or similarly-shaped puzzle pieces, each having a portion which corresponds substantially in shape to the perimeter of said cutout holes.  
   
   
       15 ) A puzzle, enjoyable by children and young adults, which comprises: 
 a) a substantially planar, rigid bottom panel having a top surface and a bottom surface;    b) a substantially planar, rigid top panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top panel comprising at least one cutout hole through its surface, wherein said at least one cutout hole exists in the form of a geometric shape, said top panel being attached to said bottom panel such that the bottom surface of said top panel is facing the top surface of said bottom panel, or is in substantial contact therewith, said top and bottom panels collectively comprising a construct;    c) at least one puzzle piece, wherein said puzzle piece is shaped sufficiently to be removably disposed in said at least one cutout hole of said top panel, sufficient to substantially hinder the ability of a person to see through said cutout hole; and    d) a means for receiving at least one image, which means is adapted to enable an image to be disposed in a location beneath the top surface of said top panel but above the bottom surface of said bottom panel, and beneath the location of at least one of said cutout holes in said top panel, so as to render an image disposed within the means for receiving viewable through said cutout hole, when a puzzle piece is not disposed in the cutout hole.    
   
   
       16 ) A puzzle according to  claim 15  wherein said construct has a top surface, a bottom surface, two edge portions and two end portions.  
   
   
       17 ) A puzzle according to  claim 16  wherein said means for receiving at least one image comprises at least one slot disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of: an end portion and an edge portion of said construct.  
   
   
       18 ) A puzzle according to  claim 17  wherein said slot is substantially rectangular.  
   
   
       19 ) A peg puzzle comprising a plurality of puzzle pieces and cutout holes corresponding substantially in shape with a portion of the puzzle pieces, which puzzle is adapted to enable the user to selectively place and/or remove images to within and from within the construct of the peg puzzle, in such fashion that one or more images are in the ready view of the user of the puzzle when a puzzle piece is absent from a cutout hole, and wherein one or more images are obstructed from the view of the user when a puzzle piece is present in a cutout hole.