GSHE likes to periodically highlight some of the awesome things happening in our homeschool community. Today, we are sharing a story from Sara Laurent’s family about her son’s passion and creativity with puzzle boxes. This will bring a smile to your face!
If you have a success story you’d like to share, please reach out to us at info@GraniteStateHomeEducators.org.
Where education meets passion!
In the whirlwind of homeschooling life, amidst math problems and literary adventures, a fascinating phenomenon has been unfolding right before our eyes! Chase, a bright and quirky 5th grader with the heart of an inventor and the hands of a meticulous craftsman, has developed a rather interesting passion. He builds puzzle boxes. Not your run of the mill, slide the block affairs mind you. We’re talking intricate, multi-layered contraptions that have even his parents scratching their heads.
This interest can be traced back to the captivating world of Chris Ramsay on YouTube, a puzzle box solving channel that has clearly ignited a fire in Chase’s creative soul. Suddenly our recycling bin became a treasure trove of limitless possibilities. Seemingly overnight, cardboard vanished, whole bottles of paint emptied, and every visit from Memere and Pepere turned into dealings of creative “found objects” destined for puzzle box glory! Amidst an ever-growing mountain of hot glue threads and cardboard scraps, intricate puzzles emerged from the disarray, a testament to Chase’s boundless energy and commitment to structural integrity (or a disguised attempt to thwart his parents attempts to pry open a secret compartment in their search of puzzle box glory).
Witnessing his progress has truly been something to behold. Chase approaches each new puzzle endeavor with the focused intensity of a seasoned engineer, sketching out designs and meticulously planning every twist, turn and trap door. Each creation with its own fantastical origin is a testament to his engineering skills and storytelling passions. We’ve been baffled by his “time traveler” puzzle, a box that will submit its secrets only when everything aligns (or after 20 min of frustrated fiddling on my part) or his current plans for a creepy haunted-house styled puzzle box that may or may not contain a ghost (it won’t…we think).
What’s truly wonderful is the sheer joy Chase seems to find in this intricate hobby. Homeschooling has given him the freedom to dive deep into his passions, blending his love for art (evident in the vibrant designs and detailed decorations of his boxes) and math (crucial for those tricky locking mechanisms). Chase has his sights set on being an electrician or an electrical engineer when he grows up – a path that seems perfectly aligned with his love for intricate systems and problem-solving.
As for his father and I, our roles have evolved into chief cheerleaders, occasionally (and usually unhelpful) testers, and the curators of a constantly expanding collection of random bits and bobbles that may become the key of his next fantastical creation. It’s been an absolute delight to witness Chase’s happy successes, the triumphant grin when a family member or friend finally cracks one of his puzzles and the sheer enthusiasm he pours into every single creation. It’s just another of the many untold reasons why this homeschooling adventure is such a rewarding one – watching our little puzzle master grow, one cleverly concealed compartment at a time!
