How to Build a Plus-Plus Penguin from the Holiday Puzzle Set
By Plus-Plus USA | Plus-Plus Blocks - Empowering Open Ended | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: How-to Guides
Turn the 40-piece Puzzle by Number® Holiday Penguin into a quick, satisfying build. Follow these steps to sort, place, and display your festive Plus-Plus penguin.
Quick answer
Match each numbered space on the Puzzle by Number® Holiday Penguin grid to its color, then press the Plus-Plus pieces into place. Start with the largest color areas to anchor the shape, and save single pieces for last. The 40-piece build takes about 15–20 minutes and is a good fit for a quiet holiday afternoon or a stocking-stuffer activity.
What you need before you start
The Puzzle by Number® Holiday - 40 pc Penguin includes everything you need for one penguin: the color-coded pieces and a numbered grid. You do not need a separate baseplate or glue. Work on a flat, well-lit surface so you can read the numbers easily — a baking sheet with a rim works well to keep pieces from rolling onto the floor.
How the Puzzle by Number system works
Each color in the set has a number, and the grid shows which number goes in each spot. You are not guessing the picture; you are matching colors to numbers, which is why this format works for younger builders and for anyone who wants a calm, guided activity rather than open-ended building. The penguin design uses the holiday color palette, so the finished figure reads as a festive character rather than a generic bird.
Where this build fits into a holiday routine
At 40 pieces, this is a short project — useful as an Advent calendar activity, a classroom holiday station, or a stocking stuffer that gets used the same day. It also pairs well with a larger seasonal build if you want a longer session: the Santa Snoopy - 275 pc Puzzle By Number® uses the same match-the-number approach on a bigger scale, so a child who finishes the penguin quickly can move to a more involved figure without learning a new system.
Step-by-step: build the Plus-Plus penguin
- Sort pieces by color before you place anything: Open the set and separate the pieces into small piles by color. The grid uses numbers instead of color names, so grouping first lets you grab the right piece without hunting. Checkpoint: if two colors look similar under warm indoor light, move to a window or brighter lamp before you start placing.
- Find the largest color area on the grid and fill it first: Start with the biggest block of a single number, usually the body or belly. Press each piece down until it sits flush with its neighbors — Plus-Plus pieces hold by friction, so a fully seated piece stays put. Common mistake: building the outline first. Edges are easy to knock loose before the interior supports them.
- Work outward from the filled area toward the edges: Add the next color band around what you have already built. Keep the grid in front of you and place pieces in small clusters rather than one at a time across the whole figure. Checkpoint: every few pieces, press the whole section gently with your palm to reseat anything that has shifted.
- Save single-number spots and details for last: Eyes, beak, and any isolated color spots go in at the end, once the surrounding pieces are stable. Use your fingertip or the edge of a piece to press these small parts into place. Common mistake: rushing the final details. These small pieces are the easiest to dislodge if the base underneath is not fully pressed down.
- Do a final number check against the grid: Scan the finished penguin against the numbered grid one more time. A single swapped piece is much easier to fix now than after the figure has been handled or displayed. Next step: display the penguin on a shelf or mantel, or gently take it apart and rebuild it as a repeat holiday activity.
Product facts
- Puzzle by Number® Holiday - 40 pc Penguin: The Puzzle by Number® Holiday - 40 pc Penguin is a Christmas building activity that combines Plus-Plus creativity with color-by-number matching; you match each number to its color to reveal a penguin dressed for the holiday season. The numbered grid removes guesswork, so the build stays accessible for younger children and for anyone who prefers a guided result.
- Santa Snoopy - 275 pc Puzzle By Number®: Santa Snoopy - 275 pc Puzzle By Number® is one of three unique Snoopy builds and uses the same paint-by-number-style matching approach on a larger scale. If the 40-piece penguin finishes too quickly, this is a natural next step that keeps the same method but adds build time.
