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Want a fun math activity? Try tangrams. Tangrams are seven shapes, or tans, which come from China. It’s geometry and it’s a lot more fun than proofs! (Or is it just me who still hates 10th grade geometry?)
Make Your Own Tangrams
Print out your own set of tangrams or order a set from ThinkFun. Rearranging the tans increases spacial skills.
Make cookies into tangrams and play with your food!
Read About Tangrams
You’ll want to read this beautiful picture book called The Warlord’s Puzzle. A warlord accidentally drops a blue tile and breaks it into seven pieces. He proposes a contest to put the tile back together and so the puzzle of the tangram is born.
Then, read Grandfather Tang or Three Pigs, One Wolf and Seven Magic Shapes. Use your tangrams to make the animals in the story.
Play Online with Tangrams
Online easy tangram of four are perfect for younger kids.
Tangram puzzles online at PBS Kids are in a variety of levels.
More Tangram Ideas
Make this cute tangram bunny card from Family Fun.
Buy a magnetic tangram activity game.
Try an iPad tangram app game.
Melissa Taylor is a mom and educator from Denver who is passionate about playful learning. Thanks for visiting the site!
4 Comments
Thank you so much for these Tangram resources! Last semester in my Foundations of Literacy class, we talked a lot about the power of tangrams to help children develop language, and at the same time it brings in math skills and social studies. Awesome. I was looking for on-line sources, as these are perfect. Thanks!
I love tangrams! I have a great iPhone app (free, even) that keeps me busy while I wait in lines. Thanks for the resources!
There are a few variations on the traditional tangram puzzle. The Broken Heart Tangram for instance
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