tangrams Archives - JDaniel4s Mom

Farm STEM Challenges- Build Pattern Block Animals

September 14, 2022 By Deirdre

The farm STEM challenges in this set invite children to build farm animals with pattern blocks. Each of the STEM challenge mats has a key at the bottom that show children the blocks they will need. The pattern blocks can be stacked right on their picture on the mat.

Helping Your Children Explore the Farm STEM Challenges on the Mats

Review the Shapes

Before your children explore the mats, you may want to review each of the pattern block shapes. While they don’t have to know each shape’s name to build the animal, it would be a good thing for them to know.

Counting the Shapes

Each of the shape mats indicates how many of each shape children will need. Some children will be able to find and count the shapes on their own. However, there will be some who need you to count the blocks with them.

Building the Animals

The farm STEM challenge mats were not designed to have the blocks fit right on each animal. They were designed to have the animal built beside the animals on the page. This way children can refer to the picture while they build.

Getting the Farm STEM Challenges- Building Pattern Block Animals Set

First, you will need to download the set.

Farm STEM Challenges- Building Pattern Block Animals Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after you download it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Pattern Block Suggestions

Below you will see a variety of sets of pattern blocks. Some of them are plastic and others are wooden. While you could print out a set of paper pattern blocks, these sets will be easier for your children to use.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Building Challenges

Build a Bird’s Nest STEM Challenge

Building Challenge Cards with a Magic Theme

STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set

February 21, 2022 By Deirdre

This rabbit tangram puzzle set would be fun to explore in the days leading up to Easter or the beginning of spring. There are also a number of children’s books that feature rabbits. It would be fun to explore one or more of the mats after reading one of them.

Benefits of Tangrams

Great way to explore geometric shapes.
Provides an opportunity to slide, rotate and flip shapes.
Gives children a change to work on visual and spatial skills.bb

Getting the Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set Ready

This set is a PDF. When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already

STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set Download

If you plan on using the mats and puzzle pieces over and over again you may want to laminate them. Below you will find some laminating supplies I recommend.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Building Background

Before your children explore the rabbit tangram mats, you may want to do one of the following.

Rabbit Themed Rhyme

Hop Little Bunnies
See the little bunnies sleeping, (children lie down still)
Till it’s nearly noon,
Come and let us gently wake them
With a merry tune.
Oh, so still.
Are they ill?
Hop little bunnies…hop, hop, hop (children jump up and hop on the spot)
Hop little bunnies…hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies…hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop and stop!

Rabbit Themed Movement Activity

Toddler Approved has a wonderful rabbit activity to do with your children.

Rabbit Themed Books

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Rabbit Themed Activities

Hopping with Chalk Bunnies

Make a Trampoline for Peter Rabbit

Peter Rabbit Counting Mat and Number Recognition Activity

Counting Buttons for Peter Rabbit

STEM Ocean Tangram Puzzles Set

February 21, 2022 By Deirdre

Ocean tangram puzzles are great to explore during the summer or while exploring ocean animals. A crab, dolphin, and fish are displayed on free printable mats.

The ocean tangram puzzles are a great way to explore shapes and spatial relations. What fun your children will have flipping and rotating tangram shapes to get them to look the way the shapes in the puzzles do.

Getting the Ocean Tangram Puzzles Set Ready

This set is a PDF. When you download it, you will need to open it with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular reader that you can download to use. You probably have it on your computer already

STEM-Ocean-Tangram-Puzzles-Set Download

If you plan on using the mats and puzzle pieces over and over again you may want to laminate them. Below you will find some laminating supplies I recommend.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ways to Use the Set

There are a number of ways that you can explore this set with your children. Below you will see some ways that they can be explored.

Children can do a free exploration of the mats and tangrams in a math center. Your children will be working without you in a center. Having another person working in the center will allow them to keep track of each others success.
Children can work in a small group with you. This will allow you to demonstrate how to turn and flip the tangrams. It will also help you to see if they are understanding what they need to do.
If you have enough tangrams and mats for everyone, you can do this as a whole class activity.

More Ocean Themed Activities

Find, Count and Create a Bar Graph Activity Printables

Find, Count, and Create Bar Graphs with Ocean Creatures

Ocean Life LEGO Building Ideas

STEM Tangram Puzzle Sets for Kids

February 19, 2022 By Deirdre

Tangram puzzle sets invited children to explore shapes and spatial skills. Children rotate, flip and slide shapes to create silhouettes of objects, people, and animals. They are a fun way to a variety of math concepts.

This week I will be sharing with your five sets of tangrams. A new tangram set will appear Monday through Friday. It will be fun to stop by each day to get a new set to explore with your children.

Getting Your Set of Tangram Puzzles

Monday- STEM Ocean Tangram Puzzles Set

Tuesday- STEM Rabbit Tangram Puzzle Set

Wednesday – Panda STEM Tangram Puzzle Set

Thursday – St. Patrick’s Day Tangram Puzzles Challenge

Friday- STEM Bird Tangram Puzzles Set

Suggestions for Printing the Puzzles

Print the puzzles out on cardstock. It is thicker and will make the piece and mats sturdier.
Laminate the mats and pieces. Once again it will make them sturdier and last longer.
The mats were designed to be printed out in color. While you can print them out in B/W, they will not look as great.
Store bought tangram sets can be used with the mats.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Exploring the Puzzles

There are a number of ways you could share these puzzles with your children. Below you will find a list of ways that I came up with. You may come up with other great ideas. If you do please take a moment and share them on my Facebook page or in a comment below.

You could place them in a center or put them out on the kitchen table for your children to explore one at a time.
You could have them explore all of the puzzles in a set at the same time. Then they can decide which was the easiest and which was the hardest to do.
You could put them during a week at school or home when you are exploring the theme of a set.

More Tangram Sets Found Here on the Blog

Thanksgiving Tangram Sets

Free Printable STEM Halloween Tangram Puzzle Workspaces

Halloween Themed Tangrams

Fox in Socks Themed Tangram Printable Set

Fox in Socks Tangram Set

Old Christmas Cards Make Great Tangrams

November 28, 2021 By Deirdre

Old Christmas Cards can become a set of holiday-themed tangrams in just a few steps. Before you throw away all the cards you receive, look through them and see if they would make a fun set of tangrams. Many of us still get a few in the mail however there are some of us that may not. You can get a cheap box of Christmas cards at a dollar store that would make wonderful tangrams.

Learn More About Tangrams

Below you will find some wonderful books about tangrams.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Grandfather Tang’s Story involves a story about foxes and magic.

This is a wonderful collection of puzzles to explore with your children.

Getting Ready to Make the Tangrams with Old Christmas Cards

Preparing the Cards

First, the back of the card will need to be cut off.
Second, a tangram template is square in shape. You will need to decide which sections of your card will need to be part of your set.

Choosing the Tangram Template

The tangram template set features templates that are the following widths.

Old Christmas Card Templates Download

Once you download the set, you will want to print out the one that will fit your cards.

Creating the Old Christmas Card Tangram Set

First, you will need to cut out the tangram square.
Second, you will decide what part of the front of the card you want in your tangram set.
Third, the tangram square will need to be glued into position on the back of the card right where the parts of the front of the card you wanted to use are located.
Finally, the shapes on the tangram square will need to be cut out.

Christmas Tangram Patterns to Use with YOur Old Christmas Card Tangram Set

After creating your cards, you will need tangram patterns or designs to build. Below you will find a number of sites that feature free printable patterns.

Free Tangram Printable from KidsLife

Tangram Christmas from My Homeschool Math

Tangram Puzzles from Education.com

After downloading the patterns, you may want to print them out on card stock and laminate them. They will last longer that way. Once you have looked at these, you could also look on TPT for some. Patterns cards there tend to be a little bit fancier.

More Christmas STEM Activities

Christmas STEM activities are fun to explore. Below you will find a number of free STEM activities to explore. After creating your tangrams, please take a moment or two to explore them.

Cool Science Projects -Ski Jumping Straw Rocket

Ski Jumping STEM Challenge

Ski Lift Paper Plate Craft

Fall-Themed Printable Tangram Puzzles

October 12, 2018 By Deirdre

Your children will have fun exploring shapes and using them to create fall-themed tangram puzzles. The puzzles invite your children to slide, flip, and rotate shapes to get them in the correct position. Children that are used to seeing shapes lined up in a row will get to see them in new ways.

Before your children explore the tangram puzzles, you may want to read them a book about tangrams and tangram puzzles. Below you will find several of my favorite books that feature tangrams.

Links below are affiliate links.

Getting Ready to Use the Tangram Puzzle

You can download the Fall-Themed Tangram Patterns and open them with Acrobat Reader. This set was designed to be printed out onto a color printer.

Then you will need to decide what your children will use as tangrams. You could give a set of plastic tangrams to use or you could make your own.

How to Make Your Own Tangrams

You can print out the tangram puzzle from the tangram puzzle set onto fall-themed scrapbook paper. If you use paper with a design on both sides, their puzzles with have a fun mixture of blocks. You may need to trim the paper to get in just the right size to go through your printer.
Once you have printed out the puzzles, you can cut out each of the individual shapes. If your children are able, you can have them cut out the shapes.

If you like this fall shape activity, here are some more shape activities you will love.

Fox in Socks Tangram Puzzles

Exploring Giant Homemade Tangrams

Halloween Tangram Math Activity

{Homemade Giant Tangrams} Exploring Tangrams

January 14, 2014 By Deirdre

Homemade Giant Tangrams from a Pizza Box

I recently served store bought pizza to my family that came in a huge cardboard box and decided the box would be great for making homemade giant tangrams. Although the bottom of the box wasn’t a perfect square shape, I decided to try to cut out the tangram shapes without trimming it down to a square. Some of the shapes ended up a little wonky and did end up being trimmed down. All in all the shapes in the tangram are not perfect, but worked out well for building some really cool tangram designs I found online.

We are going to keep this set, but I may try to make another set using a ruler to actually make sure each piece is just right. I did use a ruler to draw lines for each shape before I cut it out of the giant square. I didn’t paint or color each of the tangram pieces either. Instead, I opted to leave them brownish cardboard colored. It might be fun to have JDaniel have me paint another set of them. Colored shapes seem to help the designs pop out a little more.

(The link below is an affiliate link that will take you to Amazon.com.)

JDaniel hasn’t been big on exploring tangrams. The fact that these are giant seemed to make them interesting and more fun. There is just something wonderful about learning tools being super-sized. I think selecting a pattern that he might enjoy helped too. There are hundreds of different design patterns available online and in books. Grandfather Tang’s Story (Dragonfly Books) is a book that I have used in the past with students. It would be just wonderful to read the book and create the tangram designs that it shares in its illustrations.

What designs did JDaniel like the best?

Homemade Giant Tangrams from a Pizza Box- Sunrise Pattern

We both really liked this sunrise design. I think it is a sunrise. I guess it could be a sunset design too.

Homemade Giant Tangrams from a Pizza Box- Rocket Pattern

JDaniel has always liked rockets and space. Creating a rocket design was right up his interest alley. It was a little challenging to fit the rocket on the table. The homemade giant tangrams took up most of the length of the table. We may have to move to the floor to make long tangram designs in the future.

Do you have a favorite tangram pattern, design or book?

Deirdre Smith writes/owns JDaniel4’s Mom. After twenty years as an elementary school and technology resource teacher in Northern Virginia, she became a stay at home mom in upstate South Carolina. Her blog features ways she and her 5-year-old are exploring learning, crafting, creating healthy meals and living life to its fullest. Deirdre can also be found on twitter as @jdaniel4smom and on her blog’s FB page. You can also check her out on Google+.