Benefits of Tangrams
Rarely have I met a student who has used tangrams before, but, along with pentominoes, they are fabulous for developing spatial reasoning skills and giving a practical hands on introduction or application to geometric transformations (reflections, rotations, and translations). Tangrams develop problem-solving and logical thinking skills, and can also be used to teach the concepts of congruent shapes and composing and decomposing composite shapes. They are really fun when you start learning to figure area of composite shapes.
When students first see them they usually think they are pattern blocks. They say, “Oh, this will be easy!” Yet when they actually start working with them, they find them a lot more challenging than they expected! Even adults really enjoy tangram puzzles, and find them challenging. Yet they can be introduced to even very young children in a playful context.
What Are Tangrams?
Tangrams are ancient Chinese visual spatial puzzles. Their Chinese name means “seven boards of skill.” You must form a specific shape by using all seven pieces, which must lay flat and touch with no overlap. The pieces are:
- 2 large right triangles
- 1 medium right triangle
- 2 small right triangles
- 1 square
- 1 parallelogram
Introducing Tangrams
I like to introduce tangrams to elementary school children using the books Three Pigs, One Wolf, Seven Magic Shapes (for younger children) and Grandfather Tang’s Story (for older children, though I have found they enjoy the three pigs book also.) I model for them using the tangrams to make the shapes in the stories and have them try them too.
Students are then challenged to use their tangrams to make a square. This is not an easy task. It takes some time and persistence. Some kids will get frustrated and give up. But it can be done, and they are SO EXCITED when they figure it out!
We then use the colored plastic tangrams to solve puzzle cards.These are my favorite challenging cards – our GT students and students who are visually/spatially strong really enjoy this set. There are printable puzzle cards in the section below that are easier; including some for younger children where the shapes are outlined for them to match. For students who solve all of the cards I have used the book Tangrams: 330 Puzzles, which has some very challenging puzzles.
Virtual and printable tangrams
Although it is best to work with actual tangram pieces for the kinesthetic aspect, there are tangram puzzles online your students might enjoy. I am also linking printable tangram pieces if you don’t have the budget for plastic ones, or want kids to have a cardstock version to keep in their desks or take home. A take home set with a few printed puzzle cards would be great for a family math night!
- Cyberchase Tangram Game on PBS Kids