Inside: use our printable mats and LEGO® bricks to practice patterns and symmetry.
“A mathematician, just like an artist or a poet, produces designs.” G. Hardy
Did you know that LEGO® bricks, small yet versatile, can serve as an effective learning tool, going beyond their basic function as plastic building blocks?
These blocks enable the acquisition of fundamental skills such as counting, adding, and categorizing. Additionally, they have the potential to enhance literacy, creativity, and scientific knowledge. Through the use of these small blocks, individuals can become proficient in the alphabet, sight words, and reading comprehension.
Therefore, LEGO® bricks provide an enjoyable and interactive way to learn, transforming education into a captivating experience.
Learning to understand patterns is the basis for understanding much of mathematics. And if you can help your kids develop mathematical thinking, while they are having fun, everyone wins.
I’m sharing the mats I’ve been using with my kids for a few years. When my older kids see the little ones with them, they usually say, “Can I do it, too?!” They can’t resist the fun 🙂
You can print our mats for your personal use here.
If you are enjoying this post, you may also be interested in exploring additional LEGO activity ideas.
Learning Symmetry and Patterns with LEGO®
The first thing to do is to get all your LEGO® bricks that are not currently part of some messy (but very important) project into one pile.
Pick out some similar pieces and line them up. Sorting, classifying, and ordering blocks are great learning activities.
I find that the best way to engage my kids in sorting is to simply start doing it. They always come over to see what I’m doing with “their” LEGO® and start asking questions, one of which is, “Can I, please, do this too?”
You can start by asking kids to create simple symmetrical patterns using a grid as a basis. You might need to demonstrate what you mean.
To make it even more educational, you can throw in some questions:What is symmetry? Is your image symmetrical? How do you know?
Venture more into the realm of counting by asking: How many pieces did you use? Which brick has the most studs?
With older kids, you can practice adding studs on all the blocks to find the total.
Then, you can move on to creating a simple pattern. At first, you create one half and ask the kids to copy it on the other side. This kind of symmetry is called a pattern symmetry. You can find it on frescoes, carpets, bridges, and snakes. It’s characterized by a periodically recurring pattern.
You can ask questions or ask kids to describe the pattern as they copy it.
Now, kids can move on to using their imagination to create their own patterns from start to finish. This is our favorite part!
Talk about what you see.
You used symmetry in your building. You put the same pieces on both sides. It is interesting the way you made the pattern with your blocks. What do you think? Oh, I see a skinny green brick, a bigger red one, then three tall bricks in a row. It makes for a pretty pattern.
Talk about recurring patterns such as in Mozaics and in heavy textiles. You might even google some photos of Persian rugs for inspiration.
Now, you can do the same activity, practicing reflection symmetry. It’s also known as mirror symmetry because the image is not duplicated but transposed, so the front becomes the back and the back becomes the front of the image.
This post is part of the Science of Symmetry Unit Study with 20+ hands-on activities.
Looking for more LEGO® ideas?
If you are looking for more LEGO® ideas, check out The Unofficial Guide to Learning with LEGO®
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