Tangrams

We love bringing things to life with the power of our imagination and creativity. We often create animals, houses, boats, and birds using paper and simple geometric shapes. Tangram pieces can be used to form a wide variety of shapes. A square can be formed by arranging all seven pieces of a tangram. A tangram is a puzzle created by cutting a square into seven specific geometric shapes.

History of tangrams:

The tangram was invented in China. It uses seven shapes known as tans. More than 6000 shapes can be made using the tangrams. They gained popularity when they were introduced in European countries. Tangrams were made of wood and glass in ancient times. Later, we used paper, and now we can even access these puzzles online, virtually, or digitally. They are available online for everyone to access as tangram games, featuring interactive tangram visuals that let us arrange and organize them however we want. We have even made some magnetic tangrams for children to play with.

Now, let us create a tangram using simple household materials. All we need is:

• Cardboard or thick paper 
   
• Pencil
   
• Ruler 
   
• Scissors 
   
• Colors 
   

To create a tangram easily, we need to follow certain steps. Let us go through each step in detail. 

Step 1: Draw a square with an 8-inch side length using a ruler and pencil. Mark lines for every 2 inches.

Step 2: Divide the square into seven geometric shapes by drawing the necessary lines. 

Step 3: Separate the seven tans by cutting along the marked lines on the cardboard. 

Step 4: Label the tans 1 to 7, and this can be done randomly.  

The tangram is assembled, and you can now color the tans. Usually, tangrams come in four colors: red, blue, green, and yellow. 

Tangrams are used for making birds, houses, animals, and other items. When we create different tangram shapes, keep in mind that:
 

• We must use all 7 tangram pieces or tans.
   
• Every piece of tangram must lay flat on a plane surface. 
   
• Each piece must be in contact with another, but they should not overlap.  
   

Let us see how to create a bird using tangram shapes.
 

• When creating a tangram bird, start with the head. Place the medium-sized triangle to form the head. 
   
• Next, place the largest triangle as the main body part and the other largest triangle as the wing. 
   
• Place one small triangle at the lower body, and the other should properly align with the large triangle to extend the wing. 
   
• The square is positioned near the small triangle supporting the body part, and a parallelogram is used to form the tail of the bird. 

Similarly, we can create many other shapes by arranging them in specific ways. Let us learn how to make different tangrams using the seven shapes. For that, let us arrange and name the shapes as shown in the image below. 

Now, we can create a dog using the tans. Arrange the numbered pieces as shown in the image below.

Tangram house

Let us now build a tangram house. Arrange the numbered tans as shown in the image below. 

Tangram shapes

We can also make different shapes for day-to-day use. For example, we can make the tangram number 1 by arranging the tans as shown in the image below.

We can also make a lotus from the numbered tans by arranging them as shown in the image below.

Like building blocks, tangrams help children develop their problem-solving, logical thinking, perceptual reasoning, visual–spatial, and creativity skills, as well as many mathematical concepts such as congruence, symmetry, area, geometry, and perimeter. They also support children in learning geometric shapes, which will improve their performance on basic arithmetic tests. With a tangram set, kids can explore and create more than 6000 different shapes and figures.

Tangrams are a powerful tool for learning spatial reasoning, geometry, and creativity. Here are some tips and tricks to help you master the concept of tangrams. 
 

• Parents should let their children explore freely with the tans. Let them touch and move the seven pieces to create whatever shapes they want. Let them learn the combinations on their own. Please do not ask them to make shapes in the beginning. 
   
• Teachers should help the children identify each tan. Talk with children about the shapes, sides, and angles. It develops their basic geometric vocabulary. 
   
• Parents and teachers can encourage their children to look for straight edges and match large pieces to large outline areas, and small triangles for narrow corners. This would help them in developing their logical placement strategies. 
   
• Students should focus on creating their own patterns and on rebuilding them. Trace around the tans by placing them on paper. 
   
• Learners can make use of some Tangram apps for extra practice. They offer instant feedback, progressive puzzles, and interactive tangrams.
   
• Create a new design for a day. Learners should practice it daily. Pick a shape to create or solve a new design.

Tangrams are an essential tool for enhancing problem-solving skills and creativity. They are not just fun puzzles; they also have countless applications in various fields. 

• Students who focus on mathematics, geometry, symmetry, and spatial reasoning can use tangrams. They enhance their understanding of various mathematical aspects such as area, perimeter, and angles. 

• Tangrams enhance students' logical thinking and critical analysis skills by challenging them to strategically arrange shapes to form a specific figure.  

• In psychology and therapy, medical professionals use tangrams as a recovery method to help patients coordinate their physical activities and engage in stress relief activities. 

• Tangrams help strengthen memory, improve cognitive abilities, and enhance concentration in students. Teachers and parents use them to improve the reasoning skills of their children.