Fun way to learn symmetry with Duplo

DUPLO for the win!

I mean, why learn shapes and symmetry the boring way when we can make them fun? Especially if your kid is a Duplo lover too!

What do you need for this activity?

Duplo base board
Duplo blocks
A piece of yarn and sticky tape

Secure the yarn at the centre of the Duplo base board with sticky tape. This will be the mirror line. Make half of a shape with blocks and invite your child to complete the shape by making a mirror image with the blocks.

Fun challenges for the older kids

One challenge is to ask your child to predict the shape first before working on the mirror image. The heart shape was an easy one to guess for my 5yo. Square and rectangle were more tricky. Another interesting extension for older children: challenge them to build half a square and invite them to check their answer by building the mirror image. The shape will likely end up to be a rectangle in the first attempt. This is a good opportunity to highlight the property of a square having 4 equal sides and challenge them to correct their original half square again.

Here’s another idea to use this Duplo board for learning symmetry: Make random patterns on one side. Make it more challenging for older kids by 1) stacking the blocks and 2) placing the blocks further away from the mirror line.

For the beginners

If your child is new to symmetry, start with just a few blocks, say 3 to 5 blocks and place them near the mirror line. Check out how Fun Learning for Kids does her Duplo Symmetry with her son here – having the blocks near the mirror line makes it easier for kids to see the ‘mirror image’ of the blocks on the other side.

Learning symmetry can be so much fun… with DUPLO!

You know this learning activity is a success when your kids go further and extend the activity on their own! My son decided to fill in the heart shape AND he made sure the colors were symmetrical too!

He made a face too and yes, it’s a symmetrical one!

When is a good time to introduce symmetry to kids?

My son began truly getting the idea of symmetry when he was around 4yo. He’s 5 now and he is pretty advanced in his symmetry game. But since he started recognizing colors and shapes, I have been talking to him about symmetry everywhere. When we saw a butterfly in the garden, I shared with my son about how the patterns on the left wing is the same as the right wing. I picked up a leaf, folded it in half and showed him how both sides of the leaf perfectly match. We see symmetry everywhere in nature, art, buildings and so on and they are all wonderful opportunities to introduce symmetry to children, especially the toddlers.

Here are more ways to build on your child’s concept of symmetry:

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