Symmetry Activities For Preschoolers To Build Maths Skills (2024)

Symmetry is an important mathematical concept that that children must be aware of. Moreover, symmetry comes into use not just in maths but also in many other fields, such as fashion design, craft, art, and even architecture. Therefore, children must be well-versed in this concept and develop a knack of applying it in real life.

To help you teach your child the concept of symmetry, we have covered all the information and some symmetry activities for kindergarten kids below.

What Is Symmetry?

We can say that something is symmetrical when it is equal or the same on both sides. In simple words, a shape has symmetry if a central dividing line can be drawn on it. This line shows that both sides of the shape are exactly the same or are equally divided.

This means that if we fold a shape along the central dividing line, both halves will align and match exactly. Similarly, if we place a mirror along the line, the shape would remain unchanged.

Why Is It Important To Learn Symmetry For Kids?

Here are some reasons why kids must learn about symmetry.

• It helps children develop pattern skills as they replicate the pattern improving their pattern recognition ability.
• When children create the same pattern on both sides, they hone their understanding of right and left and overall spatial awareness.
• While learning about symmetry, children learn to identify and differentiate between the colours of the stickers, which helps sharpen their visual perception.
• As kids stick or mark the right dot at the right place, they hone their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
• When children sit down and work on completing a task based around symmetry, they hone their ability to focus for longer periods of time. Thus, strengthening their focus and concentration.

How Can You Teach Symmetry To Your Child?

Symmetry is an important part of geometry, and therefore, it is essential that children are introduced to this concept in their early childhood, which will help build strong foundational maths skills.

Symmetry can be quite an abstract concept for a child to grasp. You can begin by explaining the concept with the help of everyday examples and build from there. Teaching symmetry to preschoolers should be about exposing them to the idea of symmetry, showing them it exists and letting them have fun with it while learning. We should not expect them to exactly produce symmetrical pictures or fully understand them. Alternatively, you can also teach them with the help of games and activities we have mentioned below.

Examples Of Symmetry For Children

Let’s take a look at some examples given below to understand how to explain symmetry to kids. These are simple and easy examples that children will be able to grasp.

1. Example 1

Take a look at the image given below:

Explain to your child how the dotted lines divide the number 8 into equal parts.

2. Example 2

Take a look at the image given below:

Explain to your child how the dotted lines, when passed vertically, horizontally and diagonally, can divide the square into equal parts. You can cut a square out and fold it accordingly to demonstrate this.

3. Example 3

Take a look at the image given below:

Explain to your child how the dotted vertical lines passing from the middle divide the butterfly into two equal parts.

Activities That Will Help Your Child To Learn Symmetry

Teaching symmetry to kids is not easy as it seems. Some children just ‘get it’, while others need a little more help understanding the concept. The best way to get kids to understand the concept of symmetry is to get them to practice it in different ways, like fun activities.

Here are a few activities to teach symmetry to get your child to practise the concept.

1. Complete The Drawing

Give your child worksheets like the one given above and ask them to trace the second half of the picture and colour it. Your kid will try and complete the picture along the line of symmetry and will ensure that the image looks symmetrical.

2. Draw The Line Of Symmetry

Give your child a few worksheets with images like a ball, a bottle, a butterfly, etc. Ask your child to draw the line of symmetry for these images to divide them into equal halves.

3. Learning Through a Mirror

Make your child stand in front of the mirror and ask them to draw an imaginary line with their fingers going down the middle of their body. Now, ask them questions like:

• What do you find on both sides of the body?
• Is one of your arms longer than the other?
• Do you have the same number of fingers in each hand?
• Does the top of your body look like the bottom?

4. Find Symmetry In Nature

Go on a walk outside with your child and ask them to search for real-life examples of symmetry. Tell them that they can fold the object in half and see if they are symmetrical. Some of these real-life examples can be leaves, branches, bricks, flowers and others.

5. Butterfly Symmetry Painting

Provide your child with a sheet of paper folded down the centre. Ask your child to paint only one side of the butterfly wings. They can create various patterns using different colours. Then, help them fold the wings together, press gently and see how the paint transfers to the other side of the wings and reproduces the pattern magically. What a great way to physically learn and experience what a mirror reflection is!

6. Paper Folding

Give children cut-outs of different shapes – circles, ovals, rectangles, hearts, diamonds – and ask them to fold and check if they fold perfectly down the middle and if the sides match . This activity will help them develop the ability to find and discover the line down the middle, on their own.

7. Mirror Image

Ask your child to make a few geometrical shapes and cut them out. Ask them to fold the shapes in half and hold them up against a mirror. Show them when the shapes have been folded on a line of symmetry and then placed against the mirror, on that line. The shapes are once again complete!

8. Alphabet Symmetry

Ask your child to write down the letters that can be divided symmetrically. For example, A when the vertical line passes through the middle, B when the horizontal line passes through the middle, D when the horizontal line passes through the middle, and so on.

Symmetry is in almost all things around us. Especially something that involves designs and shapes. Through these above-mentioned activities, we hope to help you and your little one expedite through the world of symmetry and explore everything that is possible in their capabilities.

Also Read:

Teaching the Concept of Print Awareness to Preschoolers
Phonics Activities for Preschoolers to Build Literacy Skills
Observational Drawing for Preschoolers and Children