Have you ever caught your child admiring a flower or a leaf for a long while? Or maybe they have a favourite toy that they choose over others because ‘it’s so beautiful’.
Children as young as a couple of years old are drawn to objects because of their particular symmetry, and it is not just about aesthetic beauty. Symmetry creates balance, harmony, and order in design which has a similar impact on the mind.
If your child loves observing the shapes of things and is currently learning about mirror images and symmetry, this week’s Co-Create activity is perfect for them. So get your craft supplies and get ready to play!
Benefits of Symmetry
This Co-Create activity is by Aisha Chandarana, a DIY Blogger and mom to four-year-old Ninaad. You can see her previous activities here.
This activity is called Symmetry. It is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers as it offers them several cognitive and motor benefits. These include:
1. Develops math and pattern skills: Counting the number of grids and replicating the pattern will improve your child’s math skills and pattern recognition ability.
2. Hones spatial reasoning: Creating the same pattern on both sides will hone their understanding of right and left and overall spatial awareness.
3. Improves visual perception: Identifying and differentiating between the colours of the stickers will sharpen their visual perception.
4. Betters hand-eye coordination: Sticking the right dot in the right grid will hone their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
5. Strengthens focus and concentration: Working to complete the whole board will better their ability to focus for longer periods of time.
Creating the Game
Age group:
This activity can be enjoyed by children between 3 to 6 years.
Materials required:
1. A piece of cardboard or a plain A4 sheet
2. A black marker
3. A ruler
4. Dot stickers or coloured markers
How to create the game:
1. Take the piece of cardboard or paper and place it horizontally.
2. Draw a thick line in the center with a marker. This will be your mirror line. Consider the halves on either side to be mirror reflections of each other.
3. Make square grids on both sides using a ruler and a marker.
4. Fill in each grid space on the left using dot stickers or coloured sketch pens. In the picture above, four different colours have been used.
5. You can replicate the pattern from the left onto the first row of the right side. This visual image will help your child understand the game better.
How to play Symmetry
The aim of the game is to replicate the pattern on the left side onto the right. Begin with the top left and top right grid. To match each consecutive square, ask your child to count the grid spaces from the left, then from the right, and stick the same coloured sticker at the symmetrical position.
You can start with two or three colours and simple patterns. As your child gets comfortable with creating mirror images, increase the number of colours and create more complex patterns.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this activity. If you would like to share your experience playing with this board, tag us at #CoCreatewithshumee. Take care and stay safe!
Aisha Chandarana creates DIY activities with cardboard and nature elements, providing amazing play experiences for children. You can follow her @toontots on Instagram.