Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Tangram Puzzles
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Tangram Puzzles is a free printable shape puzzle sheet for children, recommended for ages 5 and up. It explores the magic that can be made from a simple square. Children look at shapes, test ideas and see how a few simple pieces can become many different things.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child. Page 2 is for the adult, with notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
What is on the sheet
Tangram Puzzles invite children to explore how shapes made from a square can come together to make something new. Children use shape and space thinking to work out what fits where. They try an idea, turn a shape, test it and try again. There is no single right way to begin, so children can experiment freely. The puzzles also work well for talking aloud, because children can explain why a shape fits or does not.
What is a tangram?
A tangram is a traditional puzzle that began in China. A square is divided into seven flat shapes: five triangles of three different sizes, one square and one parallelogram. The pieces are called tans. Moved around, the same seven shapes can make people, animals, buildings and many other pictures.
The usual rule is simple. Use every piece, lay them flat and do not let them overlap. That rule is what makes tangrams good thinking practice. Children cannot just add more shapes. They must work out how the pieces they already have can fit together, and that builds patience and flexible thinking.
Tangram facts for children
- A tangram is a puzzle that comes from China.
- A traditional tangram starts as one square that is split into seven shapes.
- The seven shapes are called tans.
- The same seven shapes can make lots of different pictures.
- In a traditional tangram, you use all the pieces and none of them overlap.
Skills and curriculum link
- Shape recognition
- Spatial reasoning
- Problem solving
- Turning and flipping shapes
- Perseverance
- Describing with maths words
Ideas for the helping adult
- Let them explore firstBefore any puzzle is solved, let your child look and play. Ask what shapes they can see. Noticing is the first step to solving.
- Talk about turningA shape can look different when it is turned or flipped, but it is still the same shape. Say this out loud as your child tries pieces in new positions.
- Praise the tryingA puzzle that does not work yet is useful. Say, "That did not fit, so what could we change?" Mistakes show children what to try next.
- Use shape wordsName triangles, squares and corners as you go. Hearing the words in context helps younger children remember them.
Key words
- TangramA puzzle made by cutting a square into seven shapes that can be rearranged into pictures.
- TriangleA flat shape with three straight sides and three corners.
- SquareA flat shape with four straight sides of equal length and four square corners.
- ParallelogramA flat shape with four straight sides, where opposite sides are the same length and run in the same direction.
- RotateTo turn a shape around without flipping it over.
- OverlapWhen one shape sits on top of another. In a tangram the pieces should not overlap.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes for you, help ideas and a stretch idea.
- Look at page 1 together before starting. Ask, "What shapes can you see? What do you notice?"
- Let your child have a go in their own way. Talk about what they try, and let them change their mind.
- If they get stuck, offer one small hint rather than the whole answer. Use the help ideas on page 2.
- Come back to the sheet another day. Puzzles often feel easier the second time, and that is a good sign of learning.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start small. Ask your child to find just one shape that looks right and place it first. Then build from there, one piece at a time. Suggest turning a piece a quarter turn if it will not fit. Take a break and look again.
To stretch confident children
Invent your own puzzle. Make a picture from shapes, then ask someone else to work out how it was made. Or try to make the same picture in two different ways. Talk about which shapes you swapped.
Make it a game
Play tangram swap. One player makes a simple picture from shapes and the other watches for ten seconds. Then the picture is hidden and the second player tries to rebuild it from memory. Swap roles and compare.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child keeps forcing a shape into a space where it does not fit.
Try thisAsk them to turn it, flip it or try a different shape. Say that puzzle makers try many ideas before one works.
Watch forA child gives up quickly because the puzzle looks too hard.
Try thisCover most of the puzzle and work on one small part. Finishing one small part builds confidence to go on.
Watch forA child thinks a shape is different because it has been turned.
Try thisTurn a piece of paper in front of them. Show that it is still the same shape, just facing another way.
Talk about it
- Which shape did you try first, and why?
- Can you describe this shape without naming it?
- What happens when you turn this piece around?
- Which part was the trickiest, and what helped?
- Can you see a big shape hiding inside a picture?
- What would you change if you did it again?
Take it off the page
Fold a paper square
Fold a square of paper corner to corner. Open it and talk about the two triangles you have made. Fold the other way and see what you find.
Shape hunt
Walk around the house or garden and spot squares, triangles and other shapes. Ask your child to say how they know which is which.
Build a picture with blocks
Use building blocks or flat shapes to make a picture of an animal or a house. Ask a family member to guess what it is.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child at the start, then let them lead. Keep it relaxed. Ask them to describe what they are trying, and offer a small hint only when they are stuck.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a quiet activity or a talk task linked to the geometry strands of the National Curriculum for England, such as recognising and describing shapes and thinking about position and direction. Pair children so they must explain their choices.
Home educators
It suits a calm moment in a home education day, and it combines well with art or a topic on China. Let children try it more than once and notice how their approach changes.
Where tangram skills lead
Before tangrams, children learn to recognise and name common flat shapes, and to sort them by features such as sides and corners. Play with blocks, jigsaws and pattern shapes builds the same spatial thinking.
After tangrams, children can move on to describing shapes in more detail, working with symmetry, turns and positions, and later to area and angles. The habit of testing ideas and adjusting them carries over to other kinds of problem solving in maths.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Is this sheet free to print?
Yes. Tangram Puzzles is a free printable from the Mini Minds Hub by Jaques of London. Print both pages at home or school. Black and white printing is fine.
- What age is it for?
It is recommended for ages 5 and up. Younger children may need an adult beside them, while older children can work alone and try the stretch idea on page 2.
- How long does it take?
It depends on the child. There is no set time, so let your child work at their own pace. They can stop and come back another day if they need to.
- What is a tangram?
A tangram is a traditional puzzle from China. A square is divided into seven shapes, which can be rearranged to make many different pictures. All seven are used and none overlap.
- What will my child learn?
They practise recognising shapes, thinking about space, turning and flipping pieces in their mind, and solving problems. They also learn to keep trying when the first idea does not work.
- What if my child gets frustrated?
Stop and take a break, then try again. Reduce the task to one small part, or give one small hint. Say that puzzles are meant to be tricky, and that trying is the important part.
- What is on page 2?
Page 2 is for the adult. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea. Keep it back until your child has had a go.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.