symmetry maths activity

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Symmetry Activities Line Symmetry Harder

Welcome to the Math Salamanders Symmetry Activity page. Here you will find a range of free printable symmetry worksheets, which will help your child to practice their reflecting and flipping skills.

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Symmetry Help

The Math Salamanders have a large bank of free printable symmetry worksheets. Each symmetry sheet comes complete with answers for support.

Handy Hints

Each point or block that has been reflected must remain the same distance from the mirror line as the original point. So if point A is 3 squares away from the mirror line, then the reflection of point A must also be 3 squares away.

When reflecting a shape, look at the corners of the shape and reflect each corner first as a dot in the mirror line. The dots can then be joined up (in the correct order!)

For lines of symmetry at angles of 45°, it is often better to rotate your paper so that the line of symmetry is vertical or horizontal, and the rest of the paper is at an angle.

The basis and understanding of symmetry starts at about Grade 2, and then develops further in Grades 3,4 and 5.

Symmetry Activities

On this webpage you will find our range of symmetry activity sheets for kids.

The sheets have been graded with the easier sheets coming first. The first set of worksheets involve only horizontal and vertical lines only. The next set involve reflecting patterns with two mirror lines.

There are also some templates at the end of this section for you to create your own shapes for your child to reflect, or, even better, for your child to create their own symmetric patterns!

• learn to reflect a more complex shape in a vertical or horizontal mirror line;
• learn to reflect a more complex shape in both a vertical and horizontal mirror line;

Folding and Cutting

• Symmetry Activities Fold it, Cut it, Make it
• Fold it, Cut it, Make it Answers
• PDF version

Reflecting in 1 mirror line

• Symmetry sheet - Rocket
• Rocket Answer Sheet
• Symmetry Sheet Castle
• Castle Answer sheet
• Symmetry worksheet Butterfly
• Butterfly Answer sheet
• Symmetry Worksheet Balloon 1
• Balloon Answer sheet
• Symmetry Worksheet Balloon 2
• Balloon 2 Answers
• Line Symmetry Building 1
• Line Symmetry Building 2
• Line Symmetry Building 3

Reflecting in 2 mirror lines

• Symmetry sheet Cracker
• Cracker Answer sheet
• Symmetry sheet Flower
• Flower Answer sheet
• Symmetry worksheets Bird
• Bird Answer sheet

Line Symmetry templates

• Line Symmetry Template 1
• Line Symmetry Template 2
• Line Symmetry Template 3
• Line Symmetry Template 4
• Line Symmetry Template 5
• Line Symmetry Template 6

Looking for something easier?

Here you will find a range of line symmetry sheets with one or two mirror lines.

The sheets in this section are similar to those on this page, but are less complicated and at an easier level.

• Symmetry Worksheets - Line Symmetry

More Recommended Math Worksheets

Take a look at some more of our worksheets similar to these.

Block Symmetry Worksheets

Here you will find a range of symmetry worksheets reflecting blocks instead of lines.

These sheets are at a much easier level than the ones on this page.

• Symmetry Worksheets - Block Symmetry

Coordinate Sheets

Here is our collection of printable coordinate plane grids and coordinate worksheets.

Using these fun coordinate sheets is a great way to learn math in an enjoyable way.

Using these sheets will help your child to:

• plot and write coordinates.
• Coordinate Plane Grid templates
• Coordinate Worksheets (1st Quadrant)
• Coordinate Plane Worksheets (All 4 Quadrants)

Geometry Riddles

Here you will find our free printable geometry riddles from 1st to 5th grade.

These riddles are all about problem solving with 2d shapes.

Using these riddles will help your child to:

• develop their geometry skills;
• develop their understanding of geometric language;
• apply their geometric knowledge to solve problems.

All the geometry riddles in this section support elementary math benchmarks.

• Geometry Worksheets (Riddles)

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Symmetry Activities For Preschoolers To Build Maths Skills

What Is Symmetry?

Why is it important to learn symmetry for kids, how can you teach symmetry to your child, examples of symmetry for children, activities that will help your child to learn symmetry.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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Symmetry Activities

Teaching Symmetry: Activities to teach symmetry with 2-D shapes.

Share this post, table of contents, symmetry on the national curriculum:.

On the national curriculum, symmetry makes its appearance in year two, and it is practised throughout a student’s education.

The learning outcome for students is that:

• Students should be able to identify lines of symmetry in 2-D shapes and identify the properties of each shape including the number of sides and faces.
• Students should also draw lines and shapes using a straight edge and be able to read and write names for shapes that are appropriate for their word reading and spelling.

The Line of Symmetry:

What is it.

The line where the shape is cut exactly in half. This means that if you were to cut the shape in half (using your line of symmetry) both halves would be equal. If you were then to place them back together, the shape would still be the same.

Why do we use it?

The line of symmetry is a fundamental part of geometry, the world, and shapes. As mentioned above, a line of symmetry aids with measuring in equal parts, but it also helps us identify how to rotate, translate, and reflect other shapes.

Symmetry is in nature, but many people often do not recognise it, examples of symmetry in the world would be butterflies, flowers, feathers, some insects, animals, buildings.

The 2-D Shapes: Identifying the line of and their sides.

In maths, especially geometry, a 2-D shapes stands for a two-dimensional shape. These shapes are flat, and only have two dimensions: length and width. 2-D shapes do not have any thickness and usually only have two faces. 

The Shapes:

The 2-D shapes below are what students are expected to learn thoughout thir education. Three dimmesnional (3-D) shapes are also approached in KS1 and KS2. 

Rectangles have only two lines of symmetry. But four sides.

There are four lines of symmetry in a square. There are also four corners.

Octagons have eight lines of symmetry and eight sides.

An equilateral (equal on both sides) triangle has three lines of symmetry and three sides.

Regular hexagons have six lines of symmetry and six sides.

A regular pentagon has five lines of symmetry and five sides too!

A circle can have as many lines of symmetry as you want – this is due to having no corners. However, a semi-circle has one line.

Activities for your classroom.

Understanding symmetry can sometimes be a challenge for those students who are not “visual learners”. To help, Emile has come up with seven activities that might be useful for your classroom.

This one can help make class more fun. Ask your students to write their names on paper along with a line of symmetry wherever they want – have them come up with funky shapes to decorate your classroom or assembly hall. To challenge those working at GD, ask them to have their line of symmetry across their name and at an angle.

Draw the Image

On your IWB using whatever graphics program you have available, draw a line of symmetry and a shape. Challenge your class to copy what you have drawn and draw what the shape would look like if the symmetry line were to cut the shape. 

Are they still equal?

Paper Planes

One of the classic symmetric activities is using paper planes.

There are lots of instructions online showing different ways of folding paper planes, and almost all of them need to use the knowledge of symmetry. Try to organize a competition within your class to see who can fold the best paper plane that flies the furthest.

Paper dolls.

Prepare some papers, fold them in half and ask your pupils to draw “half of a person” with the middle of the person meeting the fold.

Ask your pupils to cut out the people with scissors, unfold the paper and colour them. Let pupils vote for the one that looks the best. These when painted can make great classroom displays hung on washing lines or directly with blue-tack.

If you want to extend the activity, you can fold the papers in a curtain effect several times and have the dolls holding hands, to produce the classic paper doll look.

Prepare some images of national flags of different countries and ask pupils to identify the ones that have lines of symmetry.

Apps like  Geometry with Emile  can help your pupils answer hundreds of questions on symmetry without any marking. Challenge another class and see whose students work the hardest, make the most progress or are the best at geometry.

We have prepared some free printable worksheets for your classroom, you simply just have to download them below.

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Symmetry Activities For Kids – 10 Hands-On Ideas With Pics

The concept of symmetry is something that young children can begin to explore through practical activities, even before they can really put into words what it is. It is definitely better to start with experimentation with objects, rather than give them symmetry worksheets, printables or folding pictures.

What are the best symmetry activities for kids? Some excellent ideas to get children started with symmetry are:

• Making Loose Parts Faces
• Making Models
• Using Geoboards
• Mirror Books
• Making Loose Parts Butterflies
• ‘Seeing Symmetry’ Book
• Drawing Or Model Making Next To A Mirror
• Using Loose Parts Next To A Stick
• Building Half A Person Outside
• Paint Printing Using Objects

Read on to find a detailed illustrated description of these activities that will help you introduce and teach symmetry to young children in the most engaging and child-friendly way.

1. Making Loose Parts Faces

Babies and toddlers begin to understand symmetry by looking at faces. A face is usually a reasonably symmetrical thing, and we come to ‘know’ this even though children couldn’t put it into words often.

Creating your own faces is a great way of exploring symmetry in a context that they understand.

My favorite way of creating loose parts faces is to use a picture frame. This gives the children a base and structure to work inside.

To go with it, I would set up a ‘tinker tray.’ I usually use something like a baking tray with different sections.

Then simply fill the sections with assorted loose parts. Some good examples could be things like corks, bottle tops, feathers, pompoms, wood slices, leaves, bolts, and pebbles. Just whatever you have to hand or is readily accessible. If you’d like to find out the full guide on what kind of materials to use for loose parts play, then check out this guide of at least 100 ideas.

It is also nice to use something for the base of the face. In the past, I have used a silver cake base. Or play dough . Just something to give them a face outline.

To create the faces just get the children to use the loose parts and make a character. The symmetry will often happen automatically when it is a face as it is an in-built understanding. If it doesn’t, however, you can talk about how to make them look the same on one side as the other – like our faces!

It is great if they give them a character name! A funny voice or back-story really helps as well.

You can make goodies, baddies, family members, characters from stories – just whatever they like.

Table of Contents

2. Using Geoboards

Geoboards are fantastic for all sorts of learning in the early years, including teaching symmetry.

You can buy geoboards, or you can easily make them yourself using pieces of wood with screws inserted into them. I like to use colored rubber bands on geoboards, but you can also use things like hair bobbles or loom-bands.

They are brilliant for fine motor , and you can also explore a range of art and math skills.

To use them to explain symmetry, you pick a line of screws near the middle of the board. It may be a good idea to put a piece of string down that line, so the children know that is the middle.

Then you build some shapes on one side of the line. For example, using the rubber bands you can make a square and a triangle. The idea is then to try and copy the exact same shapes on the other side of the line.

The easier way to do it is to create the shapes right next to the line, and then the copied shapes will be touching them on the other side.

The harder way is to create shapes further away from the line.

Don’t get stressed if they don’t do it exactly right! This activity is harder than most of the other symmetry activities in this article. However, children really like fiddling with geoboards, and this just gets them started with an understanding of what symmetry is.

This is just one of many geoboard activities you can try. Take a look my in-depth guide of 16 geoboard games you can play.

3. Making Models

This is another really natural and simple activity, that children often bring an element of symmetry into already without any adult intervention.

Making models is fantastic fun, and you can use so many different materials and create so many different themes.

Using play dough is a good way to do this, and the tinker trays that we used for the portraits.

You simply make a model, and whatever you put on one side you put on the other as well.

Good examples are things like aliens. So many children love space, and aliens are so fantastic for counting and early math skills.

Build different numbers of antennas, legs, heads, arms, and the like – and just copy them on the other side.

Other great models for teaching symmetry are things like vehicles, insects, characters, buildings, and animals.

4. Mirror Books

These are one of my ultimate favorite resources!

To make a mirror-book you simply need two thin mirrors that you tape together so that they form a right-angle.

These are a brilliant resource to create curiosity, and that element of awe and wonder.

They can be placed anywhere throughout the setting – on a secluded shelf, in a little nook, or on a table-top. Again, they are great when used with tinker trays.

The idea is that children place loose parts in whatever array or pictures they like in front of the mirror book. The mirror book creates a spectacular visual mandala , with multiple lines of symmetry. It is a great exploration of how symmetry works, and great for communication, and getting children excited and talking.

This is really sowing the seeds of an understanding in the children’s minds through exploration.

5. Making Loose Parts Butterflies

Butterflies are one of the great staples of teaching symmetry. Children just ‘get’ the idea that one wing looks the same as the other.

There are many ways of creating butterflies – paint printing being one of the favorites.

Another great idea is using loose parts. Have a big outline of a butterfly drawn out. It can be drawn on big paper, or I like to use the big black chalkboard boards that I have created, with a chalk outline drawn on.

Have a central line down the butterfly, or draw a body (whichever you prefer).

Using a tinker tray of loose parts you simply create a spectacular pattern on one side. Then either another child tries to copy it on the other side, or you just try to copy it yourself.

It is easier to do one element at a time than try to copy it. However, just let the children go for it! Problem-solving and working things out for themselves is a crucial function of these types of provocations.

You could do a huge one on the floor, with many children working together.

Alternatively, little tiny ones are a good introduction, that only allows for a few loose parts.

These provocations are excellent for counting and simple math problem-solving.

To find out a list of the 40 ultimate loose parts activities (of which is one) then check this article out.

6. Seeing Symmetry Book

There are several picture books that I have seen that deal with the concept of symmetry, but this one is certainly my favorite.

It is called Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy.

It is less of a story, but more a visual demonstration of what symmetry is.

There are many stunning symmetrical pictures, such as the owl on the opening title page. The owl is copied symmetrically across two pages, and so is all the writing and headings, which are written normally on the left, and in reverse on the right.

This book explores what symmetry is, and also shows many examples of where we find it in our environment.

There are pictures of animals, buildings, and elements of nature.

The book really hammers home the message, and is a good way of brining the concept of symmetry into words.

The book is also an excellent starting point for some of the other symmetrical activities outlined here.

7. Drawing Or Model Making Next To A Mirror

This one is very simple to set up, and great for children to just get started with exploring the concept of symmetry.

A simple way of doing it is to attach a mirror to the side of a box.

Then the children can explore building, making or drawing things next to the box. It is a great way to symmetry taking place spontaneously.

The next step is to create half of something, and let the mirror complete whatever you have done by creating the other half.

A simple example would be to create half a face. Look in the mirror, and you’ve got a whole face. Half a butterfly would be a good introduction. You could draw it or use loose parts.

Just have an experiment and see what they come up with!

8. Using Loose Parts Next To A Stick

This is a great provocation to try after you have already had a go of something the Mirror on the Box Activity (Number 7). When children have seen that you can make half of something that will be completed in the mirror, they can then have a try of making half of something on one side, and then completing the other half themselves.

Get a long straight stick and lay it down vertically. This is the central line of symmetry.

Then you create something on one side of the stick. Use loose parts from a tinker tray again.

You could build half of a face, or half of a building or vehicle.

It could be abstract as well – a pattern, or an array of loose parts.

Then attempt to recreate the same pattern or half-picture on the other side of the stick.

This provocation can be done in pairs. One child can be creating on one side the stick, and the other trying to copy. This generates a lot of talk and cooperation. Loose parts play like this has a huge number of benefits. To read the most important 14 benefits of loose parts play then check out this article.

If you do a giant version of this provocation, then lots of children can work on it at the same time.  

9. Building Half A Giant Outside

This is a great provocation for using outdoors with natural loose parts – things like sticks, leaves, conkers, reels, and building blocks. Just whatever you can find in the outdoor space. To find out many more outdoor loose parts activities then take a look at this.

There is a simple way to do it, and a trickier way.

The simple way is for the adult to draw the silhouette of a huge giant on the floor with chalk. Draw a central line down the center of the body, from the top of the head down to the feet.

Now children ‘build’ the giant. Whatever they place on one side – for example, 4 conkers for hair – they try to copy on the other side.

There are harder ways of trying this game out. One harder variation is just draw a central line on the floor with chalk and nothing else. Then, once again, they try to build the giant on one side, and copy it on the other. This will create a  much more random creation, and really get them thinking.

10. Paint Printing Using Objects

This is a beautiful old classic idea, and definitely one of the simplest and best ways of exploring symmetry.

Have large pieces of paper that are folded in half. The idea is that you only paint on one side of the paper.

You can use different loose parts dipped in paint to create patterns and textures. Then you fold over the paper, and the image prints symmetrically on the other side.

Once again, the next step is to try to paint or print half of something on one side of the paper. It could be half a face, or the classic – half a butterfly!

Then fold it over, and hey presto! You have a spectacular symmetrical image.

Symmetry is a concept that even very young children can explore. It is easier just to experience it in a range of engaging ways before you ever need to talk about it in detail.

By taking part in a range of symmetrical provocations, children develop a core understanding of what it is, and they can build on this understanding in the future.

Good luck with these symmetry ideas, and if you try any of them out why not share this post and leave a comment below!

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Activity: Symmetry of Shapes

Folding test.

You can find if a shape has a Line of Symmetry by folding it .

When the folded part sits perfectly on top (all edges matching), then the fold line is a Line of Symmetry .

Here I have folded a rectangle one way, and it didn't work .

But when I try it this way, it does work (the folded part sits perfectly on top, all edges matching):

Let us try the Octagon (the 8-sided shape)

Is this a Line of Symmetry?

Let's try folding it:

Yes! When folded over, the edges match perfectly

So let us draw it on:

I found another way too::

So let us draw it on, too:

In fact I found 8 Lines of Symmetry :

Can you find any Lines of Symmetry in that triangle? I couldn't.

But how about other types of triangle?

Now it is your turn ... pick a shape and find its Lines of Symmetry.

In fact, try them all! See what you discover.