What better way to learn to love math that putting together the pieces of your heart with this sweet geometry puzzle! This heart puzzle is also a simple STEAM project that teaches the concepts of math, engineering and art/design. But not only that, it is a boredom buster brain teaser that will make your kids smarter!
My kids love brain teasers and figuring out how to fit triangles together to form a heart shape has just the right amount of challenge for inexperienced puzzle-putter-togethers, while still being a satisfying accomplishment for puzzle masters. Plus, who doesn't love a geometry activity or a math art project?
I like it because it may take a moment to figure out the trick, but once you see the pattern, completing the heart is a breeze.
The puzzle consists of twenty-two equilateral triangles. You can use our printable or, for an extra challenge, older kids can use a protractor to draw their own template.
Heart Geometry Puzzle How-To
What you need:
- Scissors
- Brilliant brain power
- Paper, in any color. Card stock is recommended, but not required.
- Optional: protractor if you are creating your own equilateral triangles. If you don't have a protractor, here are instructions for drawing an equilateral triangle with just a ruler.
- 22 equilateral triangles. If you want our template, enter your email in the box below and we'll send it right over. (This also subscribes you to our newsletter.)
Instructions:
Print out, or draw the triangles.
Cut out the triangles.
Solve the geometry puzzle by arranging the pieces into a heart shape! (see the end of this post for a graph of the solution if you need help.
Tips:
Older kids can do the puzzle side by side and race to see who can finish first.
Alternatively, use a stopwatch to time how fast it takes your kid to complete the geometry puzzle.
Place the pieces in an envelope for a fun valentine. Be sure to write, "Only you can mend my broken heart," or "For the love of geometry put my heart together," on the front!
Can they figure out how to create a mini triangle from six pieces? Or what about a different heart shape? Let them explore with the triangles to see what they can come up with!
Next try the classic T Puzzle, a puzzle that usually takes an adult 30 minutes to solve, but your kids might be faster!
More geometry projects:
- Heart tessellations - three ways!
- Homemade Montessori triangles
- Sierpinski triangle - a holiday fractal art project
- Geometry magic: turn 2 circles into a square
Geometry puzzle solution:
TechyKids Canada says
Puzzle games like these can make math so much fun for kids. It can help them to cement their knowledge and understand various math concepts. Thanks for sharing!