Gamification

There is a huge variety of table games in which geometry is used, some of them exist since years ago, but others are more recent, but equally fun.

1^st Tangram

This is a game that has a set of pieces that can be ordered in many ways, following a patron or creating a new one. Depending on the way the figures are placed, they show different objects, animals, etc. Children find this game very interesting because they have to discover the “hidden” figures just with their imagination, logic and visual thinking.

2^nd Tetris

A very popular game that consists on placing the different “falling” figures in the correct order so we can eliminate one or more rows before the amount of figures reaches the top of the screen. This is very interesting for children because they develop the visual thinking, using the time as a challenge for them.

 

3^rd Polydron game

This game has a set of plane figures that can be joined to for 3D figures, depending on the order they are in, new forms will appear. Moreover, it is very interesting for children because they experiment with the different shapes and make relations between plane figures and the ones with volume.

For these games normally it is necessary to have the pieces or the game itself and, though some of them can be made by students, it is difficult and may need a lot of time to do it. To solve this inconvenient here there is an activity that can be made with common materials and in a short time.

Figures with straws

To make this activity it is necessary to have plasticine (to make small balls) and straws or sticks to join the different parts and create the figure. While they are making the figures, children are also seen the different parts of it: vertex (plasticine), side (straw/stick) and the sides that are which is in between the other materials.

There are a lot of funny and different resources to work with geometry, I hope you liked some of them.