How to Make Tessellation Art with Kids: A Step-by-Step Guide + Free Printables
Learn how to make tessellation art with kids using this simple step-by-step guide. Includes fun tips, math connections, and free printables!
Last month, I organized a “Family STEAM Night” for our local elementary school. It’s an open house-style event that I’ve helped with for the last several years where families come and participate in various stations with science experiments, STEM challenges, and make-and-take crafts. It’s a TON of work, but it’s so satisfying to see the families of our community come together and get invovled in hands-on learning with their kids. I love the hubbub!
One of the activities we did this year was TESSELATIONS!
When I brought up the idea to our committee, I was surprised by how many people were unfamiliar with this art + math mashup! So, I decided that we not only definitely needed to use it for STEAM Night, but I also wanted to add it to the resources here on The Many Little Joys.
So, whether you’re a teacher, a homeschooler, a PTA member planning your own STEAM Night, or just a mom who needs an idea for a rainy afternoon, may I present to you…
How to Make Tessellations for Kids
A Step-By-Step Guide
What Is a Tessellation?
A tessellation is a pattern made of shapes that fit together perfectly with no gaps and no overlaps and that repeats over and over, like a tile floor. In fact, the name tessellation comes from the Latin tessella, which refers to the tiles used for mosaics. Cool!
What We’re Learning
One of the reasons tessellations are so great is beacause they connect art and math in a fun, creative way. Kids get to draw, cut, design, and color… all while learning about patterns and transformations. Here are just a few of the things kids are learning in this activity:
- Geometry and shapes
- Spatial reasoning (how pieces fit together) and transformations
- Problem-solving and persistence
- Creative expression
- Attention to detail and fine motor skills
Get Inspired
Before you jump into creating your own tesselations, it might be helpful to show kids some examples. One of my favorite artists to use with this project is M.C. Escher, master of tesselations and optical illusions.
Materials Needed
- 3×5 index card (or cardstock)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Tape
- Blank paper
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Get Your Free Printable Resources
I created a few printable resources to help the families at our event understand how to create tesselations quickly and easily. If you’d like them to use with your own family or students, you can download them below:
Instructions
- Grab your card.
- Draw a shape on one side. Draw a wavy or zig-zag line along the top edge of your card.
- Cut, slide, and tape. Cut along the line you drew, and slide the cut piece to the bottom edge of the paper. Match up the edges and tape it in place. You just used a translation!
- Finish your design. If you want, you can continue drawing, cutting, and tranforming your paper until you have a shape you like. Learn more about transformations on the printable handout below.
- Trace your shape. Once you’re satisfied with your shape, place it on a piece of paper and trace around it. Move it over and trace again. Keep tracing so the shapes fit together with no gaps and no overlaps.
- Add color and designs. Now’s the extra fun part! Turn your shapes into animals, patterns, or cool designs. Color them however you like. Encourage kids to look at their shapes from different angles. Sometimes a simple rotation can spark a whole new idea!
How to Introduce Transformations (Without Making It Complicated)
There are three basic types of transformations that are commonly used with tesselations. You can teach them quickly and easily. Here’s how…
As kids work, casually point out what they’re doing:
- “You slid your shape—that’s called a translation.”
- “What happens if you turn it this way? That’s rotation.”
- “What if we flip it like a mirror? Now you’ve done a reflection!”
Keep it casual and fun. Let kids explore and take the lead in this project, even if it doesn’t turn out Pinterest-perfect. Give kids ownership!
Want to take it a step further?
- Create a color pattern (ABAB, rainbow, etc.) to add visual interest to your pattern.
- Turn designs into a greeting card or wall art. Show off those art skills!
- After they get down how to create basic tesselations, challenge kids to use more than one transformation for a more advanced tessellation.
- Connect it to real-world art (like patterns in tile floors or fabrics)
I had so much fun making tesselations with my kids, and with the hundreds that came to our elementary school STEAM Night. We made fish, cats, hearts, beehives, birds, and more!
What will you create?
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Want more fun learning activities for kids? Try these!
- How to make a human sundial + more fun shadow activities
- Dinosaur Footprints: Preschool Measuring Activity
- Seed Exploration for Kids: A Simple Spring Science Activity
- How to Make a Board Game: Fun Learning Activity for Kids
