Tangrams are a fun puzzle activity that’s perfect for STEAM classrooms, road trip busy bags, and educational playtime anywhere. Use the shapes to create a dog, a turtle, and other creations on the challenge cards. This set includes 4 printable tangrams and 8 challenge cards.
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Tangrams are a simple 7-piece puzzle that fits together as a square. The individual pieces can be put together in an infinite number of combinations to make other shapes. They make a good activity for kids who need to be busy or just enjoy a good brain challenge. Tangrams are fun because while there are plenty of difficult puzzles for older kids to make with these, but even preschoolers will enjoy the simplest ones.
My son has a set of metal tangrams. I’ve also seen them made from plastic or wood.
Because they are such a fun activity for kids of all ages, I decided to make a printable tangrams set and a few challenge cards.
Tangrams and challenge cards
This printable is three 8.5×11-inch pages. The first page is the tangrams. I fit four sets on a single page. Although the original game uses just one set, you can combine sets and get creative when you have more shapes to use.
The next two pages are challenge cards. There are four pictures on each page, and each one requires only a single set of tangrams. They’re simple enough for young kids to be able to do them, but my 9-year-old also likes to play with them.
If you’re looking for something a little more challenging, be sure to check out my tangrams mandala puzzles too. They include 4 different symmetrical spiraled patterns to build.
Printable tangrams
If you want to save this printable for later, please pin an image from this blog post instead of saving the direct link to the PDF. It helps my site earn revenue from ads and ensures you won’t get an error if I update the printable!
I recommend printing these on cardstock. You could also print them on heavier cover stock paper or something else more durable, but I haven’t tried it. If you’re giving them to a young child, it might be worthwhile to laminate every piece to make them more durable.
On the tangrams page, cut out each of the four squares and then cut each one into the smaller shapes. Cut the challenge cards into four along the dotted lines.
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Crochet Hooks says
21 July, 2016 at 6:59 pmthis is pretty cool! I love the different images and the fact all you need is paper and you have quiet time fun 🙂
Sew Crafty Crochet says
21 July, 2016 at 8:26 pmTangrams are so much fun! Great gift idea!
Mary-The Boondocks Blog says
22 July, 2016 at 3:51 amA super gift idea. Sometimes the fun this are also very simple.
Keri says
22 July, 2016 at 10:58 amThanks, Mary! Sometimes I think kids spend so much time with electronics that everything else becomes a novelty.
David Benson says
15 May, 2017 at 10:18 amWe plan to print them out, and then laminate.
And use them in the STEM classes at the pre-school.
Keri says
17 May, 2017 at 9:52 amThat sounds great! I hope the kids enjoy the tangrams.
pam says
24 July, 2017 at 4:59 pmthank you for the tangrams – we used to do them in homeschool with my son – now I can use these with his son – thank you!
Keri says
25 July, 2017 at 8:01 amYou’re welcome! I’ve heard a lot of homeschoolers are using them.
Sarah says
17 December, 2017 at 8:44 amThank you so much! I made tangrams for my students and will include your challenge cards. I love these things. So glad others find them gift-worthy.
June “Shelly” Anguiano says
1 February, 2018 at 8:56 amThese are great! I printed the various shape challenge card combinations in B&W to make it an extra level of challenge and in color for the kids to check their accuracy. SO great! Thank you for this.
Keri says
1 February, 2018 at 9:33 amThat’s a great idea! I think I’m going to reprint mine in black and white to up the challenge for my kids now that they’ve done them in color so often.
Faith says
10 March, 2018 at 7:27 amThanks for the free printable, I do OT with the elderly & this will be perfect for them.
Keri says
10 March, 2018 at 9:53 amThat’s wonderful!
Juan Garcia says
10 November, 2018 at 11:46 pmI am a Tangram Master I think that is a great idea what your doing
Keri says
12 November, 2018 at 7:39 amThanks, Juan! I think tangrams are a great challenge for every age! You might want to check out my tangrams mandalas: http://onemamasdailydrama.com/printable-tangrams-mandala-puzzle-pages