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    You are here: Home / Learn / Math Activities / 21 Math Art Projects for Kids

     

    21 Math Art Projects for Kids

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    Math art projects are a unique way to combine right and left brain learning. Both my boys enjoy math, but they often balk when I suggest, "let's do an art project!" It's sort of depressing for me, since I'd much rather get out the paints than perform calculations. My solution has been to make math learning creative with math art projects and activities.

    Math art projects and ideas for kids. Over a dozen ideas to inspire creativity.

    I need to get better about taking photos of our math art sessions. Perhaps now that I have a new camera I can get some decent pictures. But I digress. Anyway...  I thought it would be fun to round up some math art ideas that we've tried, plus a few I've found on the internet that are in my virtual "to try" pile.

    The best thing about all of these math art projects is that they will get math kids thinking about art and art kids thinking about math!

    Math Art Projects and Ideas

    Tessellations. We've done this several times, and somehow it never gets boring.

    • See our how to make tessellations post.
    • Three ways to make heart tessellations.
    • Check out this fish tessellation idea at Art Projects for Kids.

    Explore Symmetry.

    • This is great for younger kids. You're probably familiar with the ol' fold the paper in half and smoosh trick. You can make symmetry art free style, like we did.
    • Create gorgeous math art with parabolic curves. My son designed his own eyeball!!
    • Create gorgeous objects like these butterflies from Buggy and Buddy.
    • These symmetry art aliens make me smile.

    Turn number sequences into art.

    • We did this when we turned pi into a cityscape
    • Spirolaterals will help your kids practice their multiplication tables.
    • Create Fibonacci art with circles.
    • This Fibonacci valentine from Math Four could be adapted for any time of the year.

    Use math tools to create art. This is one of my favorite ideas!

    • It can be really simple, like simply giving your kids a ruler, compass and protractor and see what they come up with. If using a compass is tricky, see my tip for drawing with a compass.
    • I love this protractor art project that evokes Frank Stella's artwork.
    • Use a ruler to create sunburst paintings, like these at Art Bar.

    Explore math art with shapes.

    • The boys love to play around with our homemade Montessori triangles. They don't even think about the fact that they are creating artistic designs!
    • Explore Möbius strips.
    • Make your own peek-a-boo shape book - free printable template.
    • Paint a Mondrian window.
    • We also had a great time with these Hexi cards to print out from Picklebums.
    • E is for Explore has a few ways kids can use Kandinsky inspired art to think about about circles and relative size.
    • Make mandalas. like this idea at NurtureStore. I've always wanted to do this.
    • Use a geoboard. We were gifted a cheesy plastic geoboard, but Crayon Box Chronicles has instructions so you can make your own.

    What do your kids prefer, math or art? Do you ever do math art projects with the kids? 

    Need more ideas?

    25 Playful and Creative Math Ideas.

    Math art activity and picture books

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says

      May 13, 2014 at 5:40 pm

      Love these ideas. Actually, I love incorporating art with all subject areas. 🙂

      Reply
    2. Bon Crowder (@mathfour) says

      January 21, 2015 at 10:37 pm

      Thanks for the recommendation! I did love that Fibonacci Valentine craft. And you are so right - you can do it for St. Pat's day with shamrocks, stars on July 4, etc.

      Reply
    3. MelissaS says

      January 23, 2015 at 4:58 pm

      Where are those tiles from in the picture?

      Reply
      • Erica MomandKiddo says

        January 25, 2015 at 7:13 am

        Good question! They are from a Melissa and Doug pattern block toy set.

        Reply
    4. Chris Daley says

      April 29, 2015 at 8:46 pm

      The updated URL for the fish tessellation idea is http://artprojectsforkids.org/fish-tessellation/

      Reply
      • Erica MomandKiddo says

        April 30, 2015 at 5:19 am

        Thank you! I have updated the post.

        Reply
    5. Bohdan Rhodehamel says

      June 23, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      I stumbled across your site when my wife sent me a link to one of your book lists. Your Math Art tag immediately caught my eye.

      You might be interested in our website, informalmathematics.org. Have a look, and keep an eye out as we slowly build up our content. In particular, check out the post on anamorphosis. Your sons will dig the projective geometry and you'll be happy to see them immersed in creating art.

      Cheers,

      Bohdan

      Reply
    6. Kathy says

      August 04, 2015 at 11:46 am

      I love your math ideas. I teach geometry and I am always trying to find unique things to show my students to capture their interest. Hopefully they will learn to love math!

      Reply
      • Erica MomandKiddo says

        August 05, 2015 at 8:32 am

        Thanks so much, Kathy. Math art is definitely my favorite aspect of math!

        Reply
      • Michelle says

        November 08, 2016 at 6:27 pm

        math is my favorite subject to!!!!!!!

        Reply
    7. nicole says

      August 25, 2015 at 12:32 am

      I'm very excited to have found your website. I think doing some math art will encourage my art-resistant 7 year old boy while illustrating various math concepts. What 'math art' books are your go-to titles?

      Reply
      • Erica MomandKiddo says

        August 25, 2015 at 8:18 am

        Hi Nicole. I love the book "Growing Patterns" by Sarah Campbell, for inspiration in nature, and for projects I am currently loving Hands On Math Projects by Andrew King, and MathART Projects by Carolyn Ford Brunetto is another good one.

        Reply
      • Sam Hamil says

        April 17, 2022 at 11:54 pm

        Hi Nicole, here's another great book with lots of math art projects:

        https: //www.mathartprojects.com/

        I especially like the activities about volume, perpendicular/parallel lines, and angles.

        Reply
    8. melvin din says

      August 19, 2016 at 6:41 am

      I have been combining Maths, art and electronics into woodwork projects.
      I strongly believe in integrated hands on project based learning with some room for inquiry.
      These examplars ave given me a food for thought and I am heading back to my wood workshop to innovate old projects with some Fibonacci golden ratios.

      Reply
    9. Gopesh says

      September 17, 2017 at 3:00 pm

      Great Projects.... My small cousin would be very excited. Would be great if u could send me more.

      Reply
    10. Priyank Pandey says

      January 11, 2018 at 7:21 am

      Wow! some great ideas for the kids. Will surely share with my subscribers.

      Reply

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