Magna-Tects at HelloBee love playing with pretend ice cream! They made a 3-D ice cream cone and used their play kitchen as an ice cream stand.
They also made a 1-D, flat ice cream cone and traced it on a sheet of paper! Fun!
Author Archives: Valtech Magna-Tiles
Magna-Tiles + LED Light Strip
A Magna-Tect built a Magna-Tiles Tower and strung up LED lights inside!
In the video below, he shows how the appearance of the Magna-Tiles Tower changes as he changes the COLORS of the LED light strip. He says, “I’m not really sure if this video will show how cool this is in person… but in person, it is really cool!”
We agree!
Try this at home or in the classroom! It is fun to see how the appearance of the Magna-Tiles change when we add LIGHT! Please feel free to share your Magna-Tiles Creations with us on Instagram/Twitter by using #magnatiles or posting to our Facebook Page. Thank you Magna-Tects!
There are many ways to explore light with Magna-Tiles Clear Colors! Please click here for more ideas and activities
Pentagon-Shaped Iyokan Citrus Fruits
Farmers in Japan created pentagon-shaped fruit!
The iyokan citrus fruits or “Gokaku no Iyokan” were handed out as a good luck charm for students in the upcoming entrance exams season in Yawatahama, Ehime.
Cool! Count the sides of the cross-sectional view!
We can find cool shapes and colors all around us!
Look how the fruits are inside a pentagon-shaped frame!
Source: DailyMail.co.uk
Magna-Tects Ben and Wil: Magna-Tiles Light Shade
We would like to share with you a very cool father and son Magna-Tiles project! To pay homage to their family’s favorite toy, Magna-Tects Ben and Wil wanted to build a ceiling light shade out of Magna-Tiles. Ben is very knowledgeable about electrical engineering and has made many lights over the years so it was a very carefully planned and safe Magna-Tiles creation.
Excited about the idea and planning of the design!
Together, they agreed on a star pattern built around an octagonal semi-sphere. The project began with planning what the Magna-Tiles ceiling light could look like, spending time practicing and testing different shapes. They experimented with the shape of the base and heights of the Pyramids!
Wil selected the colors of all of the pyramids and built them himself.
Safety first! Always wear safety glasses/goggles to protect your eyes.
Together, they built and mounted 21 Pyramids!
Magna-Tects working together!
Here is the final product! The Pieces Needed for this Magna-Tiles Creation is 13 Small Squres, 16 Equilateral Triangles, 51 Isosceles Triangles
Awesome Magna-Tects!
Ben and Wil had a great time building together and Wil is now able to look up at the ceiling and see a project that he made! We are happy to see math, science, and creativity meet in this project. Thank you Magna-Tects!
We are glad to hear from Magna-Tects about their experiences with Magna-Tiles! Share your project or Magna-Tiles Creation with us! Instagram/Twitter #magnatiles or Contact Us
Semi-Regular Tessellation
A Semi-regular tessellation is made of two or more regular polygons. Q: What two Shapes do you see in the pattern below?
A: The Equilateral Triangle and Small Square!
Magna-Tiles Tessellations
A Tessellation is a tiling of shapes that fit perfectly together. There are no gaps or overlays! When the Tessellation is made by repeating one Shape (a regular polygon) in a pattern we call it a Regular Tessellation. When the tiling is made of two or more regular polygons, we call it a Semi-Regular Tessellation.
There are three regular polygons that can make Regular Tessellations: equilateral triangles, squares, and hexagons!
We can demonstrate the three Regular Tessellations with Magna-Tiles!
Equilateral Triangles
Small Squares
Hexagons
Cool Patterns! When two or more Shapes are used in a Tessellation, we call it a Semi-Regular Tessellation.
Magna-Tiles Connect: In Real Life, find Tessellations all around you in architecture, everyday objects, nature, math, and science!
Colorful Squares in Art
Rectangles in the Sidewalk
Hexagons in Tiling
Squares in a Fence
Challenge Children to make a Magna-Tiles Mosaic!
Magna-Tiles does dwell
Take a look at dwell magazine’s design week pattern! We are inspired by cool colors and geometric shapes. Magna-Tects made a #magnatiles version on a magnetic dry erase board:
Their pattern is made up of 8 colorful quadrilaterals! Small Squares and Right Triangles were used to replicate the logo on a magnetic white board. Encourage children to identify and describe patterns! Check out dwell for more architecture and design inspiration!
Magna-Tiles in the Window!
A four year old Magna-Tects lined up Magna-Tiles in his window!
Small squares were arranged across the window sill behind a decorative snowflake light!
Magna-Tiles Clear Colors are translucent and the light shining through changes the appearance of the colors. Cool!
Four Isosceles triangles were arranged on top of the vertically standing Small Squares in the front row. How many Equilateral Triangles were used in the second row?
Do you see a pattern? Magna-Tects arranged the Triangles in a pattern of placing them on top of every other Small Square. If 15 Small Squares were used in the second row and there is an Equilateral Triangle on the first and last square, how many Equilateral Triangles are needed?
Magna-Tect + Magna-Tiles Cat!
It has Equilateral Triangles for ears and Isosceles Triangles for paws. Children will utilize abstract thinking when working with shapes to make Magna-Tiles Creations.
Magna-Tiles + Generations Connect
Carolyn Stanish created an event called Generations Connect in the Philadelphia area. Their mission is to create joy, respect, and more smiles for elders through children and music.
Each month, families and children of all ages gather at The Watermark Home to meet and spend time with a group of elders. The older generation ranges in age from 91-100 years old! Together, they enjoy crafts, music, games, and activities while bringing meaningful interaction.
In later years in life, it may become difficult to stay connected as mental and physical capabilities change. It is very valuable for young children to spend time and feel comfortable around their elders! It brings joy and happiness for older adults and the two generations learn from each other in different ways.
One way that the two generations can interact is through Magna-Tiles! Building is simple and easy as the pieces “click” together. Children demonstrate how to make shapes and tall towers.
Elders are amazed and love to watch children work.
They also like to create!
Explore hands-on, constructive play at any age! Magna-Tects learn social skills such as working together and sharing! Are there programs in your area that bring the young and older generations together? If so, we would like to hear about them!
Are you interested in starting or finding a similar program in your area? Learn more about Generations Connect below
visit: Facebook Page
call: 215-627-1308
email: generationsconnect1@gmail.com
Magna-Tiles + Stripes + Plaid
We love Patterns! What patterns do you see in this photo?
This Magna-Tect is wearing a plaid dress and striped tights! Her tights are colored red, white, red, white…
We can replicate this ABAB Pattern with Magna-Tiles colors! Describe the pattern and say the colors out loud, “red, white, red, white…”
Below are two Magna-Tiles Towers made by Stacking small squares! Magna-Tiles “click” together as children grasp, take apart, and put back together Shapes.
Challenge Children to build a tall tower! Thank you for sharing @juliebie
Magna-Tiles + The Avengers
Magna-Tects created characters from the 2012 film The Avengers! Can you name the characters from left to right?
First is The Hulk! He has a vertical line of symmetry. Imagine drawing a line up and down in the middle…. it would create a mirror image on either side of this line!
In the middle is Iron Man! He wears a powered armor that gives him superhuman strength and durability as well as flight! Magna-Tects conveyed this with the color Red. Iron Man is known for his ability to fire rays from the palms of his gauntlets! We can see this represented with orange Small Squares.
On the right side is Captain America! We are able to recognize this superhero by his blue costume and shield! Magna-Tects made the shield as the shape of a hexagon with red Equilateral Triangles.
Very cool Magna-Tiles Creation! Children express themselves and show understanding through Magna-Tiles play!
Magna-Tiles Castle + Rope Light
Magna-Tects build a colorful castle and placed rope light inside!
Magna-Tiles Snow Day!
Magna-Tiles Snowmen! These #magnatiles creations have a vertical line of symmetry. Not all Snowmen are the same shape and size… how will you design yours?!
The Snowman on the left was made by stacking 3 Octagons! How can we describe the shape of the second Snowman?
When it is too cold to play outisde, Magna-Tects (2 and 5 years-old) made Magna-Tiles Snowflakes inside! Children express themselves by creating designs and patterns with basic geometric shapes.
Magna-Tiles Hockey Rink
Magna-Tects designed their own Magna-Tiles Hockey Rinks! The first setup has a shape made up of three Rectangles. One rectangle is the ice rink, the second rectangle is behind the goal, and the third is where the players are waiting! Can you see that the third rectangle is divided into three equal sections?
The second setup has replaced the toy goals! Instead, there are two Right Triangles positioned to catch the puck. Which is bigger; the toy goals or the Shape of the #magnatiles goal using Small Squares and Right Triangles? We hypothesize that the toy goals are wider but the #magnatiles goals do not have a top so it is open on top!
Which Hockey Rink setup has a bigger playing space? To find out, we measure the surface area!
- Setup # 1 is 6 Small Squares long and 4 Small Squares wide. 6 x 4 = 24 Magna-Tiles Small Squares
- Setup # 2 is 6 Small Squares long and 3 Small Squares wide. 6 x 3 = 18 Magna-Tiles Small Squares
Or, simply count Small Squares used to make the “floor” of the hockey rink! 24 > 18 so the first setup has a larger playing area!
It is fun to incorporate math ideas in Magna-Tiles play! Parents can use math language to encourage a positive attitude towards math and to demonstrate the importance of math skills in our everyday lives!
These #magnatiles Hockey Rinks were designed and made by Magna-Tects who love hockey! Here is their homemade hockey rink in their own backyard!
Sometimes our Magna-Tiles Creations are knocked down and Magna-Tects must rebuild! Even Felix the Cat enjoys Magna-Tiles and Hockey!
DIY Light Box
Look at this baby snow leopard playing with Magna-Tiles on a DIY light box in a teepee with a flashlight…!
Challenge your Children to make the shape of the teepee pictured with #magnatiles. It is a Square Pyramid!
Make a DIY light box with a clear plastic container and place lights you may have around your home/classroom inside! A tip from the creator: Taping parchment paper inside the lid of the clear bin helps to diffuse the light of the mini bulbs we used in the light box pictured.
Thank you Magna-Tects!
Magna-Tect + Magna-Tiles Cat Tower
Happy 2014!
Happy New Year Magna-Tects! Make a Magna-Tiles Message on a light table by laying Shapes Flat.
Play and LEARN! Challenge your Children to find the Area of the Shape of 2014.
Magna-Tiles Robots
We love Robots! Challenge your Children: What do these Magna-Tiles Robots have in common? What makes them different?
Similarities: They all have a cube for a head… or a brain?! Each has two arms and two legs. Two of them (#2 and #3) used Isosceles Triangles for their upper limbs: #2 has square pyramids and #3 simply balances the isosceles triangles pointing forward.
Differences: Only one of them has eyes! Three fourths of them have an additional shape/piece on top (#1, #2, #3 and not #4)… are they sensors? The Clear Colors robots have a vertical line of symmetry! The left and right sides are mirror images of each other. The Magna-Tiles Solid Colors Robot does not because his two upper limbs are different on the left and right side… he is dancing!
Encourage children to be observant and describe their Magna-Tiles Creations. Children will naturally incorporate symmetry in their designs!
Magna-Tiles Colorful Reflection
Sunlight shining through Magna-Tiles Clear Colors creates a colorful reflection!
Valtech Magna-Tiles Blog 