5 Ways to Build with Magna-Tiles
/If you don’t already know what Magna-Tiles are, you can probably infer from the title…magnetic tiles! Your second thought might be, “How versatile can these really be in my house or classroom?”
Imaginative Play
This is probably the most obvious use because it’s important for kids of all ages to have time to use their imaginations and just build. If we stifle their imaginations by always giving them a specific structure to replicate or design, then it will only be harder for them to think outside-of-the-box in the long run.
2D & 3D Shapes
The Magna-Tiles come in all shapes and sizes and are a great tool for students in grades K - 2 to identify the shapes they are building with. As they get older they can use multiple terms to identify shapes. For example, start out broad with a parallelogram and get more specific in identifying the shape. Then push their thinking to go from using 2D shapes to create 3D shapes. How many squares do you need to build a cube? How many faces does it have? Sides? Vertices? The math talks are endless with these tiles!
Prototyping
All engineers and architects create prototypes or scaled models of what they want their final build to resemble. As teachers, we need to instill the idea of practice and modeling into our students. A variety of tools can be used to create prototypes, but the Magna-Tiles offer a quick and easy way to build, modify, and recreate in a matter of minutes.
Science
Half their name says it all - magnets! These tiles stick together thanks to magnetic forces and we would be amiss if we didn’t take this as a learning opportunity to teach our students about magnets. Push, pull, the poles of a magnet, what types of surfaces are magnetic, and the list could go on!
STEAM Challenge
Students learn when they are challenged. As a STEAM teacher, my students learn through project based learning. I give them a challenge, they plan, build, and test. You can do the same with Magna-Tiles! And guess what - you can even link the building to literature! For example, read the story The Three Little Pigs and challenge your students to build a house with the Magna-Tiles that the wolf cannot blow down. Or you can challenge them to build a rocket to be sent on a mission to Mars, a train that can hold 5 passengers, and so much more!
Learning should occur through hands-on instruction and Magna-Tiles offer that perfect avenue. So grab some for your classroom or kids at home! You won’t be sorry!
Are you looking for other tools that students can build with? Then check out the blog post - Building Materials.
Are you trying to add consumable materials to your list? Then you don’t want to miss the blog post - STEAM on a Budget.
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