By Kris Hurst
By now you are surely missing coming into Ignite Studio with your kids and loved ones for our weekly drop-in activities. For those of you not yet in the know, under normal circumstances, Ignite Studio holds drop ins during a two-hour time slot every day except for Sundays, and the times and activities can be found on our events page. The draw of the drop-in activity is that it is self-directed with all instructions and materials laid out for patrons to come and go, working at their own pace. Because we aren’t able to host these activities for the foreseeable future, we’re bringing them to you every Monday afternoon via our blog. Since we can’t provide materials, we’re tailoring the drop ins to items you may already have at home.
Phew! Now that you know what to expect, let’s get started on our symmetrical shape mobile!
How to for Symmetrical Shapes Mobile
Something is symmetrical when it is the same on both sides. A shape has symmetry if a central dividing line (a mirror line) can be drawn on it, to show that both sides of the shape are exactly the same. Symmetry is an important concept in art and math. It represents balance and proportion and can determine whether something is pleasing to the eye or functions properly. Symmetry is found throughout nature and is also one of the most prevalent themes in art, architecture, and engineering.
Supplies needed
- Scissors
- Glue
- Paper (any: construction, newspaper, copy, card stock, etc.)
- Items from home to trace (cups, small boxes, lids, etc.)
- String
Instructions for Symmetrical Shape Mobile
- Cut a piece of string anywhere between 18 inches to 36 inches. This will act as your line of symmetry.
- Trace shapes from the items you have collected onto paper. If you have varying colors, trace the shapes onto different colors.
- Cut out your shapes. Lay the paper with the tracing on top of a second sheet and cut the two papers at the same time, creating a pair.
- If you want to cut a hole inside a shape, fold the shape in half and cut out a second shape on the inside.
Once you have all the paired shapes cut out, stretch your string across your workspace. Select one piece from each pair of shapes and arrange it by sliding it under the string, placing it so that the string is in the middle of the shape. Space and place the shapes as you desire. Maybe you want to overlap shapes to add dimension. Just remember to keep the line of symmetry in the middle.- When you are happy with your arrangement, glue the second shape in your pair on top of the first piece laid out on your workspace, sandwiching the string between the top and bottom pieces. Attach the corresponding shapes one by one, being sure to match them up as closely as possible.
- Congrats on completing your symmetrical shape mobile.
Tie the top of your string to a branch or dowel, or find a place to hang it in your house, then snap a picture and share your symmetrical shape mobile with us on social media!
