I love children books that give artistic inspirations with either contents or illustrations. The book “Perfect Square” shows how a perfect square can be transformed into many different things and introduces different ways to be broken apart. 🙃
The realistic illustrations excite the readers and make them want to play with their own perfect squares. 😃☺️😃 These were my faces when I was reading the book. Haha.
So what exactly can you do after reading the book?
Let’s get the materials.
MATERIALS
- Construction papers / printing papers (in different colours)
- White background paper
- Scissors (regular & decorative)
- Hole punch
- Glue
Make Perfect Squares
First of all, we need to cut the papers into a perfect square shape to start.
If you have construction papers already in a perfect square shape, you can just use them. Or you can measure and cut the regular construction papers ahead of time and just give them to your child to work with. If your child is old enough – like preschooler, you can try measuring and cutting with your child. That will be a good activity by itself too.
Tip: I made perfect squares in different sizes. They gave me a wide variety of shapes to work with later.
You need at least six perfect squares to try all the techniques introduced in the book.
Experiment with the Perfect Squares
In the book, the red perfect square is challenged everyday throughout a week.
One day, it is cut into pieces and poked full of holes.
Grab one of the perfect squares that you made and cut it into pieces with a scissors. Any shape is fine.
Then, make holes with a hole punch.
Put all the pieces together on the side.
Grab another perfect square and tear it into scraps by hands.
Put the pieces together on the side – separate from the pieces of the other perfect squares.
Grab another perfect square and shred it in strips.
Put the pieces together on the side – separate from the pieces of the other perfect squares.
Grab another perfect square and cut it into the shattered shape.
This one can be a little bit hard for young children to understand. Try explaining the shape with the picture in the book, but if your child doesn’t seem to understand, just start by cutting the perfect square in this way, in this order.
Put the pieces together on the side – separate from the pieces of the other perfect squares.
Grab another perfect square and cut it into ribbons. In the book, the ribbons were cut by a decorative scissors. Unfortunately, I couldn’t access my decorative scissors at the time, so I couldn’t try this one. But it’s a great opportunity to play with the decorative scissors, so if you have one, definitely try making ribbons with it.
Put the pieces together on the side – separate from the pieces of the other perfect squares.
Lastly, grab another perfect square, rip it into two or three pieces and crumple them by hands. This was my favourite technique.😆
Put the pieces together on the side – separate from the pieces of the other perfect squares.
Now, look at all the pieces from perfect squares!
What can we do we them?
Your child can try making anything with all the pieces. 🙂🙃
But, I always like to give an opportunity to children to think and express their thoughts. 😊 So I suggest to ask your child,
Where do you want to go most right now?
(We couldn’t really go anywhere for the last 11 months. Sigh 😩. Aren’t you curious about where your child wants to go the most? Hehe.)
Talk about where and why s/he wants to go to that place and suggest to make that place with the paper pieces from perfect squares.
The place I want to go now is a beach!☀️🌴🍹🏖👙
Opportunity to use imagination!
When children get an experience of using their own thoughts and creating amazing things from that, their confidence increases.
Empower your child with this activity. ✋🤚
Happy learning and quality time!
Missangela👩🏻🦰🎀
🦄 Do you want to do this activity with Missangela?
🦄 Get your materials and let’s do it!