Printable symmetry drawing worksheets
Half of the drawing is already on the grid. On the other side of the line, the child draws the missing half to match the first.
Preview of the printable sheet: Symmetry drawing worksheets
In the print window, set the paper to A4 or Letter and the scale to 100%.
- A4 or Letter paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Ruler (optional)
- Colored pencils to color the finished picture
What is a symmetry drawing worksheet?
It is a sheet with half of a picture drawn on one side of a line, the line of symmetry. A child draws the other half by counting squares, as if the line were a mirror. This page has twelve pictures, such as a butterfly and a rocket, on a square or dot grid, with an answer sheet.
How to use it
- Pick the picture: butterfly, heart, house, tree, rocket, vase, robot, cat, mushroom, trophy, crown or diamond.
- Pick the grid: squares, with lines, or dots, with only the crossing points.
- Pick the line: upright, to finish the half next to it, or flat, to draw the reflection below.
- Pick the level: easy has a big grid and a picture with few lines; hard has a smaller grid and a picture with more detail.
- Tick the answer option if you want the whole picture printed on a second sheet, then tap Print the sheet.
How to finish the drawing
- Choose a corner of the picture and count how many squares it is from the dashed line.
- On the other side, at the same height, count the same number and mark a point.
- Do the same with the other corners, one at a time.
- Join the marked points in the same order as the finished half.
- To check, fold the sheet on the dashed line and hold it up to the light: the two halves sit on top of each other.
Why this activity helps
To mirror the drawing a child has to count distances and flip the direction, which is practice with left and right, above and below. The grid gives the reference: each corner has one right place, and counting confirms it.
Ideas to vary it
- Start with the upright line on easy; the flat line usually takes more work.
- The dot grid leaves a cleaner final drawing, good for coloring afterwards.
- Stand a small mirror on the dashed line to see the whole picture before drawing.
- When it is done, ask the child to invent a symmetrical picture on a sheet of graph paper.
Frequently asked questions
What is a line of symmetry?
It is the line that splits a picture into two equal, mirrored halves. On the sheet it shows up as a dashed line, upright or flat.
What is the difference between the upright and the flat line?
With the upright line, the sheet has the left half of the picture and the child draws the right half. With the flat line, the whole picture sits above the line and the child draws its reflection below, upside down.
Square grid or dot grid?
The square grid is easier to count on, because it shows every square. The dot grid has only the crossing points and takes more attention.
Does the sheet come with an answer?
Yes, if you tick the answer option. The second sheet shows the whole picture, with the missing half in another color.
Can I use them in class?
Yes. The sheets are free to print and use at home or at school.
See also
Pixel art coloring
Color by number and find the hidden picture.
Dot-to-dot pages
Fourteen pictures to connect by numbers or letters.
Pre-writing tracing worksheets
Dotted lines to trace: straight, curved, spirals and paths.
Scissor skills worksheets
Lines, shapes, fringes and a puzzle to cut out.
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