Some learning activities/manipulatives can be pretty easy to make.  I got the idea for these tangrams from CraftProjectIdeas.com.  I must admit I altered it a bit, though.

Their project uses craft foam, which would add a more 3-dimensional look and feel.  Also keep in mind that tangrams don’t have to be multiple colors; you can do them all one color if you like!

If you follow their instructions, they tell you how to figure up and create all of the various pieces.  That would be a great math activity, in itself, if you’re doing this with your students.  As I was making mine for my students, I went an easier route.  I copied a template!  (There is one in my Daily Bread resource ebook, or you can find them online.)

If you’re doing it on paper, just copy it onto the paper or cardstock you want it on.  If you’re doing craft foam, copy it onto paper, cut the pieces out, then trace them onto the craft foam and cut the foam out.  Then peel the backing off of an adhesive magnet sheet (or two, depending on the size of your tangrams and the size of your magnet sheets) and stick your pieces on.  (If you are just doing paper, stick the whole template onto the magnet sheet – assuming it’s large enough – and then cut it apart.)  Cut around the pieces.

I actually used the real cheater’s method and printed the template onto a sheet of Avery printable magnet paper.

You can use these with tangram puzzles such as those found at the following sites:

http://www.tangrams.ca/puzzles/puzzles.htm
http://www.funorama.com/tangram.html

These would make a great gift, bundled together with a booklet of puzzles to go with them!

Disclosure: CraftProjectIdeas.com provided me with some craft materials to make this and some other projects, in the hopes that I would share their site with you.  It is a great resource, and growing!