Make 3d polyhedra - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Make 3d polyhedra

Cut and fold paper templates to build several 3D polyhedra (cube, tetrahedron, dodecahedron), decorate faces, count vertices and edges, and compare shapes.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to make 3D polyhedra

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An Introductory Guide to Polyhedra | Geometry | Math with Mr. J

What you need

Plain paper, scissors, glue stick or clear tape, ruler, pencil, eraser, protractor, colouring materials, adult supervision required

Step 1

Gather all materials and clear a flat workspace so you have room to draw cut and build.

Step 2

Draw a cube net by using your ruler to make six equal squares in a cross shape on one sheet of paper.

Step 3

Draw a tetrahedron net by using your ruler and protractor to make four equal equilateral triangles connected at edges.

Step 4

Draw one regular pentagon by drawing a side then using the protractor to mark interior angles of 108° and making five equal sides then trace that pentagon to make twelve copies for a dodecahedron.

Step 5

Carefully cut out the cube net the tetrahedron net and all twelve pentagons using the scissors.

Step 6

Colour or decorate the faces of each cut net and each pentagon using your colouring materials.

Step 7

Fold along every edge line of the cube net to make crisp creases before gluing.

Step 8

Glue or tape the cube edges together to build the cube and let the glue set.

Step 9

Fold along the edges of the tetrahedron net and glue or tape the edges to form the tetrahedron.

Step 10

Assemble the dodecahedron by gluing the twelve pentagons edge to edge so each edge matches and the solid closes up.

Step 11

Count and write down the number of faces vertices and edges for the cube tetrahedron and dodecahedron.

Step 12

Compare the three shapes by noting which has the most faces which has the fewest vertices and one other difference you notice.

Step 13

Take photos and share your finished polyhedra project on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have a protractor, heavy paper, or craft glue?

If you don't have a protractor to draw 108° pentagons, use printable nets or trace a template for the pentagon and substitute cereal-box cardboard or folded printer paper for heavy paper and clear tape for glue when assembling edges.

My cube/tetrahedron/dodecahedron won't close or the edges are misaligned — what should we try?

To fix misaligned edges when folding and gluing the cube, tetrahedron, or dodecahedron, score every edge line with the back of the scissors and a ruler for crisp creases, use thin glue or small pieces of tape at the joins, and assemble slowly matching one edge at a time.

How can we adapt this activity for younger or older children?

For younger kids, pre-draw and pre-cut the cube and tetrahedron nets and let them color and tape the pieces together, while older kids can precisely draw the 108° pentagon with a protractor, make the twelve copies and assemble the full dodecahedron and then count faces, vertices, and edges to check their work.

What are some ways to extend or personalize our finished polyhedra?

Extend the project by decorating each face with patterns or labels, adding number stickers and recording the face-vertex-edge counts in a comparison chart, attaching magnets or string to make a mobile, and photographing the personalized polyhedra to share on DIY.org as the instructions suggest.

Watch videos on how to make 3D polyhedra

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Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

What is a polyhedron? | Is a Sphere a Polyhedron? | 3D Shapes | Math Education for Kids

4 Videos

Facts about polyhedra and solid geometry

🧩 A cube has 6 faces, 8 vertices, and 12 edges — count them as you build!

🔺 A tetrahedron has 4 triangular faces, 4 vertices, and 6 edges — the simplest 3D solid.

⭐ A dodecahedron has 12 pentagonal faces, 20 vertices, and 30 edges — great for decorating lots of faces!

✂️ There are 11 distinct nets that fold into a cube — different paper templates can make the same solid.

🧮 Euler's formula V − E + F = 2 works for convex polyhedra like the tetrahedron, cube, and dodecahedron.

How do I make 3D polyhedra by cutting and folding paper templates?

Start by printing or drawing paper templates (nets) for each polyhedron. Cut out each net, score fold lines with a ruler and bone folder, then fold along the lines. Apply glue or tape to tabs and assemble one shape at a time, holding tabs until set. After building the cube, tetrahedron, and dodecahedron, decorate each face, then count vertices and edges for each shape and compare their properties.

What materials do I need to build paper polyhedra (cube, tetrahedron, dodecahedron)?

You'll need cardstock or heavy paper, printed polyhedron nets, child-safe scissors, a ruler and bone folder or blunt tool for scoring, glue stick or white craft glue, clear tape, pencils, markers or stickers for decorating, and a cutting mat if using a craft knife. Optional: a printer, protractor for measuring, and small labels to mark vertices and edges when counting.

What ages are suitable for cutting, folding, and assembling paper polyhedra?

Suitable ages vary: with adult help, preschoolers (4–5) can cut, fold simple nets, and decorate. Elementary children (6–9) can assemble cubes and tetrahedra with minimal supervision. Older kids (10+) can tackle complex nets like dodecahedra, measure angles, and lead comparisons. Adjust expectations for fine-motor skills and supervise scissors, glue, and small parts for younger children.

What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations for making paper polyhedra with kids?

Benefits: building polyhedra strengthens spatial reasoning, geometry understanding, fine motor skills, and counting practice (vertices, edges, faces). It encourages creativity when decorating and cooperative play if done in groups. Safety: use child-safe scissors, supervise glue and cutting, and choose cardstock over very thin paper. Variations: try origami nets, build larger models from poster board, or convert nets to lampshades or math classroom displays.

Ready to create?

All Activities

Make 3d polyhedra

Cut and fold paper templates to build several 3D polyhedra (cube, tetrahedron, dodecahedron), decorate faces, count vertices and edges, and compare shapes.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to make 3D polyhedra

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

An Introductory Guide to Polyhedra | Geometry | Math with Mr. J

What you need

Plain paper, scissors, glue stick or clear tape, ruler, pencil, eraser, protractor, colouring materials, adult supervision required

Step 1

Gather all materials and clear a flat workspace so you have room to draw cut and build.

Step 2

Draw a cube net by using your ruler to make six equal squares in a cross shape on one sheet of paper.

Step 3

Draw a tetrahedron net by using your ruler and protractor to make four equal equilateral triangles connected at edges.

Step 4

Draw one regular pentagon by drawing a side then using the protractor to mark interior angles of 108° and making five equal sides then trace that pentagon to make twelve copies for a dodecahedron.

Step 5

Carefully cut out the cube net the tetrahedron net and all twelve pentagons using the scissors.

Step 6

Colour or decorate the faces of each cut net and each pentagon using your colouring materials.

Step 7

Fold along every edge line of the cube net to make crisp creases before gluing.

Step 8

Glue or tape the cube edges together to build the cube and let the glue set.

Step 9

Fold along the edges of the tetrahedron net and glue or tape the edges to form the tetrahedron.

Step 10

Assemble the dodecahedron by gluing the twelve pentagons edge to edge so each edge matches and the solid closes up.

Step 11

Count and write down the number of faces vertices and edges for the cube tetrahedron and dodecahedron.

Step 12

Compare the three shapes by noting which has the most faces which has the fewest vertices and one other difference you notice.

Step 13

Take photos and share your finished polyhedra project on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have a protractor, heavy paper, or craft glue?

My cube/tetrahedron/dodecahedron won't close or the edges are misaligned — what should we try?

How can we adapt this activity for younger or older children?

What are some ways to extend or personalize our finished polyhedra?

Watch videos on how to make 3D polyhedra

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

What is a polyhedron? | Is a Sphere a Polyhedron? | 3D Shapes | Math Education for Kids

4 Videos

Facts about polyhedra and solid geometry

🧩 A cube has 6 faces, 8 vertices, and 12 edges — count them as you build!

🔺 A tetrahedron has 4 triangular faces, 4 vertices, and 6 edges — the simplest 3D solid.

⭐ A dodecahedron has 12 pentagonal faces, 20 vertices, and 30 edges — great for decorating lots of faces!

✂️ There are 11 distinct nets that fold into a cube — different paper templates can make the same solid.

🧮 Euler's formula V − E + F = 2 works for convex polyhedra like the tetrahedron, cube, and dodecahedron.