Intelligent people of all ages can derive great pleasure from contemplating and playing with mathematical toys, and such toys may be of great help in the teaching of mathematics. Instruction is best accompanied by pleasure.
A mathematical toy is to be distinguished from a puzzle, which requires ingenuity for its solution. A puzzle is hard work, a toy is fun.
Examples of symmetry in mathematical toys will be shown first in a movie: “Some
Mathematical Toys,” (Longuet-Higgins, 1963). Then we discuss the use of
symmetry in making polyhedron models. Finally we demonstrate a new toy (RHOMBO)
consisting of magnetic blocks in the form of golden rhombohedra.