Children's Understanding of Symmetry

Freudenthal (1982) has observed that Symmetry as a source of stochastic understanding is a virtually unknown and badly neglected intuitive and didactic tool. Saying this should be a platitude, but didacticians appear to be no faster learners than their students. In the teaching of probability three common aids which assume symmetry are frequently used: coins, dice and urns. This paper will discuss some aspects of children's understanding of the first two of these aids.