How to Teach Pre-Schoolers Shapes the Fun Way at Home (With 10 Free Activity Printable)
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank You for your support.Learning shapes is a fundamental part of early learning.
However, it can be a challenging journey for both parents and children.
Today, we are going to make shape learning at home fun, engaging and hands on. Scroll down to get your FREE Shape Activity Pack.
Why Is It Important for Pre-schoolers to Learn Shapes?
We are surrounded by shapes.
From basic shapes like squares and rectangles for windows, doors, phones, credit cards to more interesting shapes like signs and symbols, are all around us.
We identify objects by their shapes, recognize places by shapes of the building or landscape, identify letters and numbers by their different shapes.
Children need to learn to recognize 2d shapes from an early age.
Shape recognition helps children understand spatial relationships around them.
What is Spatial Awareness?
When children can relate to the size of the room, for example, big round room, small but long room, room bigger than my bedroom, they are being spatially aware.
Being aware of different sized objects and placement in the room, helps children move accordingly around them.
When children are spatially aware, they can easily determine the direction of their movement.
For example, "This pathway is blocked by a big square wall, so I need to follow this curvy path to get to the other side."
Being an adult, you might be thinking, but isn’t this just common sense?
Well… yes, but for children, it is more than that.
Shapes help children connect to the world around them.
It helps children think critically, analyze and problem solve.
When children can recognize shapes, it helps them identify and sort things in real life.
For example, cups belong on this shelf and plates on this one.
Shape recognition also helps children notice the shapes of different letters and numbers, i.e., helps with learning numbers and letters.
Hence, shape recognition is a foundation skill that supports the learning of many other skills.
How To Teach Children Shapes the Fun Way
Children learn best with hands-on activities.
When children can touch, see and manipulate shape objects in their play, it helps them understand features of different shapes.
For example,
the number of sides,
no sides,
the formation of the object.
So, Let’s look at some Fun Ways to Engage Kids in shape learning with play.
Sensory Play
It is no doubt that children love sensory play.
It is natural for children to explore their world with touch, sound, taste, smell, and sight.
When children engage in play that stimulates these senses, it helps build their cognitive skills (ways that your brain remembers, holds attention, thinks, and learns).
Play-dough + Shapes
Children love playdough.
Homemade playdough is cost-effective but usually don’t last as long.
Here is the playdough set that I usually use with my kindergarten children.
I like to add some playdough tools like the rolling pin, cutters, scissors (all included in this set) etc, to engage children’s interest in the play for longer.
To include shape learning in this play, I also add shape flashcards and shape cutters (shape cutters included in the set).
This way when children are finally ready to cut out their rolled dough, I help them match the cookie-cutter shape to the flashcard.
E.g., “Look! You made a triangle, just like the triangle on this flashcard. Can you find these other shapes too?”
You can also help your child
observe the difference in the two shapes e.g., the number of sides
Help them match the play-dough shape to objects in the room e.g., rectangle to the door
name the shapes repeatedly as you talk about them, to help your child remember the name of that shape.
Playdough + Craft Pipe Cleaners
As children become more familiar with shapes, I like to engage them in some creative thinking.
Cut some pipe cleaners in halves and some in 1/3 x 2/3 lengths (for rectangle) and add to the playdough table.
• Encourage children to roll small play dough balls.
• Connect the pipe cleaners to the playdough ball to make shapes.
Let children refer to visual aids like shape flashcards to copy the shapes.
Help children name the shapes.
Paint with Shapes
Pour some paint onto paper plates and add the shape cookie cutters to it. You can use the same shape cookie cutters from the playdough activity.
Let the children dip the cookie cutter in the paint and make prints on the matching shape mat (Print the shape mat from the FREE Printable).
Encourage them to make their shape print on the correct shape mat. (Helps with shape identification and matching)
Help them say the name of the shape each time they make the print. (Naming the shapes as they are making it will help with remembering the shape names)
Paint Shapes to Construct Objects
Advanced learners can paint shapes to create objects, animals etc. For example, a rectangle on top of two circles makes a car. This helps children become aware that shapes exist all around us.
Here are some pictures (in the printable pack) that children can use as a visual aid for inspiration.
Wet Sand Shape Prints
Wet sand makes it much easier for children to draw, write, make prints than dry sand.
Add playdough cookie cutters to the sand and let children make prints. Help them name the shapes. Let the children explore and name different shapes at their own pace.
Wet Sand Shape Sorting
As children become aware of the different shapes, they will need more challenging activities to engage their interests.
Place shapes (one of each) spaced out in the sand tray.
Place the collection of shapes in an easily accessible tray or container next to the sand tray.
Let children place the matching shapes next to the shapes on the sand. (this helps children learn to sort and categorize items accordingly)
Sand Tray Treasure Hunt
In a shallow tray, add sand. I like this sand tray as it comes complete with sand and various shaped toys.
Hide small pieces of shapes in the sand. (Print shapes from the FREE Printable)
Let the children find the shapes as they play.
Encourage children to match the little shape pieces to the shape mat.
Roll the Shape Dice
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Paste different shapes on a dice or a play cube that you already have.
Have your child roll the the shape dice/ cube and then find that shape.
Let them place the shapes on either the correct shape flashcard or the shape mat (in the activity pack)
declare which shape won at the end of the game
Shape Glue and Paste
Print and cut out the individual shapes. (From FREE Printable)
Let children sort the correct shapes and glue to the shape mat.
You can either do this activity as a One Shape at a time/ day or
As a shape mat project- let your child work on sorting and pasting shapes on the correct shape mat, over many days.
Once complete, you can laminate the paper and let your child use it as a placemat. How proud will that make your child!
Cut and Paste Shapes
To make this activity more challenging, let your child cut out their shapes. Please use child safety scissors to avoid any accidents.
Cut and glue shapes to the correct shape mat
Cut and paste shapes to create objects- You can use the activity from the printable pack.
Check out this helpful article How To Teach Shapes To Preschool- Custom Made Shape Printable for more shape learning fun.
Conclusion
Learning concepts like shapes makes more sense to children when it is incorporated into the hands-on play. Sensory play is a fantastic way of engaging children in play.
I will encourage the parents to be patient. Let children explore and learn at their own pace.
The best way you can help your child through this learning process is to be there. Help your children say the shape names. Encourage and engage them in repetitive play because children learn best through repetition.
Have the learning materials available for everyday play. Use the handy printable activities as an easy available learning resource and to make learning heaps of fun.
Check out this Number Activity Book (PDF) Custom Designed for Children’s Counting Book- ‘Todd the Frog Finds the Lost Pebbles’
Join our Storytime with Todd the Frog and enjoy the story being read-aloud by the author herself.