Learning Shapes Preschool Activities

Learning shapes establishes a vital part of knowing math skills. When young children begin to learn shapes along with other math skills, they’re apt to grasp number sense.

You’ve probably have seen how curious children are when they want to group their toys, stickers, or even cereal. So, take those opportunities for exploring and turn them into a fun learning experience.

Add shapes and colors, and you have an excellent way to introduce how the world forms around us. 

Shapes Preschooler Need to Know

There are basic shapes your preschoolers encounter every day. But, what are those shapes that they need to know so they can be prepared for math skills?

Of course, you need to introduce triangles, squares, rectangles, circles, and rhombus. These figures are easy to see around the house and when you go around town.

Whether you visit the library or go to the park, take the time to point these shapes to your preschooler. Other ways you can introduce shapes are by playing fun, quick games, and reading. 

Learning Shapes Activities

In learning shapes, your preschooler develops grouping objects and captures what forms are in the world. That is, find activities that support your preschooler in strengthen those skills.

Look for learning shapes activities that you can do together. In that way, you provide engaging questions and deepen your children’s learning. 

Introduction to Learning Shapes

Use items around your house to create shapes. With simple building methods, you can create several learning activities. 

Materials

• cardboard materials from empty boxes
• markers
• pencil
• construction paper of various colors
• scissors
• ruler or straight edge
• clothespins

Instructions

• Use shapes like triangle, circle, rectangle, square, and rhombus
• Make templates using cardboard pieces from empty boxes
• Trace the outline of each shape on the cardboard using a pencil
• Color each shape with markers
• Cut the shapes and set aside
• Line up three pieces of different color of construction paper
• Clip-on one side of construction paper with clothespins
• Use the cardboard shape templates to create more shapes
• Trace the outline of each shape on construction paper
• Cut out the shapes and set aside
• Optional – use glue to paste patterns onto white paper

Interactive Learning Shapes Game

Allow preschoolers to interact with each shape. You can point out the shapes that are around the house as you say the name.

Then, use the cardboard shapes to make patterns. For instance, you can line them using circle-triangle-square and repeat.

You can also see what other shapes you can find around the house. For example, what other shapes are square?

Perhaps, preschoolers may find a picture frame, the wall, or the top of a box game. Reinforce your preschoolers’ understanding by emphasizing the number of sides of each figure. 

Helping Preschoolers in Learning Shapes

Other fun learning shapes games are using the construction paper cut-outs.

• First, place a white sheet of paper on a table.
• Next, pick the color of the shape to apply for a pattern.
• For instance, if you want to use green, then select all the green shapes.
• Then, begin asking your preschooler the pattern to follow: rectangle-triangle-square.
• What comes next?
• At this moment, encourage your children to select the next piece.
• Also, you can paste these patterns onto the paper and revisit them. 

Another way in learning shapes is to ask your preschoolers to arrange the shapes by color. Draw circles on the white piece of paper and place the color shape from one of the cardboard pieces.

For instance, if you start with the green circle, then ask your preschoolers to find all the circles or all of the green circles.

You could also encourage them to sort each shape by size. For example, which shapes have three sides or four sides? 

When preschoolers begin to learn shapes, you can easily find basic items around your house. Use what you have on hand to encourage preschoolers to recognize shapes with fun interactive games. 

These activities are ideal ways for parents and educators that follow the Core Knowledge Curriculum or the Head Start program. The learning objectives for these activities are the II-MR1.3b of the Goal: Sort and Classify Objects or Pictures of Objects, the I-MR2.4 of the Goal: Duplicate and Continue Linear Patterns, and the I-MR3.2, II-MR3-4 of the Goal: Perceive and Recognize Shapes and Sizes.