Learning shapes is an early and important teaching concept. This is a terrific way to introduce children to problem-solving skills and pattern recognition. The learning of shapes prepares students for future math courses such as geometry. Check out these 42 amazing ideas for learning shapes!
1. Box of Chocolates
Your kiddos will create their very own box of chocolates in this engaging exercise. Start by mapping out a heart shape and filling it with outlines of various shapes. Then, cut matching shapes out of a foam sheet before challenging your learners to match each shape to its outline to fill their chocolate box!
Learn more: Active Littles
2. Shape Bingo
This fun activity is perfect for involving your whole class. Simply provide your students with shape bingo sheets and counters. Task them with placing a counter on the appropriate square as you call out each shape from randomly picked cards. The first player to fill all their squares shouts “Shape bingo”!
Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me
3. Beanbag Shape Hop and Toss
For this engaging activity, use painter’s tape to create outlines of shapes on your floor. Begin by calling out a shape and then encourage your little ones to throw a bean bag onto the correct shape.
Learn more: Learn Play Imagine
4. Edible Shapes: Tic-Tac-Toe Cookies
Your kids will absolutely love this sweet activity! Invite them to help you whip up some delicious “X” and “O” cookies. Once the cookies have been baked, challenge them with playing a few rounds of tic-tac-toe before giving them the go-ahead to enjoy their sweet treats.
Learn more: The Realistic Mama
5. Shapes Sorting Suncatcher
This interactive activity is sure to be a hit with your little ones! Simply use contact paper to create shapes that can then be stuck onto a window in your classroom. Next, cut out the matching shapes from materials like foam or paper before tasking your learners with placing their little shapes inside the corresponding suncatcher.
Learn more: Happy to Shelf
6. Snowman Shape Matching
Create a winter wonderland right in your classroom with this creative activity! Start by cutting out shapes for your kiddos before tasking them with putting together their charming snowmen.
Learn more: Tot Schooling
7. Shape Houses
Brighten up your classroom with some geometric houses! Provide your learners with colorful shapes cut from paper. Then, encourage them to follow a completed example as they build houses, grass, and more from shapes.
Learn more: Raising the Spengler’s
8. Marshmallow Geometry
This squishy activity is sure to make lessons on shapes stick! Task your littles with using marshmallows and pretzels to form shapes. Then, invite them to label their edible shapes and jot down its corresponding number of sides.
Learn more: Playdough to Plato
9. 2D Shape Poems
These cheerful shape poems are a catchy resource for learning! Choose one shape that will be the focus of the day and then display its poem for your kiddos to read. Encouraging them to memorize the poem is a sure way to have them singing the catchy words throughout the day.
Learn more: Miss Kindergarten
10. Clip Shapes
Strengthen those fine motor skills with this shape-matching activity! Simply print out these darling character cards before tasking your learners with clipping on a peg to its correct shape.
Learn more: Modern Preschool
11. Ice Tray Shape Sorting
Ice Trays aren’t only a household essential, they can also be used as tools for learning! Supply your kids with small wooden circles and ice trays that’ve been labeled with shapes. Kick off the sorting fun by encouraging them to place each shape into its correct spot on the tray.
Learn more: Mess for Less
12. Shape Monsters Craft
Your students will create their very own shape monster in this crafty activity! Start by preparing the material they’ll need by cutting out shapes from colored paper. Then, allow them to use glue and a bit of imagination to construct their little monsters.
Learn more: Live Well Play Together
13. Circle Collage
This activity is all about circles! Task your littles with cutting out one big circle and numerous little circles from colored paper. They will then use glue to stick the little circles inside the big one to create a polka-dot masterpiece.
Learn more: Family Education
14. 20 Fun Shape Books
Using stories about shapes is a terrific way to round off your lessons! Simply invite your learners to choose a book that they’d like you to read. Then, invite them to sit back and relax as you read them tales of circles, squares, and triangles.
Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me
15. Basic Shapes Workbook
This activity-filled workbook is perfect for fine-tuning your kiddos’ knowledge of shapes. It offers shape guides, tracing, patterns, and more! The perfect tool to engage them in all things shapes.
Learn more: Libro World
16. DIY Shape Puzzle
Introduce your little ones to basic shapes and their characteristics with this easy-to-make activity! Draw shape outlines on cardboard and then cut out the corresponding shape from colored paper. Challenge them to then match each colorful shape to its outline.
Learn more: Laughing Kids Learn
17. Learn Shapes with Sticks
Combine learning with nature in this outdoor activity! Encourage your students to venture outside as they collect small sticks. Then, task them with using their sticks to create shapes of all sizes.
Learn more:Play of the Wild
18. Shape Sensory Bottles
Your kiddos are sure to love this gooey activity! Simply fill a bottle with gel and foam shapes before sealing the lid closed with glue. Then, invite your learners to flip and twist the bottle as they hunt for each shape.
Learn more: Pocket of Preschool
19. Shape Clouds
In this activity, your students will use cotton to create fluffy shape clouds. Start by handing out shape sheets before challenging them to use cotton balls and glue to fill each shape. The end result? A montage of wooly figures!
Learn more: Planning Playtime
20. Spaghetti Noodle Shapes
Who doesn’t love a hearty bowl of spaghetti? In this activity, your learners will use spaghetti as a tool for learning! To do this, you will need to print out and laminate some shape sheets before tasking them with using spaghetti to outline each shape.
Learn more: Schooltime Snippets
21. Bubble Wrap Painting – Learning Shapes
Turn bubble wrap into an arty resource! Encourage your little ones to cut out different shapes from bubble wrap. Then, have them dip their bubble wrap shapes into colorful paints before pressing them down onto paper to create a texturally rich design.
Learn more: Learning 4 Kids
22. Sticky Shape Rainbow Activity
This sticky shape activity is a fantastic way to get those busy hands engaged in the world of shapes! Simply start by drawing rainbow templates onto paper before supplying your little learners with rainbow-colored foam shapes. Invite them to use contact paper to stick their colorful shapes onto each ring of their rainbow to create radiant hues of color.
Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids
23. Magazine Shape Hunt and Sort
Here’s an activity that will introduce some critical thinking into shape learning! Engage your kiddos by having them search through old magazines to find real-life examples of shapes. Once their shapes have been found – task them with cutting, sorting, and pasting their findings onto the appropriately labeled paper.
Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids
24. Pipe Cleaner Shapes Activity
Get your learners excited for some hands-on fun! In this activity, they will bend and twist colorful pipe cleaners into various shapes before matching them to the template laid out before them. It’s a fabulous activity that’s perfect for developing important skills like hand-eye coordination.
Learn more: YouTube
25. Build a Robot
Teleport your little time travelers to the future with this robotic activity! Provide them with a template filled with shapes that they’ll need to construct their robot, before prompting them to cut out each shape. Then, invite them to get creative as they piece together their mechanical invention.
Learn more: Fun House Toys
26. Magic Disappearing Shapes
This magical activity is sure to have your kiddos begging for more shapes. Simply start by drawing small shapes on coffee filters with a marker. Then, call out a shape and have them use plastic pipettes to drop water onto the correct shape before letting them observe as their shape disappears!
Learn more: Gift of Curiosity
New Content
27. Shape Collage
Introduce your kiddos to the world of shapes with this creative and tactile activity! Simply invite them to cut out shapes from colored paper before having them use glue to stick their shapes onto a black piece of paper. Encourage them to feel each shape and observe its edges and contours. Then, watch their creativity bloom as they piece together their artistic visions.
Learn More: Youtube
28. Shape Stampers
Here’s a fun activity for some hands-on shape learning! Start by challenging your learners to cut various shapes out of sponges. Next, allow them to dip their sponges into paint before stamping them down onto paper. This activity will have your little artists transforming mere splotches into defined shapes.
Learn More: Teaching Early Childhood
29. Interactive Shape Wall
Add a physical dimension to your little ones’ lessons on shapes with this interactive activity! Simply start by setting up a wall in your classroom with four quadrants, each labeled with a different shape. Proceed by having your learners cut the corresponding shapes out of colored paper and then encourage them to stick their shapes in the correct quadrant.
Learn More: Busy Toddler
30. Sand Shapes
Take geometry to the sandbox with this delightful outdoor activity! Provide your kids with shape toys and cookie cutters before inviting them to make shape imprints in sand. This sensory-rich experience is sure to leave a lasting impression on their growing love for all things shapes.
Learn More: The stay-at-home-mom Survival Guide
31. Shape Hunt
Invite your learners on a hunt for shape treasure! Kick off the fun by hiding items depicting different shapes around your classroom or schoolyard. Then, provide them with a checklist that they can use to find the treasure hidden among their surroundings. As they find and check off each shape, you can even engage them in a discussion about where these shapes appear in their daily lives. Who knew geometry could be this adventurous?
Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys
32. Nature Shapes Walk
Treat your kiddos to a living geometry lesson! Simply begin by drawing shapes onto individual pieces of paper before sending your learners outdoors to collect a variety of natural materials. Challenge them with using the resources they’ve collected to map out the shapes depicted on paper.
Learn More: Bee-ing Mommy
33. DIY Shape Stickers
Your little ones will love every minute of this sticky activity! Start by drawing different shapes onto paper using a marker before sticking each shape template onto your classroom wall. Then, engage your kids by having them use small stickers to map out the outline of each shape.
Learn More: Busy Toddler
34. Dot-to-Dot Shapes
Develop your learners’ fine motor skills with this engaging connect-the-dots activity! To do this, start by placing colorful dots onto paper to create a template for the desired shape. Afterward, task your learners with connecting the dots using crayons or colorful markers. As they connect each dot their pages will be transformed into a canvas of vibrant shapes.
Learn More: A Dab of Glue Will Do
35. Balloon Shapes
Add a burst of energy to your classroom with balloon volleyball! Start by inflating balloons and then have your kiddos draw shapes on them. Let the volleyball game commence by challenging them to bounce their balloons over a net or line of string. But there’s a twist – for an added challenge, encourage your learners to shout out the shape on each balloon they catch before passing it on!
Learn More: Kidspot
36. Origami Shape Art
Your little ones will combine art and geometry in this unforgettable learning experience! Simply provide them with colored paper and then guide them in making the correct folds to create adorable origami shapes.
Learn More: Red Ted Art
37. Interactive Shape Flashcards
Introduce these interactive shape flashcards to your classroom! Engage your kiddos in a variety of ways by having them identify the shape on each card or challenging them to guess the number of sides. This visual learning experience is sure to keep your kiddos immersed in the world of shapes.
Learn More: Mom Plan-It Vacation Blog
38. Pasta Shapes Activity
Inject some flair into your learners’ geometry lessons by having them work with abstract shapes! Supply them with different shapes of pasta and then challenge them with sorting the pasta into its correct shape group.
Learn More: Bored Teachers
39. Tissue Paper Shapes
Add a pop of color to your classroom with these stained-glass shapes! Task your kiddos with cutting out different shapes from colored tissue paper. Then, have them use glue to stick their shapes onto paper before prompting them to coat each shape with a layer of glue. As the glue dries, they will be mesmerized by the intricate stained-glass effect that forms over their design.
Learn More: Deep Space Sparkle
40. Shape Mobile
Instil a sense of whimsical wonder into your lessons on geometry with this hands-on craft! Simply invite your little ones to cut out shapes from colored cardboard. They can then use string to attach their shapes onto a small wooden rod, stick, or straw. Afterward, hang their mobiles around the classroom for them to admire as they twirl and swing in the wind.
Learn More: My Bored Toddler
41. Shape Wrapping Paper
Here’s another crafty activity that’s all about shapes! Task your learners with creating shape wrapping paper by having them use stamps, glitter, crayons, and more to decorate blank wrapping paper. This activity is a fantastic way to pique their interest in shapes while they create something that’s both beautiful and useful.
Learn More: The Imagination Tree
42. Memory Match Shape Game
Treat your kids to a memory game that’s all about shapes. Challenge them with flipping over shape cards to try and match each card with its corresponding shape. It’s a game, a lesson, and a memory booster all packed into one fun-filled activity!
Learn More: Life Over C’s
79 Cool School Jokes For Kids