Teaching shapes and colors are fundamental for early childhood education. It is the foundation for all other learning and is essential for the brain development of toddlers. The visual information helps them identify the basic shapes within more compound shapes. It also helps them differentiate between letters, like B and D, when learning the alphabet. It initiates the understanding of shapes as symbols for the beginning of mathematical concepts like addition and subtraction. It also introduces geographical and navigation skills, such as road signs and recognition of mountains, houses and shapes of faces. Using shapes to teach symmetry also helps a child understand balance, which aids them in developing motor skills.
Adding music and movement skills to learning establishes many school-ready skills including intellectual, social-emotional, language, motor and literacy. Exposing young children to music helps them learn to distinguish sounds and meanings of words as well as initiating the body and mind working together.
Once children identify the basic shapes, they will begin to recognize those shapes in everyday objects and structures. Then, they will develop problem-solving skills as they explore the complexities of 2D and 3D shapes.
We've compiled a list of resources to help you teach shapes to your Preschooler. Use the videos, poems and familiar tunes to make playtime educational!
Videos to Teach Shapes with Songs
1. The Shape Name Game
Uses fun and upbeat music, shows the basic shapes and asks the child to repeat the name, so they have visual and auditory cues for each chape.
Learn more: Have Fun Teaching
2. The Shape Train
Uses a brightly colored choo-choo train to teach the shapes.
Learn more: Vidz 4 Kids
3. Busy Beavers Shape Song
Cute animated beavers sing a catchy tune while pointing out brightly colored shapes in everyday objects and structures.
Learn more: Busy Beavers - Kids Learn ABCs 123s & More
4. I am a Shape: Mister Maker
Funny little shapes sing and dance and will make the little ones giggle and wiggle.
Learn more: Maji X Herb
5. The Shape Song Swingalong
Teaches children how to draw the shapes and set to music for some wonderful kinesthetic learning!
Learn more: Barefoot Books
6. The Shapes Song by Kids TV 123
Uses colors and simple shapes to teach the basics.
Learn more: Kids TV 123
7. The Shapes Song 2 by Kids TV123
A more mellow tune with the same bright visuals.
Learn more: Kids TV 123
8. Learn Shapes for Kids with Blippi
Energetic performers with a hip hop beat to learn the shapes.
Learn more: Blippi - Educational Videos for Kids
9. Shape Song by CocoMelon
Slow, repetitive lines and engaging visuals teach the shapes and then reinforce it by recognizing shapes in everyday objects.
Learn more: Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes
10. The Shape Song by ABCMouse.com
This fast-moving song shows how to find shapes in familiar things.
Learn more: ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy
11. Bob the Train
Shapes Song for Kids and Baby: Sweet train engine introduces the shapes by saying hello to each one as they join his caboose.
Learn more: Kids TV - Nursery Rhymes and Baby Songs
Poems to Teach Shapes
12. Cindy Circle
Cindy Circle is my name.
Round and round I play my game.
Start at the top and around the bend.
Up we go, there is no end.
13. Sammy Square
Sammy Square is my name.
My four sides and angles are just the same.
Slide or flip me, I don’t care
I’m always the same, I’m a square!
14. Ricky Rectangle
Ricky Rectangle is my name.
My four angles are the same.
My sides are sometimes short or long.
Hear me sing my happy song.
15. Trisha Triangle
Trisha Triangle is the name for me.
Tap my sides one, two, three.
Flip me, slide me, you will see...
A kind of triangle I’ll always be!
16. Danny Diamond
I am Danny Diamond
I am like a kite
But I'm really just a square
Whose corners are pulled tight
17. Opal Oval
Opal Oval is my name.
The circle and I are not the same.
The circle is round, as round can be.
I am shaped like an egg as you can see
18. Harry Heart
Harry Heart is my name
The shape I make is my fame
With a point on the bottom and two humps on top
When it comes to love I just can't stop!
19. Sarah Star
I am Sarah Star
You can see me twinkle from afar
My five points make me complete
When I'm brightly shining I can't be beat
20. Olly Octagon
Olly Octagon is my name
The shape of a stop sign is the same.
My eight sides are fun to count
How about you try it out!
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8!
21. The Shape Song Family
I am mamma circle,
round like a pie.
I'm baby triangle,
three sides have I.
I am papa square,
my sides are four.
I am cousin rectangle,
shaped like a door.
I am brother oval,
shaped like a zero.
I am sister diamond,
with a sparkle and glow.
We are the shapes that you all know.
Look for us wherever you go!
Shape Songs Set to Familiar Tunes
22. Shapes
(Sung to Are You Sleeping?)
This is a square. This is a square.
Can you tell? Can you tell?
It has four sides, all the same size.
It’s a square. It’s a square.
This is a circle. This is a circle.
Can you tell? Can you tell?
It goes round and round. No end can be found.
It’s a circle. It’s a circle.
This is a triangle. This is a triangle.
Can you tell? Can you tell?
It only has three sides that join to make three corners.
It’s a triangle. It’s a triangle.
This is a rectangle. This is a rectangle.
Can you tell? Can you tell?
My sides are sometimes short or long.
I sing a happy song.
It’s a rectangle. It’s a rectangle.
23.The Square Song
(Sung to You Are My Sunshine)
I am a square, a silly square.
I have four sides; they’re all the same.
I have four corners, four silly corners.
I am a square, and that’s my name.
24. The Rolling Circle Song
(Sung to Have You Ever Seen A Lassie)
Have you ever seen a circle, a circle, a circle?
Have you ever seen a circle, which goes round and round?
It rolls this way and that way, and that way and this way.
Have you ever seen a circle, which goes round and round?
25. Make A Triangle
(Sung to Three Blind Mice)
One, two, three; one, two, three.
Do you see? Do you see?
Up the hill and to the top.
Down the hill—and then you stop.
Straight across; tell me what you’ve got?
A triangle—a triangle!
26. Make A Square
(Sung to Twinkle, Twinkle)
From the bottom to the top
Straight across and then you stop.
Straight down to the bottom again
Across and stop where you began.
If the lines are the same size
Then a square is your surprise.
27. Make A Circle
(Sung to Pop Goes the Weasel)
Round and round on the paper I go.
What fun to go around like so.
What have I made, do you know?
I made a circle!
28. The Shape Song
(Sung to Farmer in the Dell)
A circle’s like a ball,
A circle’s like a ball,
Round and round, it never stops,
A circle’s like a ball.
An oval is like a face,
An oval is like a face,
Draw some eyes, a nose and mouth,
An oval is like a face.
A square is like a box,
A square is like a box,
It has 4 sides, they are the same,
A square is like a box.
A triangle has 3 sides,
A triangle has 3 sides,
Up the mountain, down and back,
A triangle has 3 sides.
A rectangle has 4 sides,
A rectangle has 4 sides,
Two are long and two are short,
A rectangle has 4 sides.
See the Sea and Sing Along with Me!