Five Ways to Explore Shapes

Shapes are everywhere! From the circle of a clock to the square of a window, learning shapes can be a fun adventure for kids and families. By exploring shapes in everyday objects and activities, children can develop essential skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and fine motor coordination—all while having fun!

Here are some easy, hands-on activities to explore shapes: 

Shape Hunt Adventure

• Give your child a list or simple drawing of shapes to find: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, etc.
• Set a timer and see how many items they can find in each shape category (e.g., a round clock, a square pillow, or a rectangular book).
• Have your child group the items together and share their discoveries.
• Take your shape hunt outside to make it more fun! Look for shapes on cars, road signs, playgrounds, or in nature (e.g., the circular center of a flower).
   

Shape Snack Time

• Use snacks like crackers, fruit, cheese, and sandwiches to explore shapes. For example:
  • Circle: Grapes, cucumber slices, or crackers.
  • Square: Cheese slices or sandwich pieces.
  • Triangle: Cut sandwiches or tortillas into triangles.
  • Let your child sort the snacks by shape before eating.
     

Shape Sorting Station

• Gather items of different shapes around the house (e.g., lids, building blocks, buttons, cookie cutters).
• Label a few containers or trays with shape names (circle, square, triangle, rectangle).
• Ask your child to sort the objects into the correct containers based on their shape.
• Challenge for older kids: Look for items that might fit into more than one category—like a square toy with circular wheels!
   

Shape Storytime and Drawing

• Read books that focus on shapes, such as:
  • “Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh
  • “The Shape of Things” by Dayle Ann Dodds
  • “Shapes, Shapes, Shapes” by Tana Hoban
• After reading, give your child paper and crayons and ask them to draw their favorite part of the story using only shapes (e.g., a house made of rectangles and triangles).
   

Shape Yoga and Movement

• Call out a shape, and encourage your child to form that shape with their body:
  • Circle: Curl up like a ball.
  • Triangle: Stand with legs apart and arms raised to form a point.
  • Square: Use arms and legs to create straight lines.
  • Play fun music and let kids hold each shape for 10 seconds before moving to the next one.
• Active Play: Draw shapes with chalk on the ground and have kids hop, skip, or run to a specific shape when you call it out.
   

Why Exploring Shapes Matters

Exploring shapes through play helps children develop important early learning skills, including:

• Math readiness (recognizing shapes, sorting, and comparing).
• Fine motor skills (cutting, building, and drawing shapes).
• Language development (naming and describing shapes).
• Problem-solving and critical thinking (sorting and categorizing objects)
• Best of all, these activities encourage creativity, curiosity, and family bonding!