Geometric shapes for first graders

Geometry and Shapes for Kids: Activities that Captivate –

Learn and build with the geometry and shapes for kids. Tons of fun math activities included and a FREE pattern block symmetry activity!

Were you searching Pinterest or googling to find engaging, hands-on geometry and shapes for kids? Are you looking for lessons and activity ideas that are fun and build a strong understanding of shapes and geometry? Then you have come to the right place!

Geometry and Shapes for Kids

The math tips and strategies you need to teach geometry in primary grades are right here. You will have everything you need to quickly implement and bring a wealth of geometry activities, games, and centers into your classroom or home.

The activities, books, math unit, and other resource suggestions (including a FREE one) cover a ton of geometry concepts and are perfect for Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. Plus, find valuable geometry materials and manipulative suggestions, as well as freebies you can access today! This post is filled with a ton of value for you as you teach.

Why is it Important to Teach Geometry and Shapes for Kids?

Children need many opportunities to learn about shapes. Learning to identify and understand what the different shapes are, as well as their parts are important concepts. Each day children are exposed to shapes in their environment. They see and interact with them everywhere daily. They need to be able to recognize shapes, verbalize what they see, and understand why they are there.

We want children to see a shape and make a connection. When they look at the wheel of a car, we want them to process that image as a circle, a shape they have learned to label. Eventually, we want children to decipher between shapes and understand formal definitions of shapes. When they look at a cracker, we want them to process that image as a square, since it has four equal sides.

As children learn each geometric concept, they will move onto the next stage of understanding. A strong knowledge of shapes is vital for learning more complex geometry concepts later.

The activities below are ones that will help develop an understanding of shapes. Use them as they are described or adapt them to your own needs. Have conversations about shapes and encourage questions. When a child notices shapes in their environment, let them share with the class! Make time for fun and engaging geometry activities daily in your math center and free play areas.

Geometry and Shapes for Kids Activities

Two Dimensional Shapes

The first stage in learning about geometry is being able to identify, name, and describe 2-dimensional shapes. Talking about shapes whenever you see them and having shape posters on the wall are helpful to kids! Have plenty of shape manipulatives available to explore and “play” with.

Activities

Create a detailed anchor chart for each 2D shape you are teaching. Draw the shape and label and describe how many sides and corners each has.

Teach a shape with a catchy song or poem to help them remember what it is called and its parts.

Use colored popsicle sticks to form the 2D shapes with straight sides. Leave them in a center for kids to put together independently.

Play and get creative with tangrams. See what pictures kids can make.

Pattern blocks are also fun, hands-on manipulatives that encourage kids to create. They are the perfect addition to any math tub!

Bring out the geoboards and practice forming shapes using elastic bands.

Let kids form shapes in a hands-on way with Playdough.
Reinforce learning about shapes with engaging printable activities perfect for the primary classroom!

Practice forming shapes using different tools, such as do-a-dot markers or stickers.

Make simple crafts using shape pieces cut out of construction paper. Let them invent a shape by combining shape pieces to make new ones.
Check for understanding with small, focused tasks. Review the recognition of shapes quickly with flashcards.

Draw shapes for practice using a Boogie Board or other draw and erase tool. Being able to draw basic shapes is essential for bringing other more complicated things later.

Three Dimensional Shapes

Just like 2D shapes, being able to identify, name, and describe 3-dimensional shapes is important! Our world is made up of 3D shapes, and we need to recognize them to make sense of things. Make sure to have geometric solids available to hold and interact with, as well as posters to refer to.

Activities

Create a detailed anchor chart for each 3D shape you are teaching. Draw the shape and label and describe how many edges, vertices, and faces each has.
Teach a 3D shape with a catchy song or poem to help them remember what it is called and its parts.

Form 3D shapes in a hands-on way with small balls of rolled up clay and toothpicks to hold everything together.
Let kids form geometric solids using Playdough.
Play games to reinforce understanding and recognition of geometric solids: shape Bump and Scoot are two engaging choices.

Get creative with foam blocks and build a tower or other structure.
Kids love magnetic pieces that can be joined to form 3D objects. Have a bin of these available during free play or STEM time.

Teach kids how to draw a geometric solid shape in steps. They will be surprised at how simple it is!
Look through old magazines for pictures of the different 3D shapes. Add the pictures to a class anchor chart.
Puzzles, clip cards, and matching activities are great for shape recall and building fluency.

Shapes in the Environment

The main goal of teaching children about shapes is for them to be able to see shapes in the environment and to interact with the environment because of that understanding. Get kids to talk about what they see continuously and encourage them to share.

Activities

Create an anchor chart with examples of each shape in their world. Let kids give and draw the suggestions of what each shape “looks like…”.
Look around the classroom and point out different shapes.
Play games where kids must recognize what object is what shape. Give this Bingo game a try!

Go on a scavenger hunt outside and take note of what is seen.
Take photos of real-world examples of shapes. Add the photos to a class pocket chart.

Read books about shapes in the real world. The Shape of Things is a good book with lots of picture examples.

Compare & Sort Shapes

Provide opportunities for kids to compare different shapes with each other. Once an understanding is developed with the parts of shapes, teach children to sort shapes based on one or two attributes.

Activities

Provide small groups of either 2D or 3D shapes per pair of students. Ask them to take turns sorting shapes and let the other person try to guess their sorting rule.
Place shapes in a pile in front of the class. Ask them to sort the shapes into their type or by following a particular rule.
Sort 2D or 3D picture cards by a given attribute as a class or in a center

Symmetry

Teach kids at a young age about reflectional symmetry, which is a mirror image. Show kids that if you draw a line down the center of an image, both sides will match up. This is called the line of symmetry. Some shapes have one line of symmetry, and others have more. Expose them also to symmetry found in nature and their environment.

Activities

Ask kids to find symmetrical things in the classroom and share them with the class.
Go outside on a nature walk and look for symmetrical things.
Use pattern blocks to create symmetrical pictures. Given half a pattern block picture, create the mirror image. Grab these FREE pattern block symmetry cards below!

Create a Lego structure with a friend by placing the same pieces down together on both sides.

Build something symmetrical using small objects, such as blocks.
Create a piece of art using the concept of symmetry. Fold a piece of paper and paint only on one side. Fold the paper together to create symmetrical paint blotches.

Geometry and Shapes Resources for K-2

The activities seen in this post can be found in the following resources.

Kindergarten Geometry & Shapes Unit

First Grade Geometry Math Unit

Second Grade Geometry & Fractions Unit

Free Pattern Block Symmetry Pictures

Print off a set of these to go with your pattern blocks to create an easy math center. Kids will enjoy creating symmetrical designs!

Grab FREE pattern block symmetry pictures for your math center by clicking the image below.

Geometry & Shapes Books

Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayes
Go, Shapes, Go by Denise Fleming
When a Line Bends…a Shape Begins by Rhonda Greene
Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban
The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds
Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy
Jump, Kangaroo, Jump by Stuart J. Murphy
If You Were a Polygon by Marcie Aboff
If You Were a Quadrilateral by Marcie Aboff
Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns
Shape Up! by David Adler
Three Pigs, One Wolf, Seven Magic Shapes by Grace Maccarone
Shape by Henry Pluckrose
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Walsh
Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald
Shapes! by National Geographic Kids
Captain Invisible and the Space Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy

Geometry Materials

Try the Mindful Math Comprehensive Program

Read about the Mindful Math program and how it can change your math block in positive ways! This comprehensive math curriculum is available for Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

More Math Activities for Kids

Number of the Day Activities

Addition and Subtraction to 20 Activities for the Classroom

Number Sense Activities to 20

Learning Fractions

FREE Number Sense Email Series

Sign up for the building number sense email series filled with effective strategies, must try activities, and FREE resources to build routines in your classroom. Everything you need to help kids grow their number sense and have fun at the same time!

First Name

Personal Email Address

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.

I'd like to receive the free email course.

This form collects information I will use to send weekly emails with strategies, promotions, and resources. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

21+ First Grade Shapes Worksheets To Teach Geometry

Supplemental resources, like first grade shapes worksheets, will help your students progress past kindergarten core geometry concepts into the two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric shapes and associated concepts required for first grade math.

What Is Geometry in First Grade?

First grade geometry concentrates on three main concepts: identify, compose, partition. Students learn to Identify and distinguish between defining attributes (closed points, number of sides) and non-defining attributes (color, size), and build shapes based on their attributes.

They will learn to compose two dimensional and three dimensional shapes made from combining two or more other shapes (two triangles can make a square). Students will also learn to partition shapes into shares, to describe them using basic fraction terms, and to understand that this partitioning creates smaller shares.

In partnership with Teach Simple, whose marketplace is full of educational materials created by actual teachers (plus 50% of all revenues go to them), I’ve gathered 21 first grade geometry shape worksheets to help inspire your students and liven up your classroom geometry routine!

What Is Geometry in First Grade?
Best First Grade Shapes Worksheets
- Geometry Task and Drill Sheets
- Shape Counting Worksheet
- Side Counting Worksheet
- Sorting Shapes Worksheet
- Constructing Shapes Worksheet
- Shapes Alphabetical Order Worksheet
- Drawing Shapes By Attributes
- Drawing Shapes by the Rules
- Identify 2D Shapes Worksheet
- Compare 2D and 3D Shapes Worksheet
- Construct 2D and 3D Shapes Worksheet
- 3D Shapes Worksheet
- 2D and 3D Shapes Worksheet
- 3D Shapes Sorting Worksheet
- Triangles, Rectangles, or Neither Worksheet
- Know Your Shapes Worksheet
- Identify Real Life Shapes Worksheet
- Finding Geometry Examples Worksheet
- Shape Scavenger Hunt Worksheet
- Geometry Drill Sheets Vol 1-6
- Geometry Word Problems Vol 1-5
What Shapes Should a 1st Grader Know?
Check Out These Additional 1st Grade Resources

Best First Grade Shapes Worksheets

Geometry Task and Drill Sheets

These task and drill sheets will help young students become familiar with geometric shapes. They use a variety of exercises to engage the learner and encourage a deeper understanding to progress past the basic geometric concepts learned in kindergarten.

Download Here

Shape Counting Worksheet

Students can practice several concepts including, shape identification, numbers and counting, and writing with this worksheet. They will write the numeral and the word for each number of shapes in the corresponding boxes.

Download Here

Side Counting Worksheet

On this simple yet effective worksheet, students will write the numeral and the word for the number of sides each shape has in the corresponding box.

Download Here

Sorting Shapes Worksheet

Your young learners get to combine colors with shapes in this fun worksheet. To begin, students will read instructions assigning each shape a corresponding color. The total number of the shapes in a given category can be recorded on the back of the page.

Download Here

Constructing Shapes Worksheet

For your kinesthetic-tactile learners, this worksheet guides young students through constructing geometric shapes with clay and toothpicks.

Download Here

Shapes Alphabetical Order Worksheet

Children will continue to strengthen their skills with the alphabet as they order these shapes accordingly, all in one worksheet.

Download Here

Drawing Shapes By Attributes

This is a fun worksheet to help the kids learn the attributes of geometric shapes and identify non-defining attributes as well. Attributes include size, color, number of sides, and closed or open.

Download Here

Drawing Shapes by the Rules

Develop your students two-dimensional shape skills with this writing and drawing worksheet. Children will draw the shapes and identify some of their attributes in the spaces provided.

Download Here

Identify 2D Shapes Worksheet

This is a fun two-dimensional geometry worksheet that asks children to identify like shapes and color them with a corresponding color.

Download Here

Compare 2D and 3D Shapes Worksheet

This is an interactive worksheet with cut-outs that kids can use with the charts on the attached pages to sort the two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes in various ways based on their similarities.

Download Here

Construct 2D and 3D Shapes Worksheet

This is a fun worksheet for your kinesthetic-tactile learners. Students are given a selection of materials provided by the instructor to build a two-dimensional and three-dimensional object, then write the defining attributes of each in the spaces provided.

Download Here

3D Shapes Worksheet

Bright colors and recognizable shapes make this worksheet fun and engaging. Children are asked to match the three-dimensional objects taken from real life to their corresponding geometric name.

Download Here

2D and 3D Shapes Worksheet

This bubble worksheet helps your students learn to identify two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects.

Download Here

3D Shapes Sorting Worksheet

This fun visual worksheet applies the basic principles of geometry and three-dimensional shapes to real-life objects. Students cut and paste the correct three-dimensional shape to the corresponding box on page 2 of the worksheet.

Download Here

Triangles, Rectangles, or Neither Worksheet

Students get to color while they learn with this worksheet. They will practice identifying defining attributes vs. non-defining attributes by circling the correct shape with the correct color crayon.

Download Here

Know Your Shapes Worksheet

Once again, get your kids practicing how to distinguish between two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects by applying the appropriate corresponding color.

Download Here

Identify Real Life Shapes Worksheet

Get out your crayons because this worksheet involves coloring! Students will color the two-dimensional shapes in their corresponding color. Each object has shapes inside shapes to challenge them a bit on their shape knowledge.

Download Here

Finding Geometry Examples Worksheet

This worksheet asks students to find two-dimensional objects they see in their environment and document them in the corresponding boxes. They learn to identify the attributes of these two-dimensional shapes and develop their vocabulary, spelling, and notetaking skills.

Download Here

Shape Scavenger Hunt Worksheet

This worksheet will get your kids up and moving! Students need to find shapes around the classroom that match the three-dimensional shapes on the worksheet.

They will also learn how to recognize everyday objects as three-dimensional geometric shapes while practicing spelling and writing too.

Download Here

Geometry Drill Sheets Vol 1-6

If you’re looking for a super thorough and semester-long resource, the next few are for you!

These resources inspire students to learn geometry basics in fun new ways. Each volume in this Geometry Drill Sheet Collection contains:

Both warm-up and timed drill activities
Diverse content and various difficulty levels
Two and three dimensional shapes
Fractions
Coordinate points
Composing and decomposing shapes
Incorporation of the use of technology, where appropriate

The six volumes in this drill set work steadily through core competencies. They bring students from basic geometric shapes to discussing geometric shapes and their partitions in fraction terms. These packets also contain bonus education materials including additional worksheets, full-color activity posters, review sheets, and rubrics.

Download Geometry Drill Sheets Vol 1

Geometry Word Problems Vol 1-5

These geometry word problem sheets are available in 5 different volumes and are great for teaching cross-functional lessons as they combine math, reading, and writing skill development. Each sheet will:

Build on their existing geometric and mathematics vocabulary while introducing new concepts using word problems about real-life student experiences
Provide diverse content and difficulty levels
Focus on two and three dimensional shapes, fractions, coordinate points, and composing and decomposing shapes
Incorporate the use of technology, where appropriate

Download Geometry Word Problems Vol 1

What Shapes Should a 1st Grader Know?

Throughout the year, first-grade students build on their shapes knowledge that they learned in kindergarten and gain a deeper understanding of the relationship that shapes and decomposed shapes have with whole and fractional measurement. Some key shapes that 1st graders should know by the end of the year include:

two-dimensional shapes: rectangles, trapezoids, squares, triangles, half-circles, circles
three-dimensional shapes: cubes, spheres, cylinders, pyramids, cones
Halves (such as the fact that two halves make one whole) and fourths

With so many to choose from, you’re sure to find a first grade shapes worksheet that will help teach these fundamental geometry skills to your young students.

About the Author
My name is Hannah and I love learning so much that I made it a career. I enjoy getting to know people’s learning and teaching styles and helping them get the most out of their classroom. For the last nine years, I have been writing, developing, and editing content for a variety of topics and professions. When I am not involved in all things education, you can find me out in my garden, volunteering with my Rotary Club, and cooking delicious meals for my family.

we learn flat and three-dimensional geometric shapes

Masaru Ibuka in his book “After three it's too late” claims that in the first three years of life a child has the highest potential for learning and development, so inaction is akin to a crime.

Of course, we may feel that the child is too small. And what can he learn if he cannot even speak? But the brain of a child, like a sponge, absorbs all the information around it. And it depends on the parents what the child will learn at this age.

Is it worth it to start learning geometric shapes at such an early age? Undoubtedly. The child lives in an environment of geometric shapes. The knowledge you give should not be divorced from your daily life. Mom is the guide of the baby in this world, and it is absolutely not necessary for her to have a degree in order to tell the child how the world works.

Why should a child learn geometric shapes?

The first three years of a child's life is a period of development of brain cells, when a solid foundation for new achievements is formed. Already at 3-4 months, the baby is able to distinguish forms. This does not mean that the time has come to memorize the names of geometric shapes, but when talking with a baby, a mother may try to use the phrases: “Here is our favorite round saucer”, “Let's see what's in a square box” and the like.

Knowledge of geometric shapes helps:

develop spatial thinking, orientation in space;
broaden one's horizons;
develop the ability to compare, analyze, summarize and highlight the main thing, classify;
to replenish vocabulary.

And, of course, the knowledge acquired by a preschooler will serve him as an excellent help in studying mathematics at school.

How to teach geometric shapes with a preschooler?

Education for preschoolers should be built in the form of an exciting game.
No need to scold the child if he did not remember the names of the figures from 1 time, even if from 31 - it's not worth it.
Do not forget to organically weave geometric knowledge into life: “give a square box”, “take an apple from a round plate”.
On the way to the garden, look for rectangular or round objects, compete to find and name the most.
In the game arsenal you should have toys of the correct geometric shape - balls, cubes, designer parts.
Usually kids like to help their mother in the kitchen. Get round, square, rectangular molds and bake edible geometric shapes.
It is important to use tactile memory when studying figures. It will be much more interesting for a child not only to see, but also to feel, stroke, and maybe even lick the object of study.
Load the child's brain in doses, gradually supplementing with information. For example, when studying shapes, repeat colors as well: “Look, what a blue oval it turned out to be.”

Basic Shape Memorization Techniques

There are many techniques and techniques that will make memorizing shapes interesting for children. The choice of methods will depend on the age and knowledge of the child.

Before reaching the age of 1.5, we pronounce the surrounding objects aloud, supplying our story with information about the shape (let's take a round apple).
At the age of 1.5 - 2 years, we use pictures, color the figures, use sorters to study the figures. We start with the simplest - the circle. We will connect the rest of the figures only after the child has learned the concept of "circle".
From the age of 2 until reaching school age, we can apply all existing methods, following from simple to complex.

When studying geometric figures, it is important to proceed in stages. You should start with light shapes: circle, square, triangle, rhombus, rectangle, oval. Knowledge of these figures is available for children 2-3 years old.

Older children, 4-5 years old, include in their vocabulary and use the idea of a trapezoid, parallelogram, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, decagon and other polygons. They already know how to analyze, so they can easily compare and find differences between figures.

Senior preschool children get acquainted with three-dimensional figures: cylinder, pyramid, cube, ball, cone, prism.

Let's analyze some variants of techniques for studying geometric shapes:

1. Sorter - looking for a "house" for each shape. The child will not only remember the figures, but will also develop fine motor skills, coupled with thinking.

2. Modeling . Sculpt geometric shapes with your baby - you simply can’t imagine a better activity for developing fine motor skills of hands and perseverance.

3. Three-dimensional stickers and magnets depicting geometric shapes can also help the child fix the names of the shapes in memory.

4. Looking for halves of . Cut the geometric shapes into two parts, mix and invite the baby to find the other half.

5. Applications . You can also make a geometric application from cut out figures. For example, a house (square + triangle), Christmas tree, car.

6. Outline dashed geometric shapes .

7. Color or shade the geometric shapes you suggested .

7. Finish the figure according to the sample.

8. Draw figures using stencils.

9. Listen to a fairy tale where the main characters are geometric figures, and then draw what you hear.

10. Put figures of different shapes into an opaque bag and suggest guessing the shape of the object by touch.

11. An excellent game for the development of memory and attentiveness. An adult prepares cut out figures of different colors and sizes and lays them out in front of the baby. They discuss colors, name the figures, and then the adult hides the figure. The task of the child is to find and name which figure is not.

12. Laying out geometric figures with counting sticks or matches. When the child masters this skill, you can move on to a more difficult level - solve puzzles. For example, remove one match to make a triangle.

13. Associations . Invite the child to name objects that a circle or rectangle looks like.

14. Laces and various insert frames , for example, Nikitin squares, where you need to recreate a square from several objects, or Segen boards, where you need to insert the missing part.

15. Outdoor games . For example, an oval, a triangle, a square, a rectangle are drawn on the asphalt. At the command of an adult, the child must find the named figure and stand in it.

16. Videos . There are a large number of cartoons and educational materials about geometric shapes. Watch the video with the baby and be sure to discuss what you see.

17. Find on the Internet and print out pictures that artists draw with geometric shapes, and invite your child to count how many circles, rectangles, etc. are there. objects (for example, ball = ball). And, of course, to involve the study of the subject through games:

Finding a three-dimensional figure from a flat pattern is an excellent exercise for developing spatial thinking.
"Sleuth". Children are given an “orientation” - a flat drawing of the desired figure from all sides. Children need to match the pictures and find the right shape.
Create a 3D model yourself. An adult can print stencils from the Internet. It remains for the child to bend along the lines and glue to make a figure.
Models, origami - you can try with your child to create your own voluminous paper toy.
Constructor. Build a tower or a castle for the princess with the help of details. This game will contribute to the development of fine motor skills, imagination, understanding the properties of three-dimensional figures.

The study of geometric figures should not become torture for a child and an adult. Choose the method that's right for you. Show patience and ingenuity, and then the result will not be long in coming. Most importantly, do not forget to encourage the child for his new discoveries and repeat the knowledge gained from time to time.

Mathematics and logic for children 7-13 years old

We develop logical thinking through solving plot mathematical problems in an interactive game format

learn more

Geometric shapes for children

Home

Tasks for children "Learn geometric shapes" will allow kids to remember the simplest geometric shapes in a relaxed and easy way. In the first task, the child needs to connect the two parts of the parts indicated in the tables and draw the resulting figures in empty frames, and in the second, name the figures that make up the pictures and color them.