Learning shapes for kids

Games for Kids on Shapes Online

Interactive Shape Games Online

Kids are curious by nature and have dynamic learning capabilities. Are you a parent to a toddler who is growing increasingly observant of their surroundings? Or does your five-year-old get bored quickly with traditional learning methods? As their parent or teacher, you can take small steps to kindle your child’s inherent curiosity and make learning a fun process.

Online shape games for kids are one of the best ways to teach your kids about basic shapes and figures. Encourage your young child to play a variety of shape learning games to build a strong foundation in geometry, so that they can thrive as they move on to higher grades.

Math shape games such as 2D shapes games, 3D shapes games, flat and solid shapes games, etc. can be the perfect instruments for your child to flourish harmoniously in the world of geometry.

Some other math games that you can explore are: addition games, subtraction games, multiplication games, division games, geometry games, measurement games, algebra games, etc.

How do we introduce shapes to kids?

You can use online geometric shape games for introducing shapes to children. Learning is a complex process, and kids are likely to face challenges occasionally while learning about shapes. Online games help to introduce the concept of shapes with less difficulty.

These shape learning games can help toddlers to identify different shapes, and kindergarteners in assigning shape names to real-world objects. Kids can also practice familiar shapes in different sizes or unusual orientations. Such games are also designed to address common issues in practicing shapes and help your child in overcoming them successfully.

How can we make shapes fun for kids?

Practicing and learning about shapes can be extremely fun and engaging with shape games for kids. These games help kids practice basic geometrical concepts and ensure that the kids look forward to learning more. They are specifically designed keeping young children in mind, and as such they are creative, colorful and eye-catching!

How can games help in better understanding of shapes?

Interactive shape games online can be used to practice 2D shapes, 3D shapes, flat shapes and solid shapes. These games pack a punch with exciting characters, radiant shapes, and interesting real-life scenarios that help children to understand shapes in a practical manner. Students are able to identify shapes all around them in the real world.

FAQs

1. How can kids practice shapes?

Math shape games can be used by kids to practice shapes online. They can learn to identify shapes in different orientations, identify curved surfaces, identify shape partitions, match different shapes, and much more.

2. How to teach shapes?

The concept of shapes can be taught by incorporating various online games into a child’s learning routine. Crucial geometrical skills like counting the sides, faces and vertices, finding parallel sides, identifying kites, rhombuses and parallelograms, composing objects from shapes, finding right angles, recognizing different 2D and 3D shapes, relating thirds to a whole, etc. can be learned and excelled through these games online.

3. How can I help my child understand shapes?

Geometric shape games are specifically designed to be fun, interactive, and lively. You can support your child by encouraging them to play these games repeatedly until they understand a certain concept. Be gentle with your child and motivate them at every stage of their development. Learning shapes can be an extremely fun and creative process with online games. They facilitate learning and deepen children’s understanding about different types of shapes.

4. How can kids play games on shapes?

Games based on geometrical shapes are available on a variety of websites and apps. Kids can use these online games to achieve mastery over mathematical concepts. These geometrical games include rich subject matter and vibrant visuals that make math practice fun and easy.

5. What are the best fun shapes activities for kids?

Some activities to practice shapes are: sorting different objects by their shape, going on a shape hunt by identifying different shapes in your surroundings, blowing shape bubbles, identifying various shapes in a pizza, hopping along a crayon shape maze, etc.

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25 Creative Activities and Ideas For Learning Shapes

Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. This readies them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. We’ve rounded up our favorite activities for learning shapes, both 2-D and 3-D. They all work well in the classroom or at home.

1. Start with an anchor chart

Colorful anchor charts like these are terrific reference tools for kids learning shapes. Have kids help you come up with examples for each one.

Learn more: A Spoonful of Learning/Kindergarten Kindergarten

2. Sort items by shape

Collect items from around the classroom or house, then sort them by their shapes. This is a fun way for kids to realize that the world around them is full of circles, squares, triangles, and more.

Learn more: Busy Toddler/Shape-Sorting

3.

Snack on some shapes

Everyone loves a learning activity you can eat! Some food items are already the perfect shape; for others, you’ll have to get a little creative.

Learn more: Chieu Anh Urban

4. Print with shape blocks

Grab your shape blocks and some washable paint, then stamp shapes to form a design or picture.

Learn more: Pocket of Preschool

5. Go on a shape hunt

These “magnifying glasses” make an adventure of learning shapes! Tip: Laminate them for long-term use.

Learn more: Nurture Store UK

6. Hop along a shape maze

Use sidewalk chalk to lay out a shape maze on the playground or driveway. Choose a shape and hop from one to the next, or call out a different shape for every jump!

Learn more: Creative Family Fun

7. Assemble a truck from shapes

Cut out a variety of shapes (excellent scissors skills practice!), then assemble a series of trucks and other vehicles.

Learn more: Little Family Fun

8. Stretch out shapes on geoboards

Teachers and kids love geoboards, and they’re a great tool for learning shapes. Give students example cards to follow, or ask them to figure out the method on their own.

Learn more: Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station

9. Drive on shaped roads

Use these free printable road mats to work on shapes. Bonus: Make your own road shapes from sentence strips!

Learn more: PK Preschool Mom

10. Find shapes in nature

Take your shape hunt outside and look for circles, rectangles, and more in nature. For another fun activity, gather items and use them to make shapes too.

Learn more: Nurture Store UK

11. Put together craft stick shapes

Add Velcro dots to the ends of wood craft sticks for quick and easy math toys. Write the names of each shape on the sticks for a self-correcting center activity.

Learn more: Surviving a Teacher’s Salary

12. Blow 3-D shape bubbles

This is a STEM activity that’s sure to fascinate everyone. Make 3-D shapes from straws and pipe cleaners, then dip them in a bubble solution to create tensile bubbles. So cool!

Learn more: Babble Dabble Do

13. Prep a shape pizza

Cover a paper plate “pizza” with lots of shape toppings, then count the number of each. Simple, but lots of fun and very effective.

Learn more: Mrs. Thompson’s Treasures

14. Construct shapes from toothpicks and Play-Doh

This is an excellent STEM challenge: how many shapes can you make using toothpicks and Play-Doh? Marshmallows work well for this activity too.

Learn more: Childhood 101

15. Outline shapes with stickers

Kids adore stickers, so they’ll enjoy filling in the outlines of the shapes they’re learning. They won’t realize it, but this gives them fine motor skills practice too!

Learn more: Busy Toddler/Sticker Shapes

16.

Lace shapes

Lacing cards have long been a classic, but we really like this version that uses drinking straws. Just cut them into pieces and glue them along the edges of the cards.

Learn more: Planning Playtime

17. Make shapes with LEGO bricks

LEGO math is always a winner! This activity also makes a good STEM challenge. Can your students figure out how to make a circle from straight-sided blocks?

Learn more: Pocket of Preschool

18. Categorize shapes by their attributes

Work on geometry terms like “sides” and “vertices” when you sort shapes using these attributes. Start by placing shapes into paper bags and asking students questions like, “The shape in this bag has 4 sides. What could it be?”

Learn more: Susan Jones Teaching

19. Count and graph shapes

These free printable worksheets challenge kids to identify shapes, then count and graph them. Lots of math skills, all in one!

Learn more: Playdough to Plato

20.

Create a shape monster

Add arms, legs, and faces to create cheery (or scary) shape monsters! These make for a fun classroom display.

Learn more: Fantastic Fun and Learning

21. Sift through rice for shapes

Sure, kids can identify their shapes by sight, but what about by touch? Bury blocks in a bowl of rice or sand, then have kids dig them out and guess the shape without seeing them first.

Learn more: Fun With Mama

22. Craft an ice cream cone

Ice cream cones are made up of several shapes. Encourage kids to see how many different ways they can make a sphere of “ice cream.”

Learn more: Extremely Good Parenting

23. Ask “What does the shape say?”

If you don’t mind the risk of getting that song stuck in your kids’ heads, this is such a neat way to combine writing and math.

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

24. Piece together shape puzzles

Use wood craft sticks to make simple puzzles for kids who are learning their shapes. These are inexpensive enough that you can make full sets for each of your students.

Learn more: Toddler at Play

25. Feed a shape monster

Turn paper bags into shape-eating monsters, then let kids fill their hungry bellies!

Learn more: Teach Pre-K

From teaching shapes to long division and everything in between, these are the 25 Must-Have Elementary Classroom Math Supplies You Can Count On.

Plus, 22 Active Math Games and Activities For Kids Who Love to Move.

Learning geometric shapes for children: methods, recommendations

Contents

When does a baby meet geometric shapes?
Why should a child learn geometric shapes?
5 rules for learning shapes
How to make geometric shapes interesting for children?
Montessori learning of figures
General recommendations for parents

Caring for the harmonious development of the child is the main responsibility of attentive parents. However, not all adults correctly approach the fulfillment of this mission. Some parents are engaged in the education of their children almost immediately after being discharged from the maternity hospital, others rely on eminent teachers and kindergarten teachers, and still others turn their treasure into a guinea pig, on which all the methods gleaned from manuals, audio materials or specialized Youtube channels are tested.

There is only one rule: you need to introduce your child to geometric shapes in an interesting, easy and unobtrusive way. No need to demand perseverance and attentiveness from the baby. It is better to include the acquisition of new knowledge in daily activities.

When does a baby meet geometric shapes?

There is nothing wrong with the fact that from the first months of life a child will hear from his parents phrases like “and now we will take a round ball”, “let's play with a triangular toy”, “what interesting things can be hidden in a square box?”. The main thing is not to impose classes on the baby and not to rush him.

With the right and careful approach, by the age of two, children will be able to distinguish a triangle and a circle from a square. At the age of 3, children get to know geometric shapes even closer. They additionally study the rectangle, rhombus and oval. Preschoolers should get acquainted with the trapezoid, ellipse and other complex geometric shapes.

In the learning process, it is recommended to combine traditional channels of information (books and educational magazines) with non-traditional ones (training video lessons and cartoons).

Why should a child learn geometric shapes?

The benefits of early development are hard to dispute. Active learning contributes to the formation of a harmonious and creative personality. If from an early age a child gets used to constantly learning new things, then there will be no difficulties with assimilation of information.

Why introduce a child to geometric shapes?

Each object has a property and a form. For example, we view the landscape on the street through a rectangular window, eat from a round plate, look into an oval mirror, and so on.
If the child masters the basic knowledge, then studying in elementary school will be an easy and exciting adventure for him.
The study of geometric shapes will allow the baby to play games that are not available to little fidgets who do not know what it is. For example, to dance "Wider circle".
Learning the shapes of objects helps the child expand their horizons and vocabulary.
Mastering new knowledge is training for the brain.

However, there will be no benefit in studying geometric figures if the whole process is reduced to coercion, boring memorization and constant control by parents. You don’t need to spend a lot of time on one task, as kids tend to be active and restless.

5 rules for learning figures

Remember that all the information that seems elementary to us is new to children. Not every child manages to remember everything at once, without confusion in definitions. Another mistake of the baby is not a reason for anger and increased demands of adults.

Rules for the study of figures:

Include the process of learning new things in everyday life. Give your child a book and tell them it's rectangular. At dinner, remind your baby that he eats from a round plate.
Use toys of the correct geometric shape: cubes, balls, designer parts.
Get feedback. Regularly ask what shape the roof of the house, the window, the wheel of the car resembles. Watch educational videos together and ask your child to retell what they heard and saw.
Buy rectangular pastry molds and try to bake delicious cookies with your child.
Play games where knowing the correct geometric shapes is especially useful. Ask your toddler to give you hints as you train your brain with Visual Geometry. A preschooler will be especially interested in the game "Complex Geometric Switching".

Assimilation of figures should be an exciting process that is not associated with tantrums and screams. It is important for parents to combine perseverance with a creative approach so that classes with a child do not turn into a boring duty.

How to make geometric shapes interesting for children?

There are many ways to introduce toddlers to objects and shapes. Let's consider the most interesting options:

Sorter is an exciting educational toy that allows a child to learn about the properties of shapes. The peanut selects an object of the desired shape for the hole. The sorter helps the kid learn shapes, develop fine motor skills and develop logical thinking.
A soft mosaic that even a child up to 3 years old will love. It is impossible to swallow or break its details, but it is very desirable to use them to study the figures.
Three-dimensional stickers depicting geometric figures, which are found everywhere for a child, will make the process of acquiring new knowledge almost imperceptible. At the same time, the result of "hidden learning" will be fixed for a long time.
Doman cards. The use of visual materials will allow parents to quickly explain new information, and it will be easier for children to remember it.
Specialized cartoons are the ideal home teaching tool. On the one hand, parents will be able to leave the child unattended for a while. On the other hand, the baby will gather only useful information.
Games according to the method of Maria Montessori.

Combining the above options, taking into account the needs and interests of the baby, will definitely bring a positive result.

Montessori learning of figures

A child's acquaintance with shapes consists of two components: the attitude of parents and the correct selection of materials. Maria Montessori invites kids to learn geometry in a playful way:

From an opaque bag or bag, the child picks up an object hidden by an adult and tries to determine its shape without looking.
A preschooler can come up with a definition word. For example, ask your child to name forms that can be rolled.
Names shapes with and without corners.
Ask the child to present their associations. Let the baby say or draw what a triangle, circle, oval and other geometric shapes look like.

In addition, parents can cut or buy stencils that the baby will trace. On the one hand, he will be able to confidently hold a pen or pencil in his hand. On the other hand, it will quickly remember the names and outlines of geometric shapes.

Do not forget the importance of drawings. When creating pictures together, do not forget to pronounce the shapes of objects. For example, "we will draw a square box containing round apples."

General recommendations for parents

Geometry for a baby is an ambiguous subject, as there are many shapes, and even more ways to study them. So that the little student does not have "porridge in his head", parents should choose no more than 5 teaching methods, which will alternate from time to time. The process of learning the figures should not last longer than 10 minutes in a row, as the baby will quickly get tired and will often get confused. Fighting fatigue will not bring anything good to either an adult or a child.

So that geometric figures do not become scary monsters for children, you should not immediately talk about all possible shapes. Start with a circle. Draw it with your finger on the baby's palm, tell him about the warm sun, pay attention to the shape of the plate at dinner. When the baby easily remembers what a circle is, proceed to the study of another figure. For example, tell a little fidget about a square box. Always compare familiar geometric shapes with new items you bring for the kids. A constant return to this topic will help the adult to understand what forms of objects the baby remembers well.

Every child is a genius. The main task of the parent is to help him recognize and recognize this. In the first years of life, the child is ready for an intellectual feat, so adults need to gently and gently contribute to the development of his natural abilities. Make the process of getting to know geometric shapes creative and interesting. Do not demand the impossible from a child! Always give him room for imagination.

Learning geometric shapes: games for preschool children

One of the important aspects of the development of mathematical concepts in preschoolers is the study of the basics of geometry. In the course of acquaintance with geometric shapes, the child acquires new knowledge about the properties of objects (shape) and develops logical thinking. In this article, we will talk about how to help a preschooler remember geometric shapes, how to properly organize games for teaching geometry, and what materials and aids can be used to develop a child’s mathematical abilities.

At what age can one start learning geometric shapes?

Many parents are wondering if young children need to get acquainted with geometric shapes. Experts believe that it is optimal to start classes in a playful, relaxed form from the age of 1. 5. Until this age, it is appropriate to pronounce to the child the names of the shapes of objects that the baby meets in real life (for example, “round plate”, “square table”).

Introducing the child to geometric shapes, be guided by his reaction. If your baby started to show interest in them at an early age (by playing with the sorter or looking at pictures), encourage his curiosity.

At 2 years old, the baby should be able to distinguish between:

Circle;
Square;
Triangle.

By the age of 3 you can add:

Oval;
Rhombus;
Rectangle.

At an older age, a child can memorize such figures as a trapezoid, a pentagon, a hexagon, a star, a semicircle. Also, children visiting the Constellation Montessori Center get acquainted with geometric bodies with interest.

How can I help my child remember geometric shapes?

Teaching a child geometric shapes should take place in stages. You need to start new figures only after the baby remembers the previous ones. The circle is the simplest shape. Show your child round objects, feel them, let the baby run his finger over them. You can also make an application from circles, mold a circle from plasticine. The more sensations associated with the concept being studied, the child receives, the better the baby will remember it.

Three-dimensional figures can be used to get acquainted with the forms. It can be made by a designer, a sorter, lacing, frame inserts. Since at an early age the visual-effective type of thinking is most developed, various actions with figures will help to remember them better.

How children of different ages perceive geometric figures

The operations that a child can perform with geometric figures and how he perceives shapes depend on the age of the baby. In accordance with age characteristics, the following stages of training can be distinguished:

In the second year of life, the baby is able to visually recognize familiar figures and sort objects according to shape.
At 2 years old, a child can find the desired shape among a number of other geometric shapes.
By the age of 3, babies can name shapes.
At the age of 4, a child is able to correlate three-dimensional figures with a flat image.
At senior preschool age (and sometimes even earlier) you can start studying geometric bodies (ball, cube, pyramid). Also at this age, the child can analyze complex pictures consisting of many shapes.

Regardless of the child's age, try to pay attention to the shapes of the surrounding objects and compare them with known geometric shapes. This can be done at home and on the go.

Games for learning geometric shapes

For a child to be interested, learning geometric shapes should take place in a playful way. You should also select bright and colorful materials for classes (you can buy them in a store or do it yourself). Here are some examples of games and tutorials for learning geometric shapes:

Sorting. Games with a sorter can be started from the age of 1. Invite the child to find its window for the figure. So the child will not only memorize geometric shapes, but also develop fine motor skills, thinking and spatial representations, because in order for the part to fall into the hole, you need to turn it at the right angle. You can also sort any other items, such as building blocks, Gyenesch blocks, or counting material.
Insert frames. In fact, this manual is similar to a sorter. For each geometric figure, you need to find its place.
Geometric lotto. To play, you will need a field with the image of geometric shapes and handout cards with each figure separately. A child can take small cards out of a chest or bag, and then look for their place on the playing field. This game also perfectly trains the attention of the baby.
Geometric appliqué. Cut out various geometric shapes from paper and, together with your child, make a picture out of them (for example, you can make a Christmas tree from triangles, a house from a square and a triangle).

Drawing (including stencils).
Modeling.
Laying out figures from counting sticks.
Geometric mosaic.
Laces with geometric shapes.
Card games.
Guess by touch.
Active games. Draw geometric shapes on the pavement with chalk. Ask the child to imagine that the figures are houses that you need to run into on a signal. Next, you name a geometric figure, and the child runs to it.

In addition, educational cartoons can be used to study geometric shapes. Here is one of them:

Conclusions

Learning the basics of geometry at preschool age is an important part of developing a child's mathematical and sensory representations. Acquaintance with the figures should occur gradually (first, simple figures - a circle, a square, a triangle).