Shapes for learning


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.

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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.

27 Amazing Activities for Learning Shapes

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 27 amazing ideas for learning shapes!

1. Box of Chocolates

Create your very own box of chocolates with a variety of shapes. Use a stencil to cut shapes from foam board. Draw basic shapes inside a heart drawing to represent a box of Valentine’s chocolates. Students will match the foam shapes to the drawings. This is a super activity for Valentine’s Day!

Learn more: Active Littles

2. Shape Bingo

Shape Bingo is a great idea for 3D shape practice! This fun activity is free and can be used in the classroom with the entire group or for classroom learning centers.

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 the floor. Have your children hop from shape to shape. You can have them say the name of the shape once they hop into it. They can also throw beanbags into the shapes for more fun.

Learn more: Learn Play Imagine

4. Edible Shapes: Tic-Tac-Toe Cookies

Kids will absolutely love this shape activity. They will get to help make chocolate chip cookies shaped like X's and O's. Once they finish playing a few rounds of tic-tac-toe, they will have the opportunity to eat the delicious cookies!

Learn more: The Realistic Mama

5. Shapes Sorting Suncatcher

This is a favorite shape sorter for 2 to 3-year-old children. You will need contact paper, scrapbook paper, and felt or foam shape pieces. You can make or own or purchase them.

Learn more: Happy to Shelf

6. Snowman Shape Matching

Children love building snowmen, so they will have a blast with this free snowman-themed activity! Kids will learn about shapes as they match each snowman's head to its same shaped body.

Learn more: Tot Schooling

7. Shape Art

Cut out several shapes and create a piece of art as a classroom example. Next, give each student a stack of the same shapes and have them create the same masterpiece. When students have completed their artwork, you will have a fun classroom display!

Learn more: Raising the Spenglers

8. Marshmallow Geometry

Marshmallow geometry is an engaging and fun activity for teaching children shapes. They will learn the names of 2D shapes as well as their characteristics. All you need is pretzel sticks, miniature marshmallows, markers, and card stock or construction paper.

Learn more: Playdough to Plato

9. 2D Shape Poems

Children love these shape poems! These poems are free and allow students to be introduced to a variety of key shapes. Leave these displayed in your classroom for students to see on a daily basis.

Learn more: Miss Kindergarten

10. Clip Shapes

These free shape printables are a fun activity for shape identification for preschoolers and toddlers. They will learn to be successful at shape-matching while they strengthen their fine motor skills.

Learn more: Modern Preschool

11. Ice Tray Shape Sorting

Purchase wooden circles, a plastic ice tray, and shape stickers or colored paper cut in shapes. If you use colored paper, you will also need glue to attach the shapes to the wooden circles. Children will place the wooden circles in the correct spot on the tray.

Learn more: Mess for Less

12. Shape Monsters Craft

The shapes monsters craft is so much fun for kids! They will learn about shapes and colors as they create their very own monsters. The only supplies you need are construction paper, glue, and scissors.

Learn more: Live Well Play Together

13. Circle Collage

Teach children about the circle shape. You will need colored paper, scissors, and glue to complete this activity. Have the child cut out a large circle and many small circles. The child will then glue the smaller circles on the larger circle.

Learn more: Family Education

14. 20 Fun Shape Books

Using stories about shapes is a terrific way to teach kids all about shapes! They can learn about shape names with these books. This resource will help you find the perfect shape book to use with your child today!

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

15. Basic Shapes Workbook

Using shape workbooks is a wonderful way to teach your children all about shapes. This workbook is created for preschoolers and offers shape guides, tracing, patterns, matching, activities, and much more. Buy yours today!

Learn more: Libro World

16. DIY Shape Puzzle

This simple shape puzzle is a DIY activity that is so easy to make. Your little one will enjoy playing with it over and over again as they learn all about basic shapes and their characteristics.

Learn more: Laughing Kids Learn

17. Preschool Shape Scavenger Hunt 

Preschoolers will love this shape activity, and it is so easy and inexpensive to create. Just draw some shapes on pieces of paper and have your child find real-life objects to match the shapes.

Learn more: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

18. Learn Shapes with Sticks

You and your child can venture out in nature and have your child pick up a few small sticks to create simple craft stick shapes. They will have a blast in nature as well as create these basic shapes.

Learn more: Toddler in Action

19. Shape Sensory Bottles

The little learners will have lots of sensory shape fun with this activity! These sensory bottles are super easy to make, and little ones can twist, flip, or shake the bottles to find the basic shapes. These bottles are perfect for center time or quiet time!

Learn more: Pocket of Preschool

20. Shape Clouds 

Little ones will enjoy making clouds out of shapes. This activity is simple to create; all you need is a shape printable, glue, and cotton balls. Let your little one create clouds of different shapes and have a blast doing so.

Learn more: Planning Playtime

21. Spaghetti Noodle Shapes

This free resource provides 10 shapes printables that will help your child strengthen motor skills while learning all about shapes. Your child will use cooked spaghetti noodles to outline the shapes. They will have a tremendous amount of fun completing this activity!

Learn more: Schooltime Snippets

22. Bubble Wrap Painting - Learning Shapes

Kids will love this bubble wrap painting activity, and they will learn about shapes. They will have a blast popping the bubbles and painting different shape patterns. Your child will also develop fine motor skills as well as improve hand and eye coordination.

Learn more: Learning 4 Kids

23. Sticky Shape Rainbow Activity

Purchase a large tub of foam sticker shapes, so your child can create a shape rainbow. Draw the outline of a rainbow and put one shape of each color in a certain place on the rainbow outline and then allow your child to fill in the rest.

Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids

24. Magazine Shape Hunt and Sort

Are you searching for an engaging activity that will increase your child's fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination? If so, this is the perfect activity. It will also teach your child about shapes and encourage the use of critical thinking skills.

Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids

25. Preschool Pipe Cleaner Shapes Activity

This video will explain the preschool pipe cleaner shapes activity. This fabulous activity is perfect for 2-4-year-old children. It increases fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. Your child will also learn about shapes, colors, and counting.

Learn more: Zaneta The Work At Home Mama

26. Build a Robot 

Your child will learn about shapes while creating a cool robot! This engaging activity also develops cognitive skills and fine motor skills. Cut out the shapes and glue the robot together.

Learn more: Fun House Toys

27. Magic Disappearing Shapes

Draw a variety of basic shapes on a coffee filter. Name a shape and have your child drip water over the correct shape. The shape will disappear, and you can move to the next shape. This activity is also terrific for fine motor practice!

Learn more: Gift of Curiosity

Forms of study at the university in Moscow

There are five forms of education in Russia: full-time, part-time, part-time, external studies - self-education and family education. The universities implement the first 3 forms.

Moscow Institute of Technology gives students the opportunity to get the desired profession without leaving home and from anywhere in the world, while combining work and hobbies.

MIT's priority is to make knowledge accessible.

Admission campaign for part-time education is conducted monthly

Apply for training

Frequently asked questions

Question:

Which diploma will I get in the end?

Answer

If you successfully pass the state final certification, you will receive a state diploma from MIT.

Question:

Do I need to re-sign the contract?

Reply

No, you don't need to re-sign anything. Only the name of the university changes, the terms of the contract remain unchanged. You continue to study in the chosen direction, under the same conditions. Based on the results of training and successful defense of the final qualification work, you will receive a state-recognized MIT diploma. nine0003

Question:

I need official confirmation that MIT is ME and is not a new institution.

Answer

The curator can send you an extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities confirming the new name, or you can go to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities yourself, enter our TIN (it has not changed) 7708142686 and receive an extract. The notice is also posted on the website and in the student's personal account. In this extract you can see the history of the university.

Question:

My training is paid by the organization, I need a new contract. nine0003

Answer

In such cases, we will enter into an additional agreement with the organization to change the name. Contact your curator.

Question:

Why did you change your name?

Answer

The new name more reflects the essence of our activities, and this is the development of the school of technological disciplines, directions and knowledge. The new name is more understandable for students, for employers, because the name itself reveals the quality of education, since technical education is primarily about the way of thinking, about logic, consistency, accuracy and accuracy. Specialists who graduated from technical universities are more in demand in the labor market, even if they have studied in non-technical areas. Now the development of technical areas is actively supported by the Government and having a diploma from a technical university is considered more prestigious and raises your status for the employer. nine0003

Question:

Why MTI (Moscow Institute of Technology)?

Answer

MIT is a pre-existing institution and a well-recognized brand. In 2019, MIT reorganized and joined, through a merger, with M.I.I. From MIT, we adopted their educational traditions, implemented areas of study and combined with the benefits of studying at MY, and as a result, we decided to recreate a well-known brand. We are confident that the name of MIT is capacious, modern and relevant. We believe that this title is of great value. nine0003

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all questions/answers

Forms of study at a university, college or technical school

When entering a university or college, an applicant has to choose the form of education.

In this section we will consider the main question:

What are the forms of education?

The main forms of conducting the educational process are:

  • Full-time (“daytime”) form of education
  • Part-time (often referred to as "evening education")
  • Correspondence (it is also often positioned by universities as a "remote form")
  • Externat

It should be noted that each form is unique in its own way and has its own advantages and disadvantages.

"

What form of education to choose when entering a university or college? "

1. Full-time (full-time) form of education at a university or college.

Full-time study provides a systematic curriculum in which students regularly attend classes 5-6 days a week. Classes are usually visited in the morning. But there are times when educational institutions are forced to put classes for students on the second shift. This may be due, for example, to the desire of the educational institution to provide students with the opportunity to work part-time in the morning, or to the lack of a classroom fund, the irrational distribution of faculty and other reasons. nine0003

The full-time study program involves a large amount of theoretical material, lectures and seminars, control, laboratory and practical work. The student has the opportunity to listen to all the necessary material, ask questions to the teacher, and consolidate the knowledge gained.

In their last years, students of higher education institutions and colleges undergo industrial practice at enterprises and receive the primary necessary work experience in a particular field.

Total term of study full-time (full-time) is 4 years for the undergraduate program, 5 years for the specialist's program, and 2 years for the master's program. In the case when a graduate of a college or technical school enters a university for full-time education in a specialized specialty, it is possible to reduce the period of study to 3 years.

In initial vocational education programs, the term of study at a college or technical school is usually from 1 to 3 years.

Normative period of full-time college education, upon admission after 9class, basically, ranges from 2 years 10 months to 4 years 10 months, depending on the level of secondary vocational education received: basic or advanced. Upon admission to a college or technical school, to programs of secondary vocational education, after grade 11, the full-time study period is from 1 year 10 months to 3 years 10 months, depending on the level of secondary vocational education received: basic or advanced

Advantages:

  • Serious theoretical training of a specialist
  • When studying full-time, students are granted a deferment from military service (in the event that he uses the deferment only for the first time. If the student has reached the age of 18 and has previously received one deferral, for example, in college, then when studying for full-time, the student will no longer receive a second deferment)
  • Bright student life, participation in competitions, events and holidays of the educational institution, the possibility of self-realization. nine0080
  • When studying at a free department, good students are paid a scholarship.

Disadvantages:

  • The theory obtained at the university does not always correspond to the real situation in enterprises.
  • When graduating from a university, a specialist has no or minimal work experience, and in most cases can count, upon employment, only on starting positions.

2. Part-time (evening) form of education at a university or college. nine0074

Part-time education involves a fairly large number of classroom lessons, but of course less than full-time. With such training, students usually attend classes 2-4 days a week (mostly on weekdays, less often on weekends) in the evening. It is usually assumed that in this way students will be able to safely combine work and gain knowledge and skills within the framework of a higher professional education program. Thus, the student has the opportunity to receive the necessary material, discuss it with the teacher and use it in their work. This combination contributes to the rapid acquisition of useful experience and the development of a specialist. nine0003

Part-time classes are usually held in the form of systematic classroom lessons throughout the academic year, followed by a credit and examination session.

The normative term of study according to part-time (evening) form at the university for a bachelor's program is 4.5 years, for a specialist's program from 5.5 years, and for a master's program 2 years. The term of study after a college or technical school, according to an abbreviated program, is usually from 3 years. nine0003

The normative period of study in part-time (evening) form in college, upon admission after grade 9, basically ranges from 2 years 10 months to 4 years 10 months, depending on the level of secondary vocational education received: basic or advanced. admission to a college or technical school, to programs of secondary vocational education, after grade 11, the term of study in full-time (evening) form is from 1 year 10 months to 3 years 10 months, depending on the level of secondary vocational education received: basic or elevated. nine0003

In initial vocational education programs, the term of study at a college or technical school is usually 1 to 3 years.

Benefits:

  • Possibility of independent income, effective combination of work and study
  • Upon graduation from a university or college, a specialist already has work experience and can apply for career advancement

Disadvantages:

  • When studying at the part-time (evening) department, deferment from the army is not provided
  • Due to lack of time, students of the evening department are unable to participate in the student life of the educational institution.
  • Lack of opportunity to receive a scholarship when studying in the field, funded from the state budget of the Russian Federation

3. Part-time education at a university or college.

The educational process for part-time education provides for a small number of classroom hours. The main part of the material is studied by students on their own, and then, the educational institution, conducts knowledge control in the form of tests and sessions. nine0003

Currently, in each educational institution, the process of distance learning is built differently. Some universities and colleges conduct classes throughout the year, for example, once a week on a weekday or weekend (weekend groups), and upon studying the discipline, they immediately conduct a test or an exam on it. Such a system is called "modular".

Other universities and colleges adhere to the classical correspondence form of education , where students are "read" orientation lectures immediately before the session, and then students, after listening to the training course and additionally studying the necessary literature, pass attestation control in the form of tests and exams. nine0003

The correspondence form is convenient for those categories of citizens who are not able to regularly attend classes at a college or university. This form is also suitable for combining study and work in an enterprise. At the same time, at the request of the student, during the session, the educational institution may issue a certificate-call, which is the basis for employers to grant study leave to the student.

A separate item should be highlighted "Correspondence education using information technology" or "Distance learning"

This form of organization of the educational process involves the use of a computer with access to the Internet. There are various ways for students to obtain study materials. In most cases, these are online lectures using special software, webinars.

Attestation activities for this form of education can also be carried out online, using information technology, but more often teachers send students control and practical work by e-mail or to the personal account of an educational Internet resource. To help students remote forms provide access to the electronic library of the educational institution, where everyone can find the necessary material on the topics studied.

The duration of part-time college education in secondary vocational education programs is from 3.5 to 5 years.

The term of study at a university for undergraduate programs is usually 4.5-5.5 years, for specialist programs on average 5.5-6 years, for master's programs 2-2.5 years.

As well as full-time and part-time forms of education, part-time education can be implemented with a reduction in the term of study for graduates of colleges and technical schools entering a specialized field of study, or students receiving a 2nd higher education under a bachelor's or specialist's program at a university. nine0003

Benefits:

  • Opportunity to combine work and education
  • Relatively little time is devoted to the study of disciplines - often only this option is suitable for pregnant women or students already caring for small children. This form is in great demand among people working in an irregular schedule.

Disadvantages:

  • Low educational attainment
  • nine0079 No reprieve from army
  • Inability to receive a scholarship
  • Students of the correspondence department practically do not participate in the activities and student life of the educational institution

4. External study at a college or university.

This form assumes that a college or university student independently masters the educational program, and the educational institution controls and attests the student, followed by the issuance of a document confirming the graduate's qualification level. nine0003

i.e. the educational institution does not conduct classroom lectures in which the student could master the material.

The term of study is calculated based on the requirements of the state standard, where, as a limit on the number of possible disciplines passed by a student, there is a figure - 20 disciplines per year.


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