Learning Shapes
Stop getting frustrated that your little doesn't know their shapes and start teaching them through play based fun.
Teaching Shapes Through Play-Based Learning: A Parent’s Guide
Teaching young children their shapes can be both exciting and rewarding, especially when approached with a play-based learning strategy. Play-based learning allows children to explore, discover, and understand concepts through hands-on, engaging activities that make learning feel natural and fun. Here’s a complete guide on how to introduce shapes to little ones, complete with detailed activities, recommended materials, and tips for making the most out of each learning experience.
What is Play-Based Learning?
Play-based learning is an educational approach that emphasizes learning through play. Instead of formal lessons or worksheets, children engage in activities that allow them to explore and discover at their own pace. Through playful interaction with their environment, kids develop foundational skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. For teaching shapes, this approach is ideal because it leverages a child’s natural curiosity and energy to help them grasp concepts in a relaxed, enjoyable way.
Setting Up for Shape Learning: The Basics
Materials Needed:
Whiteboard and markers
Painter’s tape
Construction paper or cardstock
Scissors
Songs and books about shapes (recommended below)
Introducing Shapes on the Whiteboard
Start by introducing just one or two shapes at a time. Draw each shape on a whiteboard, one at a time, for a few minutes each day over a three-day period before introducing a new shape. This repetitive, simple approach reinforces familiarity without overwhelming them. It’s okay if your child isn’t paying close attention to the whiteboard—simply saying the name of the shape while drawing it can be enough to reinforce learning. Let them hear you as they play nearby; over time, the repetition will sink in.
Recommended Songs & Books About Shapes
Adding songs and books to your daily routine can reinforce shape learning in a fun, passive way.
Songs:
“The Shape Song Swingalong” by SteveSongs - A lively tune that introduces basic shapes in a memorable, catchy way.
“Shape Up, Freeze Dance” - A movement-based song that has kids move like different shapes, helping them make connections through physical activity.
“The Shape Song” by The Singing Walrus - A playful, engaging song that emphasizes the names and characteristics of common shapes.
As a mama myself, I fully recommend getting interactive with these. Since screens are not allowed in our home, I typically will ask Alexa to play a song I am thinking of and my little one and I will dance along to it. Just by playing and singing along to songs, my LO has learned so incredibly much. This is the power of repetition. We start each day with just one song and it makes a huge difference. Now that my LO is 3, we single multiple different songs to start off our day. We have a biblical song I made up called, "The Days of the week". We also sing our A,B,C's every single day and we sing a song about our numbers.
By ensuring we are up and singing and dancing together, my LO is able to learn. As a mom to a now toddler, here is the key: don't sweat it if one day or multiple days your LO doesn't want to sing or dance, still sing the song to them any way. I promise even if they are in a different room as long as they can hear your voice, they are picking up on it.
Books:
"Shapes" by Wonder House Books - This book uses real-world photographs to show how shapes appear all around us.
“Round is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes” by Roseanne Thong - A colorful, culturally rich book that introduces shapes through the lens of everyday objects.
“Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh - A delightful story of mice using shapes to build objects, perfect for introducing basic geometry in a story form.
Activity 1: Shape Matching with Painter’s Tape
Materials Needed:
Painter’s tape
Construction paper or cardstock
Scissors
Setup:
Use painter’s tape to create large shapes on the floor. Start with two shapes, such as a square and a circle, and increase the number as your child becomes familiar with each one.
Cut out multiple copies of smaller paper versions of each shape (around 10 copies per shape) and set them aside.
Instructions: Place yourself on one side of the room, and set the taped shapes on the opposite side. Give your child one of the cut-out shapes and encourage them to run across the room to place it inside the matching taped shape on the floor. Repeat with different shapes, gradually increasing the number and type as they become more confident. This activity incorporates movement, which helps with memory retention and lets them expend energy in a constructive way!
Parenting Tip: Don’t worry if they don’t get the right shape every time. Cheer them on and gently correct as needed; the key is that they’re building a connection between shapes and having fun.
Activity 2: Shape Sorting Sensory Bin
Materials Needed:
Plastic bin
Sand, rice, or beans (for sensory filler)
Small shape cutouts (different shapes and colors)
Setup: Fill a plastic bin with sand, rice, or beans as a sensory base. Bury small shape cutouts throughout the bin.
Instructions: Invite your child to dig through the sensory bin and find the shapes. When they pull out a shape, ask them to name it (or tell them the name if they’re still learning). For an extra challenge, add two or three baskets next to the bin for them to sort shapes as they find them. Sorting is great for reinforcing recognition and categorization skills.
Parenting Tip: Sensory bins can get messy, so a mat or towel underneath might help with cleanup. Supervision is essential, especially with very small objects.
Activity 3: DIY Shape Flashcards with Texture
Materials Needed:
Cardstock or thick paper
Glue
Textured materials (e.g., felt, sandpaper, cotton balls)
Setup: Cut out different shapes from cardstock and glue textured materials onto each one, such as soft cotton for circles, rough sandpaper for squares, or fuzzy felt for triangles.
Instructions: Present each shape card to your child and let them feel the texture as they name the shape. This tactile approach is especially helpful for younger children who benefit from sensory learning. You can even ask them to close their eyes and try to guess the shape just by feeling it, turning it into a guessing game.
Parenting Tip: Keep these flashcards accessible so they can grab them anytime they want. They may come back to explore them repeatedly, which reinforces their learning.
Activity 4: Shape Scavenger Hunt
Materials Needed:
List of shapes (can be a simple drawing on a sheet of paper)
Setup: Write down or draw the shapes you’d like them to find, such as circles, squares, and triangles.
Instructions: Take a “shape hunt” around your home. Point to objects and ask them to identify the shape (e.g., “The clock is a circle! Can you find another circle?”). Encourage them to spot shapes in different objects like windows, tables, and toys. You can even take this hunt outdoors to find natural shapes in the environment, such as leaves or rocks.
Parenting Tip: This can be an ongoing game, encouraging them to keep looking for shapes in their environment even when you’re not actively playing. It helps them connect classroom learning to real life.
Wrapping Up
Teaching shapes through play-based learning doesn’t have to be complicated. With simple materials and engaging activities, you can help your child recognize and remember shapes in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. Remember to go at their pace, introducing only a couple of shapes at a time and allowing them to learn through repetition and play. By combining songs, books, hands-on activities, and movement games, you’re creating a holistic and memorable learning experience that your child will love.
