Related Posts
This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks for your support.
Looking to explore shapes with your littles?
Here are 9 hands-on, fun and creative ways to learn shapes.
Most importantly, these activities are all rich in opportunities for language development and play-based learning around shapes.
Scroll to the end of this post for 4 of our favourite picture books about shapes.
Cardboard Tangrams
Round here, no cardboard box makes it to the recycling bin unscathed.
We went wild with our acrylic paints on some cardboard packaging.
Once dried, I cut the cardboard to create tangrams and we manipulated the shapes to create different creatures.
Shape Dice and Collage
You know when you see something at the Dollar Store and think “I have no idea what I’m going to do with this, but I’m fairly certain that I NEED IT.”
Exhibit A: I bought a packet of wooden cubes. One of which I turned into the Shape Dice above.
I then prepared a tray filled with paper shapes.
Each player rolls the dice.
Whichever shape it lands on, every player must select that paper shape from the tray and glue it somewhere on their sheet.
We played this game as a family and it was fun to see how everybody’s collages turned out.
See below.
Sponge cakes
Cut sponges into various shapes.
Provide an array of beads, pom poms and yarn. (Unless of course, you have a little one who puts everything in their mouth. Then perhaps just use the sponges.)
Create your own cake-decorating shop.
The learning happens in the conversation that takes place. Discuss how many sides a shape has. How many corners? Are the edges straight or curved?
The ideas below come from some of my InstaFaves (and have been reproduced with their permission.) Click on their IG handle, head over and follow them for more rad ideas.
Shape Printing / Kandinsky-Inspired Felt Tiles / Shapes City
from Sian @teach.investigate.play
Don’t we all have some of those shape-sorting buckets lying around?
Such a great way to explore print-making and shapes.
Felt is such a versatile material for children to work with. This activity provides children with the chance to explore regular and irregular shapes.
Collage is always a hit around here. Using shapes to design landscapes is a fun opportunity to manipulate shapes.
Sian has just birthed a brand new blog. Make sure you head over and check it out for lots of fantastic learning ideas.
Shape Window from Melissa @momma_teaching
Oh the vocab development possibilities in this activity are rich!
And the stickiness of the contact adds a fun sensory element.
Who wouldn’t want a kid-made shape suncatcher?
Shape Robots from Cara and Kinley @cara.raisingkinley
These robots just scream fun and happy- and who doesn’t want that out of a learning experience?!
Cara and Kinley are constantly exploring different concepts through art. Check them out on the Insty or via their website.
Washi Tape Shape Puzzles from Rossa @curiouslittlepeople
I love this activity from Rossa and her boys. Simple to make and super effective.
What more could you ask for?
And because all learning activities are best paired with a picture book*, here are 4 of our favourites.
*I’m sure there is research that verifies this. In this context, this is simply my humble opinion.
Shapes at Play by Silvia Borando
Have You Seen My Monster? by Steve Light
Circle, Triangle, Elephant: A Book Of Shapes and Surprises by Kenji Oikawa and
If you click on the book title or picture in this post, you will be taken through to Amazon.
As an Amazon Affiliate, purchases clicked through from my blog result in a small commission. You do not pay any extra for your books! Commission is used to maintain Oh Creative Day. Happy Reading!
