Let’s talk about shapes!

I LOVE to teaching my kinders about 2D and 3D shapes!

Why? It is so much fun because it’s hands-on and students are able to discuss shapes because they seem them every day! There is a ton of children literature and activities you can do with your students. They can build the shape with toothpicks or play dough, go on a shape hunt, play BINGO (who doesn’t like a game of BINGO?), write shape riddles, and sort shapes by attributes!

Here are some of the 2D and 3D shape activities I used in my classroom

First, I create a “shape culture” classroom. When I need to call a group of students sitting at the same table, I usually call them by colors, like purple table or blue table. I rename the tables a shape we will learn and put that shape on their desk. They enjoy the change in table name (and will correct me if I accidentally say the color name and not their shape name).

Then, I put up shape posters! I don’t have a lot of wall space, so I hang my space posters under my smart board. I change the posters based on what we are learning so students can learn new vocabulary words.

Now, let’s talk about books!

I always like to get my students excited about what we are doing in math by putting books in the library about the subject. So, I went through my personal library and the school library and found some books to put on display. Here are the books that I put in my classroom library.

I read The Shape of Things, Circus Shapes  and Not a Box.  These colorful books really got the students talking about shapes they see all around them! I put these books in the class library so students can interact with them during literacy centers or when they finish their work early and have time to read.

Now, to the activities!

Activity #1: Using positional words to describe the location of 3D shapes

These activity cards are for using positional words to describe the location of 3D shapes. Students pick a card describe the location to their partner and the partner builds according to what their friend said. Students have a choice they can use the picture or flip the card over and read the words.

Activity #2: Fill in the Hexagons

This activity is a classic shape game in the kinder world! Students spin the spinner and put that shape in a hexagon. The students have to fill up the hexagon, carefully and selectively placing the shapes in the right spot to make a hexagon.

#3 – Building Shapes using Play Dough

This is a really fun hands-on fine motor shape activity. Using the playdough, students build the shape on the mat.

Activity #4 – 2D / 3D Shape Build Activity

Students build 2D and 3D shapes using play dough. This also teaches them how many sides and corners for each shape.

Activity #5 – Riddles

We also had fun creating our own shape riddles. Students drew a picture of their favorite shape and wrote clues to see if their classmates can guess.

 Activity #5 – Attribute Match-Up

Students sort the shapes by name, picture, attribute and real-life object

Shape Attribute Match-Up

Activity #6 – Shape Computer Game

This PowerPoint computer game will work on any device that uses PowerPoint 2010 or later. It has a vocabulary section and 2 games that students can play. The vocabulary section shows the name, picture and facts about the shapes (sides and corners). The games are divided into 2 parts: 2D and 3D shapes. Students use what they know about the 2D and 3D shapes to answer the questions.

Activity # 7 – Shape Geoboards

Geoboards are a great hands-on way to get students to make a example of a shape using a rubber band. Students pick a card and replicate that card by building it using a rubber band on a geoboard.

Activity #8 – 2D 3D Shape Booklets

I also like to have students write a shape book about shapes that they can read and share with the parents at home.

Activity #9 – Shape Picture

After reading and discussing shapes all around us, I have students using attribute blocks to build a real-life object using shapes. We then go on a gallery walk and look at everyone’s beautiful work. After, I take all of their pictures and turn it into a shape book that is put in the class library.

Activity #10 – Attribute Match Up

2D Shape Attribute Match-Up – This was my students’ FAVORITE shape center! I typed the attributes of the shapes we were studying and glued and laminated them on a giant chart paper. Students had to read the clues and place the shape that match the attribute.

Activity #11 – Does it Roll, Stack or Slide?

You can also play Does it Roll, Stack and Slide? Students test each shape to see if it can roll, stack or slide and record their findings on a recording sheet.

Activity #12 – Shape Puzzles

Students put the puzzle together! They match the word, shape and a object that looks like that shape. This activity is great for math centers!

I write the answers on the back of the puzzle so students can self-check!

There are so many more activities that I didn’t mention! Such as going on a shape hunt for 2D or 3D shapes!

Thank you so much for reading this post! I hope I was able to give you some ideas on fun activities to get your students talking about shapes!

Wait! There’s MORE shape activities

If you like all these ideas and want to them all and not have to create your own worksheets and receive the interactive PowerPoint Game, please go to my TpT store and purchase my 2D/3D Shape packet!

Do you want FREE shape ideas? Follow my Pinterest Board: Kindergarten Shapes by clicking the image below!

Do you want FREE 2D/3D shape worksheets? Click on the image below and download the resource! There are TONS of pages about shapes!

Want to read more about shapes? If you loved reading this post about shapes, you will love this post about 2D / 3D shapes riddles! Click the image below to continue to read about 2D/3D shapes!

What are some other shape activities you use in the classroom? Share by leaving a comment below!

Happy Teaching!

Tee