Fill a bag with many objects of various shapes. Have the children take turns picking out an object from the bag. They decide if the object is square or not. If the object isn't a square, see if they can identify what shape it is.
SHAPE LOTTO
Put different colored shapes made out of construction paper on the floor. Have the children name the shapes as they step on them.
SHAPE STICK PUPPETS
Have children cut out circle, square, triangle, and rectangle. Have them draw faces on each one. Tape the shapes to popsicle sticks. Write the names of each shape on the back.
HIDE AND SEEK SHAPES
Cut various shapes out of paper. Hide the shapes around the room. Let the children search for them. As they find them, see if they can identify the shape of each one they find.
FOOD EXPERIENCES WITH SHAPES
EGG IN A CIRCLE
Tear a hole in the center of a piece of bread. Place in a skillet that has been coated with butter. Put a egg in the hole and fry. Have the children look at the bread and tell you what shape they see.
SQUARE TOAST
Give each child a piece of toast. Let them identify the shape. Have them each take a bite. Ask them if all the shapes now look the same.
TRIANGLE CHEESE AND CRACKERS
Serve the children triangle shape crackers and cheese. Have them identify the shapes before they eat them.
RECTANGLE GRAHAM CRACKERS
Give each child a rectangle graham cracker. Let the children spread peanut butter on them.
ASSORTED SHAPED CRACKERS
Serve crackers in various shapes. See if the children can sort them into circle, squares, rectangles and triangles before eating them.
SHAPE DAY
Every know and then make plans to have a shape day with your children. Ask the children to bring in circular objects to display on a round table. Or ask them to wear clothes that contain circular designs.
STICKY SHAPES
Cut various shapes out of different colors and patterns of contact paper. Let the children peel the backs off the shapes and use them to create designs on pieces of paper.
SORTING SHAPES
Fill a laundry basket with familiar items that have defininte shapes, such as a ball, softball, wooden block, a book, a plastic egg, a cookie cutter, a box, a postcard, a scarf, and a cake pan. Let the children look through the items and sort them by their shapes.
SHAPE BOOK
Fill the pages of a magnetic page photo album with a variety of construction paper shapes in different colors and sizes. Set out the book along with a washable felt tip marker. Show the children how to use the marker on the plastic pages to trace the shapes. Clean the pages with a damp cloth after each child's turn.
SHAPE PEG BOARD
Set a piece of peg board on a table. Use a felt tip marker to draw lines between the holes in the board to make large shape outlines. Let the children follow the outlines and insert golf tees in the holes to make the shapes.
RECOMMMENDED BOOKS
SPENCE MAKES CIRCLES BY CHRISTA CHEVALIER
BOXES! BOXES! BY LEONARD EVERETT FISHER
TRIANGLES & SQUARES BY TANA HOBAN
SHAPES BY JOHN REISS
