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A tub of playdoh, craft sticks, pipe cleaners, and a few paper scraps can go a long way when you’re teaching shapes.
These shape activities for preschool and kindergarten give kids opportunities to build, trace, find, and describe 2D shapes. You’ll find printable math centers, a simple craft, a writing activity, and STEM challenges using everyday materials.
As a former kindergarten teacher and mom of two, I like activities that are easy to set up and give kids something meaningful to do.
Choose a few from this list (including a FREE Shapes Write the Room) to use during centers, small groups, or learning time at home.
⏹️ Tips for Teaching 2D Shapes
Start with a few familiar shapes, such as circles, squares, and triangles, then add more as your kids are ready. Practice naming each shape, but also talk about what makes it that shape.
Ask, “How many straight sides do you see?” or “How many corners do you see?”
You’ll want to show the shapes in different sizes and positions. A triange is still a triangle when it points sideways! Turn a shape card and ask, “Is it still the same shape? How do you know?”
Give the kiddos opportunities to build and handle shapes before asking them to draw them independently. The activities below make it easy to work shape practice into your day.
⭐ Shape Activities for Kids
1. Shape Play Dough Mats
The popular shape playdoh mats are great for hands-on math centers and fine motor practice.
Set out play dough and let kids roll, bend, and join pieces to build a shape on the mat. Then they can practice tracing the shape below it.
As kids work, count sides and corners together. For a challenge, ask them to build the same shape beside the mat without following the outline.
The Shape Play Dough Mats include 12 shapes. Slip the pages into reusable sleeves and add dry-erase markers to make a center you can use again.
2. FREE Shapes Write the Room
Incorporating a FREE Shapes Write the Room activity is great for movement and shape recognition.
Give the kiddos a clipboard and send them on a shape hunt!
Place the eight colorful shape cards around your classroom or learning space for children to find.
Shapes Write the Room includes two recording options: write the shape names or find and color the matching shapes.
With these different levels, kids can participate even if they aren’t ready to write the words yet.
3. Shape Superstars Worksheets
These printable Shape Superstar worksheets are great for small groups and reviewing shape skills.
Once kids have explored shapes with their hands, Shape Superstars gives them five ways to practice on paper: trace, find and color, tap and name, cut and sort, and draw.
Use a page during a small group so you can listen to children explain their choices. If drawing is tricky, let them build the shape with craft sticks or trace it with a finger first.
You don’t have to complete every part at once. Choose the sections that match what your group is working on.
4. Shape Tear Art Crafts
Kids love a fun craft, but you will love these Shape Tear Art Crafts for fine motor practice and a colorful shape display.
Save those construction paper scraps! Kids can tear them into little pieces and glue them inside a shape template to make colorful shape art.
The Shape Tear Art Crafts include eight templates with traceable sentence starters for early writing practice.
Before writing, invite children to describe their creation. Model their words on a sticky note for them to copy, or write down what they dictate. Display the finished crafts where kids can revisit the shape names together.
For more ways to keep little hands busy, explore these fine motor activities for kids.
5. Building Words: Shapes
The Building Words: Shapes edition is great for connecting math vocabulary and early writing skills.
Bring your shape theme into the writing center with Building Words: Shapes. This resource includes 12 cut-and-paste vocabulary worksheets and 12 illustrated word cards.
Say the shape word together, talk about the picture, and then build, write, and draw.
Your younger learners can focus on naming and drawing the shape. Kids who are ready can build and write the word or use it in a sentence. Keep the illustrated cards nearby so children have a model to reference.
6. Build a Shape STEM Activity
This simple Shape STEM activity is great for hands-on shape building and exploring sides and corners.
Set out colorful craft sticks, pipe cleaners and playdoh, and invite kids to build a shape!
They can use popsicle sticks for straight sides, bend pipe cleaners to make curves, and use small balls of play dough to connect pieces at the corners.
Start with a triangle, square, or circle. Keep shape cards nearby for kids to reference, or let them choose a shape to build on their own.
💚 More Fun Activities
Learning shapes can be simple and fun! Pick a few activities from HERE or TPT that fit your kids, gather your supplies, and give them time to build, create, and explore.
Want more easy ideas for your classroom or homeschool?
Take a look inside the Little Learning Corner Membership for monthly themed activities that make planning easier.
