Shapes Lesson For Kids

Fun Shapes Lesson Plan for Preschoolers

Shapes lesson plan ideas for kids.

Creating a lesson for preschoolers about shapes and activities for teaching shapes can be fun and educational for kids.

Check out the fun lesson plan idea below to use when teaching your pre k children.

Teaching shapes to preschoolers is an essential part of their early education. It helps them develop basic math skills, spatial awareness, and cognitive abilities.

This step-by-step shape lesson plan is designed to make learning about shapes enjoyable and interactive for young learners.

Shapes Lesson Plan Materials Needed:

  • Various shapes cutouts (circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
  • Drawing paper
  • Crayons or markers
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Poster board or large paper
  • Shape flashcards or visuals
  • Storybooks featuring shapes
  • Shape-related toys or objects (e.g., blocks,
  • Puzzle pieces)

Shapes Lesson Plan:

Introduction (5 minutes):

Gather the preschoolers in a circle and introduce the topic of shapes. Ask them if they know any shapes and encourage them to share what they know.
Show them a few shape flashcards or visuals to familiarize them with basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles.

Circle Time (10 minutes):

Start with the circle shape. Show them a large circle cutout or draw one on the board. Ask the children to identify the shape and repeat the word ‘circle’ together.
Engage them in a fun circle-related activity, such as passing a circular object around, like a hula hoop, while playing music.

Circle Art Activity (15 minutes):

Provide each child with a sheet of drawing paper and a variety of crayons or markers.

Ask them to draw their own circles on the paper. Encourage creativity by letting them choose the size and color of their circles.

Once they’ve finished, have them share their creations with the group.Β 

Square Time (10 minutes):

Introduce the square shape, similar to how you did with the circle. Show them a square cutout or draw one on the board and repeat the word ‘square’ together.
Engage them in a hands-on activity like building with square-shaped blocks or arranging square puzzle pieces.

Square Craft (15 minutes):

Provide each child with a square piece of paper, glue, and a selection of small square cutouts (or let them cut out their own squares from paper).
Ask them to create a collage using the squares, gluing them onto the larger paper to form various shapes and patterns.

Triangle Time (10 minutes):

Introduce the triangle shape similarly to the previous shapes. Show them a triangle cutout or draw one on the board and repeat the word ‘triangle’ together.

Engage them in an interactive activity like a scavenger hunt for objects with triangular shapes.

Triangle Art Activity (15 minutes):

Provide each child with a sheet of drawing paper and a variety of crayons or markers.
Ask them to draw their own triangles on the paper. Encourage them to experiment with different sizes and angles.
Afterward, have them share their creations with the group.

Rectangle Time (10 minutes):

Introduce the rectangle shape using the same method as before. Show them a rectangle cutout or draw one on the board and repeat the word ‘rectangle’ together.
Engage them in a fun activity like a ‘build-a-house’ game using rectangle-shaped blocks.

Shape Storytime (10 minutes):

Read a storybook featuring shapes, and encourage the children to identify and point out the shapes they’ve learned.

Review and Assessment (5 minutes):

Show them a mix of shape flashcards and ask them to identify each shape.
Celebrate their achievements and provide positive feedback for their efforts.

This comprehensive shapes lesson plan for preschoolers aims to make learning engaging, interactive, and enjoyable.

By incorporating various activities, crafts, and games, children can develop a strong foundation in recognizing and understanding basic shapes, setting them on a positive path toward further mathematical learning.

Activities for Teaching Shapes

1. Shape Hunt πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ

Materials: None
Activity:

  • Take children on a shape hunt around the classroom or home.
  • Ask them to find objects shaped like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles.
  • Make it more fun by giving them a basket to collect small items or take photos of what they find.

2. Shape Sorting πŸŸ’πŸ”΅πŸ”Ί

Materials: Cut-out shapes in various colors and sizes, sorting trays or baskets.
Activity:

  • Provide cut-out shapes and ask children to sort them by type (e.g., all circles together).
  • You can also add a challenge by sorting by color or size.

3. Playdough Shapes 🍩

Materials: Playdough, shape cutters or plastic knives.
Activity:

  • Ask children to create different shapes using playdough.
  • Encourage them to make both flat (2D) and solid (3D) shapes.

4. Shape Tracing with Sand πŸ–οΈ

Materials: A tray filled with sand, sticks or fingers.
Activity:

  • Show children how to trace shapes in the sand with their fingers or sticks.
  • Say the shape names aloud to reinforce learning.

5. Shape Collage 🎨

Materials: Construction paper, scissors, glue.
Activity:

  • Cut out various shapes and ask children to create a picture by gluing them onto a larger sheet of paper.
  • For example, use triangles for rooftops and rectangles for buildings.

6. I Spy with Shapes πŸ‘οΈ

Materials: None
Activity:

  • Play a game of “I Spy” using shapes instead of colors.
  • For example, β€œI spy something that is a circle!” and let children guess.

7. Shape Hopscotch πŸŸ¦β¬œπŸ”Ί

Materials: Chalk for outdoors or masking tape for indoors.
Activity:

  • Create a hopscotch grid using different shapes instead of numbers.
  • Ask children to hop on a specific shape you call out.

8. Story Time with Shapes πŸ“š

Materials: Books that emphasize shapes (like “Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh).
Activity:

  • Read a story focusing on shapes and ask children to point them out as you read.

9. Shape Puzzles 🧩

Materials: Printable shape puzzles or store-bought.
Activity:

  • Provide children with puzzles that require them to match or fit different shapes together.

10. Shape Songs and Rhymes 🎡

Materials: None or a music player.
Activity:

  • Sing songs about shapes, like β€œTwinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” but replace some words with shapes.
  • Encourage children to dance and show the shape with their hands.