Shapes

Poni discovers and presents-Shapes

(Open Poni discovers and presents-Shapes) Print and laminate the posters. Use a Poni puppet or another puppet that children are familiar with to present the pictures to your group.

Puppets-Shapes

(Open puppets-Shapes) Print and laminate. Use the puppets to present different shapes to your group.

Surprise shapes

Glue 5 different shapes on 5 gift bags (a hexagon, a circle, a square, a rectangle, and a diamond). Insert a surprise activity (pyjama day, lunch at the playground, special snack, etc.) in each gift bag. You will have a different activity for each day of the week. Every morning, present a daily challenge to your group. You could, for example, challenge children to clean up in under 5 minutes, respect all daycare rules, be extra good at sharing, etc. During your afternoon circle time, if your group completed the challenge to your satisfaction, name a shape and invite children to find the corresponding bag to discover the special activity they will enjoy the next day.

A treasure hunt to discover the theme

(Open educa-decorate-Shapes) Print and laminate. Set the items throughout your daycare. Have children search for them. Name the items that they find and encourage them to guess the theme.

We suggest an imaginary game you can enjoy each day. (Open thematic letter - Shapes) Insert the letter in a colorful envelope and place it in an easy to find location within your daycare. During circle time, ask children to find the letter and read portions of the interactive story to them each day. Complete the suggested activity.

AREA SETUP

Thematic poster-Shapes

(Open thematic poster-Shapes) Print, laminate, and display where children are sure to see it.

Educa-theme-Shapes

(Open educa-theme-Shapes) Print and laminate the different elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group (and children’s parents) while decorating your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Shapes

(Open educa-decorate-Shapes) Print, laminate, and cut out the illustrations. Use them to decorate your walls and set the mood for the theme.

Stickers-Shapes

(Open stickers-Shapes) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create a collection of unique stickers. Use them to reward children throughout the theme.

Clear yet colorful vertical garlands

Before children arrive in the morning, or with the help of the older children in your group, cut triangles, circles, squares, etc. out of different colors of cellophane paper. Cut long pieces of invisible thread. You will need one piece per type of shape. Next, show children how they can apply 2 glue dots behind each shape, one at the top and one at the bottom, and press the thread in the glue. Hang the garlands vertically in front of a window so that sunlight will shine through the shapes.

A few ideas for integrating shapes

Provide cookie cutters that represent various geometric shapes. Use them to trace and cut out shapes that you can press on walls, floors, the ceiling, under tables, in your various workshops, on toys, etc. Provide colorful stickers representing different shapes. Press them on paper plates and hang them on a string to create a garland.

Garland-Shapes

(Open garland-Shapes) Print and let children decorate the items. Use them to create a garland that you can hang within your daycare or over your daycare entrance.

Educa-numbers-Shapes

(Open educa-numbers-Shapes) Print and laminate the posters. Display them on a wall to decorate your daycare throughout the theme.

Educa-letters-Shapes

(Open educa-letters-Shapes) Print and laminate the posters. Display them on a wall to decorate your daycare throughout the theme.

Colorful shapes

We have created a series of colorful shapes that you can use to decorate your daycare. (Open colorful shapes) Print, laminate, and press the shapes on the floor in your circle time area. Children can sit on the shapes during circle time or story time.

My shape-filled floor

(Open models-Shapes) Print the shapes. Have children color them, cut them out, and press them on the floor using adhesive paper to delimit areas within your daycare or use them to create a path linking frequently visited areas.

PICTURE GAME

(Open picture game-Shapes) Use the pictures to decorate your daycare or to spark a conversation with your group. Print, laminate, and store the pictures in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bin.

Memory game-Shapes

(Open picture game-Shapes) Print the illustrations twice and use them for a memory game.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheets-Shapes) Print and follow instructions.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-S like shape) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Educa-nuudles-Shapes

(Open educa-nuudles-Shapes) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet. Once they are done, they may use Magic Nuudles to turn the coloring pages into three-dimensional works of art.

Variation: If you do not have Magic Nuudles, ask children to fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers.

To order Magic Nuudles:

http://www.educatout.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=76&osCsid=dd5f6e4b9a9a91cbd4f9a233494afbff

Stationery

(Open stationery-Shapes) Print. Use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing corner, or to identify your thematic bins.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS

Have fun with these wonderful workshop ideas provided by Caroline Allard.

Construction and building blocks:

• Decorate the area with road signs. Not only will they add color, they have various shapes. Children can learn to name them while having fun.
• Use blocks shaped like cylinders, arches, etc.
• Blocks shaped like wooden logs.
• A few empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls may be used to create tunnels.
• Ping-pong balls can be integrated into children's constructions.
• Ask children to build structures using a single shape (only cubes, rectangles or triangles)

Arts & crafts:

• Pre-cut shapes in different sizes (five circles of various sizes, six triangles, etc.) Use them to make individual crafts or a collective mural.
• Cardboard shapes children can cut on the dotted lines. This theme is perfect for practicing scissor skills.
• Various shapes of plastic containers which can be dipped in paint and used to make prints.
• Stamps of all kinds.
• A circle, a square, four rectangles, and a triangle can be used to make a collage which looks like a funny character.
• Invite children to manipulate cooked spaghetti noodles to make them look like shapes. Let dry flat until the next day. The result will be fun shapes!
• Create a small model.
• Prepare a recipe of salt dough and use cookie cutters representing various shapes.

Drawing:

• Coloring pages which include the shapes you wish to introduce.
• Bingo markers make great, inexpensive circle stamps.
• You can draw many characters using basic shapes such as circles and squares...
• Mandalas.
• A chalkboard and chalk...and why not sidewalk chalk for outdoors too!

Role play:

• Transform your area to look like a workshop. Make your tools and workbench available. A construction worker's helmet is also perfect!
• If you can find plans, display them on the wall. Add lead pencils, large sheets of paper, and geometric tools...
• The kitchen area, although more traditional, can also be used to explore shapes...plates, food items, knives...everything we see is made up of shapes.

Manipulation:

• Memory game using educatall picture game or a memory game which contains cards of an untraditional shape.
• Modeling dough with cookie cutters.
• A magnetic board and magnets which look like basic shapes. If you do not have a magnetic board, a cookie sheet is perfect.
• A homemade texture game: a square cut out of sandpaper, a circle made with yarn, a triangle cut out of fake fur, etc.
• Several laminated shapes which can be used to create various combinations (two squares=a rectangle, two triangles=a diamond, etc.)
• Mosaic games
• Cardboard shapes for lacing.

Pre-reading:

• Books about shapes.
• A poster representing shapes.

Pre-writing:

• Dotted shapes for tracing.
• Dot to dot activities which reveal different shapes.
• Activity sheets which involve shape recognition.

Motor skills:

• A "Twister" game which involves shapes and colors.
• An obstacle course complete with obstacles of various shapes.
• An obstacle course which includes road signs.
• A walk in the neighborhood: look for shapes. With your help, children will have fun searching for them!

Sensory bins:

• Rice bin with cardboard shapes to search for...you can turn this into an association game. Children must sort their findings into identical pairs.

Science:

• Make bubbles with instruments of different shapes.

WORD FLASHCARDS

The word flashcards may be used to spark a conversation with the group or in your reading and writing area. Use them to identify your thematic bins. (Open giant word flashcards-Shapes)(Open word flashcards - Shapes) circle, triangle, square, rectangle, diamond, arrow, oval, octagon, pentagon, trapezoid, cone, cylinder.

Hungry little monsters

(Open hungry little monsters) Print, laminate, and cut out the circles containing a monster as well as each monster’s mouth. Press each monster on a paper drinking glass prior to the activity. You will need several round, heart-shaped, star-shaped, and square buttons (different colors). Children take turns grasping a button and inserting it in the mouth of the monster that is the same color. They can, for example, say, “I eat blue triangles…yum!”

Associating words and illustrations

(Open giant word flashcards-Shapes) Print, laminate, and display the word flashcards on a wall in your circle time area, or on a large piece of cardboard that can easily be moved around. Read a word and invite a child to identify the corresponding flashcard.

Felt board
Use four pieces of black felt. Glue them on a large piece of cardboard and display on the wall. Have children help you trace and cut various shapes out of colorful felt. The shapes will stick to the black felt. Children will have fun while learning. We suggest using a series of shapes that children can use to build various objects. (Open geometric shapes) The choice of colors is up to you. Visit our online store to purchase felt in a wide variety of colors.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Sticky shapes for waiting periods

Hang a large piece of white paper on a wall, in the hallway that leads to your cloakroom or the bathroom. Draw large shapes all over it. You could, for example, draw a square, a circle, a triangle, an oval, a hexagon, etc. Use markers and choose primary colors. You will need round adhesive stickers (primary colors once again). When children are required to wait for their turn to brush their teeth or wash their hands, or when they are dressed and waiting for their peers to be ready to go outside, give them a sheet of adhesive circles. Invite them to press them on a shape outline, matching colors. For example, if you give a child a sheet filled with blue adhesive circles, he will have to find a shape that was drawn using a blue marker and press them on the shape outline. Once the shape outlines are filled with stickers, have children add stickers inside the shapes.

Game-This is my spot-Shapes

(Open game-This is my spot-Shapes) Print each illustration twice. Use adhesive paper to secure one copy of each illustration on the table. Deposit the second copy of each illustration in an opaque bag and invite children to pick a card that will determine their spot at the table (corresponding illustration). The illustrations can also be used to determine children’s naptime spots or their place in the task train.

My shape path

(Open my shape path) Print, laminate, and arrange the illustrations on the floor to create a path leading to various areas within your daycare. The path can lead to areas frequently visited by children throughout the day such as the bathroom, the cloakroom, etc. or, if you prefer, the path can delimit your workshops.

ACTIVITIES FOR BABIES

Shape-filled suncatchers

Cut 2 sheets of clear adhesive paper so that they have the same dimensions. Have children cut different colors of tissue paper to represent shapes and press them on one sheet of adhesive paper. Once the vinyl is completely covered with colorful tissue paper, press the second sheet of adhesive paper on top.

Shapes on the floor

(Open models-Shapes) Print, cut out, and laminate several colorful shapes. Press them on the floor using adhesive paper. Little ones will enjoy crawling all over the shapes.

Foam blocks

Set a bin filled with foam blocks on the floor and let babies explore them and use them to build various structures.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Soft shapes-Touch and feel

On a large piece of cardboard, glue pipe cleaners that you have bent to represent various shapes (triangles, squares, circles, rectangles, hexagons, etc.). Blindfold one child at a time and encourage them to touch the shapes and slide their finger along the contour of each one. Will they be able to recognize and name the shapes?

Modeling dough activity placemats-Shapes

(Open modeling dough activity placemats-Shapes) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

Crafty game-Lacing shapes

(Open crafty game-Lacing shapes) Print, laminate, and punch holes around the contour of each shape. Set shoelaces with a knot at one end on a table. Let children use them to lace the shapes.

Ball and shape box

You will need a box that has a lid. Cut round holes all the way around the box. Let children insert balls in the holes. Count the balls as they insert them. Variation: Next to each hole, draw a different shape and have children name the corresponding shape every time they insert a ball in a hole.

Cards

(Open picture game-Shapes) Print and glue 4 copies of each shape on the back of playing cards (or index cards). Each child finds a partner. Set one or several sets of cards on the floor in front of the children in your group. The object of the game is to find the most sets (matching shapes).

I am looking for a shape
Present a shape to your group. When you give them the signal, they must bring you all the items they can find that are of the same shape.

Simon says
Cut geometric shapes out of Bristol cardboard (one shape per piece). In your daycare or outdoors, deposit the shapes on the ground. The leader of the game gives instructions such as, "Simon says: sit on a diamond." Whenever the leader of the game says "Simon says", children must follow the instructions. Otherwise, they must remain still.

Rolling like a ball
Set up gymnastics mats and encourage children to perform somersaults...to roll like balls.

I am observing shapes
Help children discover how shapes can be transformed (for example, two triangles can form a star, a triangle and a square can form a house, two circles can form a snowman, etc.). Next, ask children to find objects that are round, square, etc. They may be actual objects which can be found in the daycare or abstract objects such as the sun.

Who do the shapes belong to?
(Open picture game - Shapes) Print and laminate. Deposit the series of large shapes in a circle on the floor, making sure to have one shape per child. Hold the series of small shapes in your hands. Begin the game by having children stand behind a shape. To the sound of music, children walk around the shapes. When the music stops, children must quickly sit on a shape. Pick a card from the stack of cards you are holding. The child who is sitting on the shape you picked must go sit in the center of the circle. The game ends when there is only one child left.

Rice bin

(Open miniature shapes) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Hide the laminated shapes, Fun Foam shapes, or even magnetic shapes in a bin filled with rice or dry pasta. Children will have fun digging the shapes out of the rice.

String activities-Shapes

(Open string activities-Shapes) Print for each child. Children trace the lines with waxed string pieces (Wikki Stix). Variation: Trace the lines with glue and press string on the glue-covered lines.

Shape pyramid

Press colorful shapes on empty metal cans and use them to build a pyramid. Provide large balls that children can throw at the pyramid to make it fall. Variation: Use plastic containers instead of metal cans.

Wooden shapes

Purchase wooden shapes (or make your own). Add them to a bin and let children manipulate the shapes.

Under the tent

Build a tent in your daycare or yard by draping bed sheets over chairs or other items. Every morning, add different items to your tent and let them discover and manipulate them. You can, for example, offer books, blocks, balls, etc. Children will look forward to seeing what is in the tent each day.

Shape treasure hunt

Hide several shapes in your yard (or daycare). Encourage children to search for them.

Shape fishing

Fill a kiddie pool (or large bin) with magnetic shapes. Make homemade fishing rods by attaching a string to one end of broomsticks and pressing a small piece of metal to the other end of each string. Children will love fishing the shapes out of the bin.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Natural shapes

With your group, collect several fallen branches. Use them to draw shapes on the ground. For example, you could position 4 branches that are more or less the same length to draw a square. Challenge children to try to create more complex shapes, such as a star or a hexagon. With younger children, draw shapes on a paved surface using sidewalk chalk and encourage the to set branches on the shape outlines.

Shape maze

In a paved corner of your yard, use sidewalk chalk to draw a large square. Draw several smaller shapes inside the square (triangles, circles, squares, rectangles). Invite children to take turns standing on a shape along the bottom of the large square, a circle for example. Challenge them to make their way to the opposite side of the square by stepping only on circles. Children will have fun recognizing and naming the shapes while expending energy. The bigger your square, the more active they will be!

Geometrical walk

Go for a walk in your neighborhood and invite children to search for circles, squares, triangles, etc. Use this activity to introduce children to hexagons (stop signs).

Geometrical hopscotch

Using sidewalk chalk, draw a traditional hopscotch, but draw shapes inside the squares instead of numbers. Children take turns tossing a bean bag on your hopscotch and hopping to pick it up, naming the shapes as they hop on them.

Geometric cube
Visit a store to pick up a computer or television box. Cut various shapes out of the sides of the box: squares, triangles, circles, rectangles. Make small and large openings at ground level and higher up on the box too. Reinforce the edges of the cutout shapes with colorful adhesive tape. Provide children with balls of different sizes. They will have fun throwing the balls through the various shapes. Be sure to have one opening which is large enough to collect the balls from inside the box.

Ball in the circle
Set up a golf course in your backyard. Use different sizes of containers (buckets, ice cream containers, yogurt containers, bowls, etc.). Organize them as you wish and surround each hole with a rope or a hula hoop. Give each child his own golf ball. Children try to make the ball go in the container while standing outside the circle. Start with the easiest hole and proceed towards the most difficult one, depending on the size of both the containers and the circles.

Shape race

(Open picture game-Shapes) Print, laminate, and cut out the shapes. Hide them throughout your yard. You can, for example, use adhesive putty to press them on fences or outdoor walls. When you give the signal, children race to find as many shapes as possible.

MUSICAL AND RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES

Shape box

Sit in a circle with your group. Set objects in an opaque box (or gift bag). You can, for example, include a deck of cards to represent rectangles, napkins to represent squares, balls to represent circles, and a musical triangle to represent triangles. To the sound of music, children pass the box around the circle. When the music stops, they child holding the box takes an item out and names the corresponding shape. Variation: To help younger children, you may press paper shapes on the floor, in the center of your circle.

Musical shapes

(Open models-Shapes) Print, cut out, and laminate the shapes. Use adhesive putty or adhesive paper to press the shapes on the floor. Play music. Children hop from one shape to the next. When the music stops, children must name the shape they are standing on.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Shape dance

(Open shape dance) For this activity, you will need a rhythmic ribbon for each child. Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Show children one card at a time and encourage them to name the shape before using their ribbon to draw the shape in the air.

Guessing game

(Open guessing game-Shapes) Print and laminate the cards. Set a bin filled with blocks corresponding to the shapes illustrated on the cards in front of your group. Read a riddle. When children think they have identified the correct shape, they look for a block representing the shape in your bin and hide it in their hands or behind their back. Once all the children have a block, show your group the card so they can verify that they found the correct shape.

My shape cake

(Open my shape cake) Print the first page of the document for each child. Children cut out their cake as well as the frame and glue them on a piece of construction paper. Print several copies of the second page and cut out all the small shapes that represent candy pieces. Children decorate their cake by pressing shapes all over it. When they are satisfied with the result, they must count each type of candy (shape) and write the number in the frame. Younger children will need your help for this step.

Disappearing shapes

(Open game-disappearing shapes) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Arrange them in a pile on the table. For each child, you will need a coffee filter, a cookie sheet or tray, an eyedropper, and a small bowl of water. Before the start of the activity, draw 10 shapes on each coffee filter using a washable marker, leaving space between the shapes. A different number of each shape should be drawn on each filter. Children set a coffee filter on their cookie sheet or tray. Turn one card over and name the shape. Children must find a corresponding shape on their coffee filter and deposit a few drops of water on it to make it disappear. The first child who has “erased” all the shapes that were initially on his coffee filter shall be the winner.

Counting cards-Shapes

(Open counting cards-Shapes) Print and laminate. Prepare a series of wooden clothespins on which you can paint or draw numbers 1 to 9. Children count the items on each card and place the corresponding clothespin on the correct number.

Dragon-Shapes

(Open dragon-Shapes) Print for each child. Children cut out the tiny shapes and use them to reproduce the illustrated dragon. They simply glue the shapes in the same spots after coloring them.

Educ-pairs-Shapes

(Open educ-pairs-Shapes) Print. Children must draw a line between identical items or color them using the same color. For durable, eco-friendly use, laminate and use dry-erase markers.

Educ-trace-Shapes

(Open educ-trace-Shapes) Print for each child. Children must trace each line using a crayon of the corresponding color and then color the object at the end of the line using the same color.

Educ-same and different-Shapes

(Open educa-same and different-Shapes) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the item that is different in each row.

Hunt and seek-Shapes
(Open hunt and seek - Shapes) Print and laminate. Children must find and color the items listed at the bottom of the page in the scene.

Shape clothesline

Hang a clothesline in your daycare. Have children cut shapes out of colorful paper and fabric and encourage them to hang the shapes on your clothesline.

What is missing?
Show children various shape illustrations and have them name them. Next, children close their eyes. Remove one shape and have children identify the shape that disappeared.

Bingo
(Open bingo - Shapes) Print, laminate, and store the game in a small box or "Ziploc" bag. Play bingo with geometric shapes.

Felt board
Use four pieces of black felt. Glue them on a large piece of cardboard and display on the wall. Have children help you trace and cut various shapes out of colorful felt. The shapes will stick to the black felt. Children will have fun while learning. We suggest using a series of shapes that children can use to build various objects. (Open geometric shapes) The choice of colors is up to you. Visit our online store to purchase felt in a wide variety of colors.

Touch the shape

Set several objects representing different shapes in a box. Encourage children to pick one object out of the box at a time and have them name its shape.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Let’s build shapes together

Divide your group into pairs. (Open drinking glass construction game-Shapes) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Give each pair a card and invite children to set disposable plastic drinking glasses (Solo Cups) on the floor to reproduce the shape that is illustrated on the card. When they are done, invite children to name the shapes.

Shape board game

(Open shape board game) Print and laminate the 2 pages and assemble them, lining up the extremities to create a board game. Give each child a button of a different color that they can use as a playing piece. Set round-shaped, triangular, square, oval, diamond-shaped, and rectangular buttons in an opaque bag. Children take turns pulling a shape out of the bag. They must name the shape and move their playing piece to the first (or next) object of the corresponding shape.

Shape sorting and lacing

Draw shapes on colorful paper and laminate them. Use a hole-punch to make holes all the way around the shapes and have children sort them by shape or color. Let them thread ribbon or shoelaces in the holes.

Our shape book

You will need several pieces of colorful paper or cardboard (1 per child). Have each child pick a shape and glue it on a page. Encourage them to find an object of the corresponding shape, draw it, and write its name. Once children have completed their page, join all the pages together. Read your shape book together. Give each child the chance to bring the shape book home to explore.

EARLY SCIENCE/MANIPULATION/EXPLORATION

(Open models-Shapes) Print, cut out, and laminate various shapes. Ideally, plan to have a few copies of each shape. Show children how pressing 2 shapes together can make creating something completely different possible. For example, overlapping 2 triangles can yield a star, and setting a triangle on top of a square can create a house.

Shape bag

(Open models-Shapes) Print and laminate several small shapes. Set them in a bag. Blindfold one child at a time and invite them to pick a shape out of the bag. They must identify the shape simply by manipulating it. Variation: The blindfolded child may ask his peers questions if needed.

Touch the shape

Set several objects representing different shapes in a box. Encourage children to pick one object out of the box at a time and have them name its shape.

Icy shapes

Purchase a bag filled with inflatable balloons in a variety of shapes. Fill them with water and set them in the freezer. Once the water has turned to ice, peel the balloons off the icy shapes and set them in a kiddie pool or large container or bin. Let children manipulate them and observe the shapes that will melt under their eyes. With older children, you can use eyedroppers to drop food coloring on the shapes. They will enjoy admiring the color changes.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Snack sorting

(Open placemats-I am hungry for shapes) Print a placemat for each child. Invite children to color the shapes before laminating the placemats. Children set their placemat on the table in front of them at snack time. Give each child a bowl filled with round dry cereal, square pieces of cheese, triangular crackers, etc. Children must sort the foods in the correct columns before eating them.

Butterfly snack
Cut a slice of bread into two or four triangles. Arrange them in a plate to look like butterflies. Spread cream cheese or jam on them. Use whatever you have on hand to decorate the butterflies (banana slices, strawberries, cucumbers, etc.).

Donut
Prepare donuts with your group. Make sure children notice that donuts have a round shape.

A shape snack
Cut bananas or oranges into slices so they look like circles. Cut melon or apples into wedges so they look like crescents. Crackers can represent squares while cheese slices cut diagonally are perfect for triangles... Follow your imagination. You can explore a single shape per day and adapt your snack accordingly.

My pizza (circle)

Make miniature pizzas on hamburger buns or English muffins with your group. Give each child a spoon and set the toppings in the center of the table. You will need pizza sauce, pepperoni slices, pineapple chunks, sliced mushrooms, red and green peppers, small broccoli florets, grated cheese, etc.

I am shaping my house

At snack (or lunch) time, invite children to use food items to represent houses. For example, a square slice of bread can represent the base of a house, half a cheese slice (triangle) can become the roof, a rectangular slice of ham can become a door, cucumber slices (circles) can be used to represent windows, etc.

A cookie is good, 2 cookies are great

Purchase a few packages of prepared cookie dough rolls. Using a knife, slice the dough and set the rounds on a baking sheet. Use a clean bottle cap to cut a hole out of the center of each cookie (to make it look like a donut). Bake the cookie rings per the instructions on the package. When they are ready, give 1 or 2 cookies to each child and invite them to set a spoonful of pudding or jam in the center of each one. Serve your round cookies on round plates or placemats.

Cookie shapes

Prepare sugar cookie dough and use cookie cutters to cut the dough to represent different shapes. Bake and enjoy at snack time.

Crackers shaped like…

Purchase different types of crackers (various shapes) and serve them at snack time along with cheese cubes or cream cheese. If you prefer, the shape crackers can be enjoyed with soup at lunch time.

ARTS & CRAFTS

I am learning to cut
(Open Game - I am learning how to cut) Print and staple together to make a booklet for each child. Throughout the week, children can trace and cut out the shapes.

Mosaic
Provide children with sheets of tissue paper that they can tear and glue on cardboard. The goal is to make a round shape.

Painted shapes
Provide children with objects of various shapes (half of a potato, a cube, a sponge, a Popsicle stick, etc.). Dip the objects in paint and make prints on a piece of cardboard. Let dry then cut out and glue to create an original poster.

I recognize the shape of my body
You will need a roll of paper for this activity. Children lie down on the paper one at a time, spreading out their arms and their legs. Carefully trace the contour of each child's body. When you are done, they can each cut out their body shape. If little ones are still learning to use scissors, help them or leave their figure intact. Provide children with material they can use to decorate their body outline (use whatever you have on hand and a touch of imagination). Children can display their figures on a daycare wall or on their bedroom door.

Cardboard house
Find one or more large cardboard boxes. Create divisions by adding additional boxes. You can include a bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, etc. Add objects to each room (for example, in a bedroom you may add a pillow, a book, a flashlight, etc.). Add one more box children can use to represent a car. Use this activity to learn about space: above-below, to the right-to the left, in front-behind.

Shape character
(Open geometric shapes) Let children cut out the shapes. Have them glue them on construction paper or cardboard to create a character.

A round face
Ask children to trace circles on a sheet of paper. Have them complete their masterpiece by adding a nose, a mouth, two eyes, and even two ears to their circles.

A sailboat
Build a sailboat with your group. Use a banana split container and let children paint and decorate it as they wish. Attach a drinking straw to the bottom of the container using hot glue. For the sail, insert the straw in a triangle that children have previously decorated.

My shape hat

(Open educa-decorate-Shapes) Print and cut out. Glue the items around a paper headband to create a shape hat.

Bubble wands

Here, you will need pipe cleaners, necklace beads that can be threaded on the pipe cleaners, and unsharpened pencils. Encourage children to take one pipe cleaner at a time and fold one end to make it look like a basic shape (triangle, circle, square, rectangle, etc.). Next, have them twist the pipe cleaner to secure the shape and slide a few beads on the other end, right up to the shape. Once this is done, they wrap the pipe cleaner around an unsharpened pencil to create a colorful bubble wand. Make several wands. Children will love using them to blow bubbles that will have unique shapes.

Beaded necklaces-Shapes

Use Fun foam shapes. Using a hole-punch, punch holes around a shape for each child and provide a long piece of string. Let children thread the string through the holes, add colorful necklace beads, and knot it to create a shape necklace.

Let’s make our own stamps

Purchase several bold-colored sponges. With the older children in your group, cut the sponges to represent different shapes (triangles, squares, rectangles, circles, etc.) in a variety of sizes. Cut empty toilet paper rolls in half and, using hot glue, stick half a cardboard roll under each sponge shape to create stamps. Children will love pressing them in poster paint and making impressions on white paper.

Hanging cardboard shapes

First, invite children to paint or color both sides of several paper plates using bold colors. Let dry. Next, help them trace a shape in the center of each plate and cut them out. Discard these shapes or use them for another project. Cut long pieces of colorful yarn and glue one end of each piece of yarn behind a paper plate. Show children how they can wrap the shapes with the yarn in every direction, passing through the center of the plate to add even more color. Hang the shapes from the ceiling.

Puppets-Shapes

(Open puppets-Shapes) Print the models on heavy cardboard. Have children cut them out and decorate them with a variety of materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each model to create puppets.

Mandalas-Shapes

(Open mandalas-Shapes) Print for each child. Invite children to color their mandalas to provide them with a relaxing activity whenever needed.

Shape stamps

Use objects that you have on hand to create shape stamps that children can press in poster paint.

Circle: empty applesauce containers, bottle caps, etc.

Triangle: ends of Toblerone chocolate boxes.

Square: square crackers, small cardboard boxes, etc.

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Tangrams-Shapes

(Open tangrams-Shapes) Print, laminate, and cut out the various pieces. Children can use them to represent different shapes.

My ice cream cone

Set several triangles and circles in the center of the table and ask children what they can create using the shapes. Listen to their suggestions and show them how they can create an ice cream cone by setting a circle on top of a triangle base.

Circle bear

(Open circle bear) Print for each child. Have children cut out the circles and glue them on a piece of construction paper to represent a bear. The smaller circles can be used for ears and paws. The medium-sized circle can represent the head while the larger one can be used for the bear’s tummy. Children can color their bear when they are done assembling it.

Variation for younger children: Pre-cut the circles and provide a model they can follow or, if you prefer, simply let them glue the circles on a piece of construction paper in no particular fashion.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-Shapes) Print for each child.

Complete the drawing-Shapes

(Open complete the drawing-Shapes) Print for each child. Have children draw the missing items.

Creative coloring-Shapes

(Open creative coloring-Shapes) Print for each child. Have children complete the drawing.

Have fun!

The educatall team