Thursday, January 9, 2014

Teaching Shapes

Grace, as most of you know, started kindergarten this year.  In the beginning of the year, a sheet was sent home with things your child is expected to know before the end of the year. 

One of those things was shapes.  How hard can shapes be, right?  Grace knew things like square, triangle, circle and diamond but those weren't the only shapes she was expected to learn. 


Diamond was now referred to as rhombus.  Oval was now referred to as ellipse.  And, fun shapes like trapezoids and hexagons were added into the mix.


Thanks to pinterest, I came across a fantastic blog AMSTI Kindergarten Style, that shared this teaching shape method.  Though they didn't have a tutorial, it's easy enough to figure out. 


Have your little one paint Popsicle sticks.  Each shape will be painted a unique color.  Then, have your littel one write out the name of the shape and the total number of sides on each stick.


Depending on ability level of your child, you might want to cut the shape out of paper to add them in piecing the sides together to complete the shape.


Pull them out, let your little one have some fun building their shapes. 


Once they've mastered building the shapes you've made, have them try and create new shapes. 

22 comments:

  1. that's a great idea! and what is it about just letting shapes be the same old name we learned? I swear once u get to first you will be asking other classmate mommas how to do certain homework, lol!

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  2. Great idea! I like the colors you used too.

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  3. What a great idea. I can totally see this with magnets on the back or on a felt board too. So many options! Thanks for sharing. :)

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  4. I firmly believe that learning should be fun too and here you show us a lovely example of it. Thanks I am not a mother yet but I keep in mind your activities and learn lots from your experiences.

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  5. Very clever idea. I like hands on education.

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  6. Best. Mommy. Ever.

    I love this and once again must compliment Miss Grace on her penmanship. :)

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    1. Ha! Thanks Elena. I'm actually amazed at how well Grace writes, considering a year and a half ago, she wasn't even writing her name.

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  7. This is a really great teaching aid. Love the fun colors too! We've been having a hard time with 13 and 14. and 30 and 40. Mostly because they're said almost the same way in our house. ferteen and fourteen. ferty and forty. Working on that "th" sound.

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  8. This is a great idea and I love the comment about using magnets too, Im trying to teach mine their colours I think this could be adapted for that as well.

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  9. love this! I am pinning this to do with my kids

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  10. Aw...thanks so much Amy. I much prefer diamond to rhombus any day :). I'm hoping I can keep up with Grace for another year or two before she surpasses me!

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  11. doing this with Jacob! I think he'll love it! I love that Grace wrote the names herself too!

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  12. This is a fun way for the little ones to learn their shapes. It's a brilliant idea! I love how hands on you are with Grace's school. You certainly are super mom! :)

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  13. Add the round one back in and teach her how to write "Bliss" next to it.

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  15. I love it! This would be such a great idea for me and the girls (especially on these rainy shut-in days)! Pinned!

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  16. I love this...children (and adults) can remember so well when they use their hands to learn. Very smart you!!

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  17. Rhombus?! In kindergarten? Geez!! But great activity!!

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