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If you've ever looked at one of those preschool goal charts, there are quite a few things to be accomplished. Today, we're going to talk shapes.
Between the ages of three and four, your child should be able to identify and sort basic shapes (i.e. circle, square, triangle, etc.). They'll be getting a lot of help with this in school, but there are also things you can do at home if you want to get a head start or to supplement their learning. Below are my top 3 products and activities you can do with your toddler to help them master their shapes.
Melissa & Doug have a ton of great products and this puzzle is one of them. To start his shape identification, I sat with my son on the floor and first named the shapes as he put them in the correct spots. We did this for the first several times he did this puzzle. Then, we graduated to spreading the pieces on the floor and me asking him to "find the yellow circle." (This is also a way to get some color association in there!) An added feature to this puzzle is that the wooden pegs make it easy for small fingers to grasp. So you can start it with your toddler even before they hit three!
2. Find the Shape Dice Game
This is a game I totally made up, but my son is obsessed with it. I grabbed a bunch of stuff one day at the dollar store in an attempt to come up with some engaging activities so we aren't stuck doing the same thing every day. One of those finds was an over-sized dry erase dice like this one here. For this game, I draw different shapes on each side of the die. My son will roll it, and then he has to find that shape somewhere in the house. This puts the practical aspect of shape identification to work because your child is able to see how shapes are present in the real world. It's been particularly fun around Christmas time because the decorations offer a lot of opportunities for shape-finding that wouldn't normally be there.
We are BIG Mickey fans in my house so getting this was a no-brainer. There are a few different ways to use these cards which is a nice way to mix things up so your child doesn't become bored. Sometimes at lunch, I'll pull these out at the table and use them as flashcards. My son has to tell me the shape and color he sees, and I'll go a step further, asking him to find something in the room that is also that shape (or color). It can also be a memory game where your child has to find the matching shape.
Whether you're currently working on shapes with your child at home or just looking for more options for ways to stimulate your child, I highly recommend adding these products to your repertoire. Once you've established how they work, they can be easily transferred to a toddler-led activity so you can be more hands-off if you choose and let your little one take the reins on his shape education.
What is your favorite way to teach shape identification? Have you used any of these with your toddler? Share your answers in a comment!
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