klc106 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) Hi all We have noticed our children are low on their Shape recognition, using shapes appropriately etc. I am planning to do different shaped toast etc. at snack time, and shape hopscotch instead of number but then I have ran out of ideas! Has anyone got any child initiated activities or games linked to Shapes that have worked well? We have a mixed group of 2-4yr olds, we are planning on getting younger children to focus on 2d shapes and older children more 3d shapes. Thanks :1b Edited February 17, 2014 by klc106 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 An outdoor 'shape hunt' is always fun - I have some laminated shapes that I made myself - we 'scatter' these on part of our outdoor space (field) and children armed with a small container each 'hunt' for them...... I have a shape card game (Usborne books) we play this regularly - always appeals Shape stencils - the talented Mr S (!) made some wooden ones for me - they are made of ply and have a little knob thingy on them for little hands to hold steady.......same thing available from various suppliers....... Painting/drawing paper cut into different shapes Loving the toast shapes! :1b 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 We do most of what has been suggested already we also play musical shapes pieces of card cut into shapes spread over the floor I stop the music and call out a shape which the children then find, I also ask more able children to give me a fact they know about the shape, I.e it has four corners etc. We play dotty dinosaurs (Orchard games) colour match and shape game. You could play shape corners each corner has a different shape by it and when music stops they have to go to a named shape. We play the shape envelope game, I pull out part of a shape from a big envelope and we discuss what we can see and predict what shape it maybe, then I reveal a little bit more until whole shape is out of the envelope. we have a bean bag throw game at shapes which have numbers beside them so the children can also score and tally. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Oh......we have a shape mat for our Bee-bot too! :1b I will have to have a look at 'Dotty Dinosaurs' - my present bunch of lovelies are really into games :1b 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devondaisy Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Monster bingo (also Orchard Games)is another good shape game. We have recently had a shape walk where children spotted shapes as we walked around the village, road signs, man hole covers, windows, doors etc. then took photos of them which I made into a display. We followed this up with a shape hunt around the setting where children found different shaped toys in a mad run around! Some children then used the toys dipped in paint to print with. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Oh......we have a shape mat for our Bee-bot too! :1b I will have to have a look at 'Dotty Dinosaurs' - my present bunch of lovelies are really into games :1b Ours like it so much I bought a Christmas edition of it!!! the presents on the tree were different shapes! In fact, I bought one in a charity shop the other day Greedy Gorilla - (not so sure about the gorilla bit as it burps - but the children like it). anyway, the box obviously hadn't been checked before going on sale and 3 pieces of the game were missing (pictures to match up), A very, very nice woman at Orchard Games sent me 3 new pieces in the post - I did tell a small white lie - said the game belonged to my son and he had lost them..... (youngest son now 21!), 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 go here look.......... http://www.pinterest.com/jeanniepartin/math-shapes-2d/ just google pintrest and teaching children shapes.....BUT be warned,,,,it is addictive! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Ours like it so much I bought a Christmas edition of it!!! the presents on the tree were different shapes! In fact, I bought one in a charity shop the other day Greedy Gorilla - (not so sure about the gorilla bit as it burps - but the children like it). anyway, the box obviously hadn't been checked before going on sale and 3 pieces of the game were missing (pictures to match up), A very, very nice woman at Orchard Games sent me 3 new pieces in the post - I did tell a small white lie - said the game belonged to my son and he had lost them..... (youngest son now 21!), I have ordered 'Dotty Dinosaurs' - on your recommendation Panders! :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 go here look.......... http://www.pinterest.com/jeanniepartin/math-shapes-2d/ just google pintrest and teaching children shapes.....BUT be warned,,,,it is addictive! I especially like the 'cardboard pizza' - will 'steal' that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 We've just made a display with the title 'Shapes are all around us'. Children found shapes in the environment, inside and out, and took photos of them. The printed them out and we have a board full of rectangle doors, circle logs, roof triangles etc. We have written a blurb showing how children made the link between the shapes they knew and the things they photographed. Gets in a good bit of ICT too! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I especially like the 'cardboard pizza' - will 'steal' that one! i rather liked the lolly stick and bottle tops one with velcro dots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 i rather liked the lolly stick and bottle tops one with velcro dots! Oh - I missed that - right need to have another look! klc - do you see what you've started! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I have ordered 'Dotty Dinosaurs' - on your recommendation Panders! :1b Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Me too! :blink: We are so easily led! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 We play shape pass the parcel - they love it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc106 Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Thanks all, great ideas :1b I love Pinterest too and it is way too addictive! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I think I would really think about whether or not the children really are 'low' in shape space and measure or whether it is just that there are fewer observations referring to them. In my experience when I visit settings, it is the latter more often than not.This is often because the 'stuff' of shape is often missed, and this is the exploration of everyday things, building, construction, den making, packing things inside other things etc, in short all the things you are providing anyway. Younger children need lots and lots of experience handling shapes, with lots of adult modelling of language and so I wouldn't go straight to 2D shapes for the youngest children, as this isn't what they naturally play with. Use the development matters to guide you, where does it start mentioning actual 2D shapes? (it isn't where people usually think it is!). Im not saying there is anything wrong with playing shape games etc, they have their place, but I would see this aspect of maths much much broader, especially for our youngest children. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc106 Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Thanks for that Mundia. I think your right in that we don't have many obs for that area, so this is something we are going to focus on this next term. Also, when referring to 2d shapes I meant our younger children as in our 3yr olds and 3d shapes for the 4yr olds that are ready for this level. Our 2yr olds are in everyday but like you say they are just exploring. :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I have ordered 'Dotty Dinosaurs' - on your recommendation Panders! :1b Gulp - hope they enjoy it - but it is something once they learn the very easy rules they can play independently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Gulp - hope they enjoy it - but it is something once they learn the very easy rules they can play independently. Just to say..........Dotty Dinosaurs is proving very popular!!! :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 We play shape dominoes with a set I made and laminated several years ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Just to say..........Dotty Dinosaurs is proving very popular!!! :1b Good to know Sunnyday! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salus Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Would a shape hunt be appropriate for a group of almost 3 year olds? (2-3's room )I have seen some "worksheets" our of butterflies made from different shapes and children bring asked to colour in all the circles, squares etc. Also seen some "colour by number" sheets where number one shapes are coloured red , number twos are coloured blue etc....?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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