I have a classrom with kids from age 1 to 2.5, I am trying to come up with some new ideas to teach shapes....

Question

I am currently working on triangles but will eventually teach them all of the shapes. I was wondering if anyone had ideas on activities and/or crafts that would not only help with teaching them their shapes but also use their small motor skills. Like I said next week is triangle week and I need to figure out what I am going to do so if you have ideas for traingles that would be greatly needed and apprecitaed!!!!

Answer 1

you could incorporate objects to help them learn their shapes.  for example, you could find a triangle on an ice cream cone, so see if you can find a print out of and ice cream cone and let them practice putting it together.  Another object you could use is a house.  See if you can/ or just print a large square and triangle and show them how they fit together.  If you wanted to extend the lesson a little further for your older toddlers you could practice their colors when using the ice cream cone example.

well i hope this helps...good luck!!!

Answer 2

You could have a shape hunt or you could decorate cookies with shapes to teach them how to draw shaped or  you could play on computer on Disney(PLAYHOUSE) U buy a program to tach call ed play house preschool. It is fun for 1-3 year olds and is19.99 a year.

Answer 3

We used to go on "shape hunts" it's kinda like Ispy, you say "I see a... triangle!" and then they have to find it. You will probably have to plant triangles though! Circles, squares, rectangles, these are more naturally occurring (doors, door k***s, ceiling tiles, cabinet doors)

You can let them make their own triangles using drinking straws and big marshmallows, just let them shove the straw into the marshmallow and count with them "1, 2, 3 sides! 1,2,3 corners!"

You can have triangle snacks too, triangle pieces of toast, triangle chips, cut apples into triangles...

Answer 4

have your children lay on the floor and form the shapes with their bodies together..say three of them for triangle and take pictures and hang them on a corkboard for the kids to memorize!its fun and exciting and makes it easy to remember!

Answer 5

*  Pennant Painting:  Pennant shaped paper (the larger the better), 2 colors of paint, brushes.  Place the pennant with the wide end to the child’s left to encourage left-right progression.

*  Sandy Triangles:  Cut triangles out of heavy paper.  Encourage the children to brush glue along the edges of the triangle with paintbrushes and sprinkle sand on it.  

* make triangle prints using triangle objects (blocks, toys). Dip triangle in paint and press down on paper.

* make a triangle collage by gluing on different materials that look like a triangle.

* Triangle Tracks:  On floor, use masking tape to create triangles.  Have the children push small toy cars around the outline of each triangle.  Sample questions to ask:  Which one is the biggest?  Smallest?  How do the cars drive on the corners?  Which one is the most fun to drive on?  Why?

* I've found that flannel boards are very popular with this age group.  Maybe you can do a version of the following.  Or just provide different sizes and shaped triangles.

Build a Triangle:  Cut at least 16 small, identical equilateral triangles out of felt.  Place a few of the triangles on flannel board.  Have the children look at the triangles and notice that they have three sides and three points.  Put four triangles together, to form a larger equilateral triangle.  How can they tell it is still a triangle? Set out the triangles and flannel board for the children to explore.  Encourage them to make bigger triangle using the smaller one.

Triangle Tricks

by Heather Tekavec

Cut five identical triangles and manipulate them on a flannelboard as you read the following poem.

One little triangle, sitting very still,

A tiny ant marching by might think that it’s a hill.

Two small triangles make a pretty sight,

Joined together in the sky, they look just like a kite.

Three small triangles, stack them one, two, three,

In the forest you would think that they were one big tree.

Four small triangles, pointing all together,

Make a pinwheel that can spin in windy kind of weather.

Five small triangles, the fanciest by far,

When they all join round and round, they make a flashy

star.

Triangle Song

(tune of: "The Farmer in the Dell")

A triangle has 3 sides,

A triangle has 3 sides,

Up the mountain,

Down, and back.

A triangle has 3 sides!

The Triangle Song

Sung to: "POP! Goes the weasel"

I am a small triangle

I have three sides you see.

I also have three corners.

They're just right for me.

This is a Triangle  Tune:  Frere Jacques

This is a triangle, this is a triangle.

How can you tell?  How can you tell?

It has three sides

That join to form three points.

It’s a triangle, it’s a triangle.

Jeanne Petty

One-Two-Three  Tune:  London Bridge

Triangles all have three sides,

Have three sides, have three sides.

Triangles all have three sides,

Count them one-two-three.

Kathy McCullough

Triangle Song

Tune: London Bridges

I have three sides as you can see, you can see, you can see,

I have three sides as you can see, I'm a triangle  

Triangle Song

(Tune: Are You Sleeping?)

Here is a triangle, here is a triangle,

How can you tell?  How can you tell?

It has three sides, it has three sides

1-2-3, 1-2-3

The Triangle

The triangle is a simple shape,

I think you will agree.

Count its sides and corners,

And you will find just three.

I Am a Small Triangle

I am a small triangle,

I have three sides, you see.

I also have three corners

That are just right for me.

Rita Galloway

* Musical Triangles:  Find a musical triangle to play during this activity.  Cut triangles, at least one for each child, out of paper and place them around the room; on the floor, on a table, on a wall, on a chair.  Tell the children that when you play the triangle, you want them to march around the room.  When they hear the triangle stop, have them stop marching to find just one triangle.  Have the children replace their triangles where they found them.

* Language: Triangle Box: You need a box with a lid.  At the beginning of the month, cut a fairly large triangle shape from the lid then place it back on the box.  Introduce the box to the children.  Throughout the month, they can place "triangle items" into the box (pictures brought from home or found at school, their own drawings of triangles, toys, etc).  Near the end of the month, discuss all the items in the box during grouptime.  Allow each child to speak.  Actually, this can be done with all the shapes.

* Toast Triangles:  Toast slices of bread.  Spread half the toast slices with strawberry jelly and the other half with grape jelly.  Cut the toast into triangles.  Give each of the children one of each kind of toast triangle.  Can they tell what flavors of jelly are on their triangles just by smelling?

* Triangle Snack:  Show the children how to fold square napkins in half diagonally to form triangles.  Place an assortment of triangular foods on a tray.  Crackers, cheese slices, watermelon, etc.

* Three Sides:  Give the children three strips of paper and a piece of plain paper.  Have them count their strips. Show them a picture of a triangle.  Help them arrange their strips onto their paper to form a triangle.

* Triangle Matching:  Cut four different sizes and types of triangles out of heavy paper.  Place the triangles on a large piece of paper and trace around them.  Mix up the triangles.  Let the children take turns placing the paper triangles on the appropriate tracings.

* Shape Sorting: Mix circles, squares, and triangles together (all the same size and color).  Place them in the Math Center for children to sort by "shape." Your older children would be able to sort and glue into the appropiate larger shape.

* Find the Triangle

Put a rectangular block, a square block, and a triangular block in a dark-colored pillowcase. Invite a volunteer to reach into the bag without looking and feel the different shapes. Ask him or her to pick out the triangle and remove it from the bag. If the shape is not a triangle, have the child put it back in the bag and try again. Return the block to the bag and repeat the activity with a new volunteer.

* Be sure to add triangle mats and triangle cookie cutters to your play dough!

*  Cut various size foam triangles and add to your water table.

* Lace triangles.

That should get you started :-)  If you would like other shape ideas feel free to email.  I love to share ideas that I've gathered over the years.