Shapes are the building blocks of early education, paving the way for a child’s understanding of the world around them. Check out this shape sorting activity—a fun and interactive way to introduce little ones to shapes. Discover how this simple yet engaging exercise nurtures cognitive development and lays a solid foundation for future learning adventures.
Shape Sorting Activity for Kindergarteners and Preschoolers
Shapes are everywhere, and for young learners, recognizing and understanding them is a stepping stone towards honing their problem-solving abilities and spatial awareness. As they match circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles to their corresponding bases, children gain confidence in their abilities, boosting their self-esteem and encouraging a positive attitude towards learning.
The objective of this activity is to help kindergarten and preschool children recognize and differentiate between different shapes by sorting them using popsicle sticks with cardboard tubes and construction paper glued to the top in various shapes.
WILL YOU TRY THIS SHAPE SORTING ACTIVITY WITH YOUR CHILD? Pin it for later!
Materials Needed
- Popsicle sticks
- Cardboard tubes
- Cardboard
- Construction paper (assorted colors)
- Glue
- Marker pen
- Scissors
- Tray or large flat surface for sorting
Shapes to Use: Circle, Square, Triangle, and Rectangle or you can use harder shapes for older kids (Feel free to include more shapes if desired)
Instructions
- Preparation:
a. Take 5-7 cardboard tubes and glue them in a line to a piece of rectangular cardboard using a glue gun or regular glue. Draw the different shapes that you will be sorting on each cardboard tube, you can also write out the name of the shape.
b. Cut construction paper into various shapes. Write the name of the shape on the shape.
c. Glue the construction paper shapes onto the top of the popsicle sticks. Cut out and glue at least 5-6 of each shape. - Setting up the Activity:
a. Place the prepared popsicle sticks with shapes.
b. Mix up the popsicle sticks randomly to create a shape jumble. You can also hide the sticks around the house or garden by sticking them in planters or in the ground!
- Activity Time:
a. Gather the children around the activity area and introduce them to the different shapes (circle, square, triangle, and rectangle) by showing and naming each one.
b. Explain that their task is to sort the popsicle sticks with shapes into the correct cardboard tube bases according to their shapes. - Guided Play:
a. Demonstrate the activity by picking up one popsicle stick with a shape and placing it into the matching cardboard tube base. For instance, pick up a popsicle stick with a square shape and place it into the cardboard tube with a square shape on top.
b. Encourage the child identify the shape before placing it into the correct cardboard tube base.
- Independent Play:
a. Once the child are familiar with the shapes, let them explore the activity independently.
b. Provide support and encouragement as needed, praising them for correctly matching the shapes.
- Extension Activity:
a. For an added challenge, you can introduce new shapes or encourage the children to create patterns using the popsicle sticks with different shapes.
Remember to make the activity engaging and fun, praising the children for their efforts, and creating a positive learning environment!
Age Suitability
This activity is good for toddlers aged children 18 years old and up with adult assistance.
Mess Level
The mess level for this activity is low.
Difficulty to Create
Low.
Skills Developed
Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 airs in the summer of 2023! We were also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
WILL YOU TRY THIS SHAPE SORTING ACTIVITY WITH YOUR CHILD? Pin it for later!
