Names of Shapes
Teach your toddler the names of shapes using songs, crafts, books, baking and outdoor games. According to Scholastic, understanding shapes is a tool for learning many skills within math, science, language and reading. We all use shape as a way of identifying and organizing visual information. Very early, children begin to make a connection between familiar objects and their shapes.
Here are 5 ways to teach your toddler the names of shapes and shape recognition:
Song: The Shapes Song is so cute and even addresses the numbers of sides on a square, circle and triangle! Play the song and have your little one point out shapes on flashcards, in books and around the home.
Crafts: Use a pad of colored paper to cut out your own shapes. Paints are also a great way to teach shapes. Paint houses with square windows, rectangle doors and oval door mat.
Books: The library will have a wide selection of books and stories to help your toddler learn the names of shapes. We like The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns.
Baking: Here is a great website that offers a recipe for baking shapes, The Nurture Store. They suggest shape cookie cutters but you can also cut out the shapes or form them with hands.
Outside – An outdoor scavenger hunt can be fun and educational. Make a list of the basic shapes and head outside to find items that match. Keep searching until all of the shapes are checked off the list! Houses, signs and cars are great resources!
By exposing your toddler to a variety of simple activities, they can quickly master the names of shapes. They will begin to recognize them inside and outside the home. Teach My Toddler Shapes is the award winning set that teaches toddlers 9 common shapes. Just 20 minutes a day with the Teach My Toddler tools and your toddler can master the circle, triangle, square and more! Use the coordinated book, poster, puzzle and flashcards together to encourage repetition and interaction. The set has everything to give a head start.
