Recognizing and manipulating shapes is an important foundational mathematical skill and a building block for geometry. And for young children, exploring shapes can be both fun and fascinating! In this article, we share a variety of engaging shape-based activities that make use of everyday items and recycled materials.
The hands-on math activities below are particularly budget-friendly, because they make use of re-purposed and found items. As an added bonus, incorporating recycled materials into the curriculum provides an opportunity to introduce young children to sustainability and invites conversations about protecting the environment!
This simple activity uses only a few items, many of which you might already have on hand in your classroom! You’ll need paper plates, pencils, scissors, and yarn. An optional item to add is paint, if you would like to give children the opportunity to paint their paper plates different colors. If you include painting, you’ll want to invite the children to paint the plates first and let them fully dry before getting started with the rest of the project.
To get started, you’ll draw and cut out a large shape in the center of each plate. If you work with younger children, you will probably want to pre-cut the shapes, while older children might be able to cut the shapes out on their own. Then, give the children some yarn that they can wrap around the outside of the plate and through the shape in the center. Some children might need some assistance while they get the hang of wrapping the yarn. Working with yarn is a fun way to discover shapes, and an excellent way to build fine motor skills!
As the children are working on this activity, you can talk with them about the shape in the middle of their plate, and then point out the shapes that each of the other children is working with. You might also compare the colors of the plates and strings of yarn. The completed works of paper plate art are great for displaying— perhaps with a small paper label attached to each, noting the shape cut from that plate’s center.
This simple activity uses only one recycled item: an old cookie sheet! If you don’t already have an extra cookie sheet you can use, you might ask if any of the families in your community have one to donate. Local thrift stores can also be a good source of low-cost, used cookie sheets. The other items you’ll need for these puzzles are things that you likely already have available in your classroom: magna-tiles and a sharpie.
To make the puzzle, collect a variety of magna-tile shapes and trace their outlines with a sharpie onto the back of the cookie sheet. Once this is done, you can invite the little ones in your care to match the magna-tiles to their shape, similar to a puzzle. The magnets in the magna-tiles will help them stick to the metal cookie sheet— so not only does this activity introduce the children to shapes, but it also creates an opportunity to talk about magnets, another STEM-related topic!
This simple art project is a fun way to incorporate some creativity into children’s shape exploration. It has the added benefit of making use of the small pieces of scrap paper that you likely have in your classroom!
To prepare this activity, you’ll cut the pieces of scrap paper into shapes, and then sort and separate the pieces of scrap paper by shape. Another option is to place all of the paper shapes together in one bowl, and invite children to pull shapes from the bowl to use on their collages.
Next, offer children large pieces of construction paper and invite them to glue shapes on their paper to create different pictures and images. You might want to make the first picture with the children, to provide them with an example. This activity is a great way to encourage children’s sense of creativity, problem-solving, and self-expression!
This shape activity incorporates sensory exploration and play, making it a good option for toddlers and young preschoolers. All you will need are the following items: a large plastic container or bin, recycled sponges, and water. To get started, you’ll cut the sponges into different shapes, like squares, rectangles, and triangles, adding in a few circles and hearts, if you’re so inclined!
Once you’ve cut up the sponges, place them in a large sensory bin and add some water. You can add as much or as little water as you’d like. You’ll probably want to set the sensory bin up outdoors so that children can explore freely and enjoy the water, without the worry of spilling inside the classroom. Then, invite children to explore! As they pull out different shapes from the bin, introduce the shape’s name and maybe even the sponge’s color, and show the children how the sponge releases water when it is squeezed.
