Chapter VI
Exploring Geometric Shapes with Blocks
Why is it worth exploring geometric shapes with blocks?
Recognizing and naming basic geometric shapes is an important part of mathematics education in preschool. This skill is a foundation for later understanding of space, shapes, symmetry, and relations between objects. Children learn to notice the characteristic features of different shapes, compare them, order them, and use them when building simple constructions.
Using blocks to learn geometric shapes lets children experience these ideas in a sensory, practical way. Thanks to repeating shapes and the chance to join and handle pieces, children can literally "build" the shape they are learning - so they learn not only by looking, but also by touch, movement, and space.
The games in this chapter support:
- recognizing and consolidating the names of shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle),
- creating and analyzing shapes through constructing,
- development of spatial orientation, observation skills, and logical thinking,
- group cooperation and communication during team games.
Playing together with geometric shapes gives not only a chance to learn, but also the joy of creating - and that is the best way for mathematics, from the earliest years, to be linked in children's minds with something pleasant and understandable.
Find and Name
Learning goal
Recognizing and naming geometric shapes.
Needed elements
Blocks that include circles (gears), square and rectangular bases (e.g. plates),
cards with drawings of shapes.
How it goes
The teacher shows a card with a given shape.
Children look for a matching block whose shape fits the shape shown.
Together they name the shape.
Variants
Finding all the blocks of a given shape in a set time.
Build a Shape
Learning goal
Constructing geometric shapes from pieces.
Needed elements
Blocks, a construction mat.
How it goes
Children try to build a square, a rectangle, a triangle, and a circle from the available blocks.
The teacher helps if needed, explaining the differences between the shapes.
Variants
Work in pairs - one child builds, the other names and describes the shape.
Which Shape Disappeared
Learning goal
Consolidating the names of shapes and observation skills.
Needed elements
A set of blocks representing different shapes.
How it goes
Blocks of different shapes lie in the middle.
Children look at them, then close their eyes.
The teacher hides one block. The children guess which one disappeared.
Variants
- The game may be led by the children - one of them hides a block, the rest guess.
A Walk on Shapes
Learning goal
Recognizing shapes through movement.
Needed elements
Large outlines of geometric shapes arranged from blocks on the carpet.
How it goes
Children walk along the outlines of the shapes and name them.
The teacher gives instructions: "stand on the circle", "walk through the square", etc.
Variants
Children build the shapes themselves and invite others to walk through them.
Geometric Puzzles
Learning goal
Developing spatial orientation and analytical thinking.
Needed elements
Printed outlines of shapes (or drawn on cardboard), blocks.
How it goes
Children arrange blocks inside the drawn shapes so as to fill them as well as possible.
They name each shape and say how many blocks they used.
Variants
Comparing: in which shape did more blocks fit?
Shape Domino
Learning goal
Consolidating shapes through matching.
Needed elements
Cards with drawings of shapes, blocks.
How it goes
Children arrange a domino, joining a shape with the same one.
For each matching picture, children choose a block of a similar shape.
Variants
- Domino with shapes and their names.
Block Shapes in Pairs
Learning goal
Recognizing and comparing geometric shapes.
Needed elements
Blocks, cards with shapes.
How it goes
Children draw a card with a shape.
Their task is to build two identical shapes from blocks.
They show them to the group and compare them together.
Shapes Against the Clock
Learning goal
Recognizing shapes and working in a limited time.
Needed elements
Blocks.
How it goes
Children have, for example, 1 minute to build as many known shapes as they can.
When the time is up, children present their constructions.
Variants
Counting together how many of the children's constructions were of a given kind.
Where the Shape Lives
Learning goal
Categorizing and recognizing shapes in the surroundings.
Needed elements
Cards with the names of shapes, blocks, photos of objects (e.g. a clock, a door, a window)
How it goes
Children match a shape to objects that have a similar shape.
Then they build from blocks their own "home" for that shape.
Shapes in a Story
Learning goal
Recognizing and linking shapes in a narrative context.
Needed elements
Blocks, a teacher's story (ready-made stories at the end of the chapter).
How it goes
The teacher tells a story, e.g. "the square went for a walk and met a triangle...".
During the story, children build from blocks the successive shapes that appear in the tale.
Stories for game 10
Story 1 - Square's Walk
One day Square decided to go for a walk. Walking felt very even - after all, every side was the same length! On the way Square met Circle, who was rolling merrily across the meadow. - "I envy you being able to spin!" - said Square. - "And I envy you your corners!" - laughed Circle. Together they also met Triangle, who was just building a house. Triangle still needed a roof. - "We will build you a roof from our friendship!" - they said and helped finish the building.
● Children build: a square, a circle, a triangle (the roof)
Story 2 - The Shapes' Ball
A great ball was held in the palace of Shapesland. All the shapes arrived: Rectangle in a long gown, Square in an elegant tailcoat, Circle in a golden crown, and Triangle with a colorful cloak. They danced together in the great hall and arranged themselves into different patterns. When the orchestra played a fast dance, Circle began to roll, Triangle hopped, and Square and Rectangle made funny turns.
● Children build: the shapes of the ball guests - square, rectangle, circle, triangle
Story 3 - The Lost Circle
Circle got lost in a forest full of straight and sharp shapes. Circle looked for the way home, but all the trees were triangular and the stones looked like squares. - "I will help you!" - said Rectangle, who knew the way to the city of Shapes. On the way they told each other stories about different shapes and also found a Heart drawn with a stick on the ground - a symbol of friendship. And so together they returned to Circle's home.
● Children build: a circle, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a heart
Story 4 - The Shape Race
One day the shapes decided to have a race. Circle was the fastest, because Circle rolled without stopping. Square tried to run, but the angles were too stiff. Rectangle, in turn, had long sides, so Rectangle took big steps, and Triangle hopped, because Triangle had three sharp vertices. - "It is not about who wins," - said Circle, - "what matters is that we play together!"
● Children build: all the shapes from the race - circle, square, rectangle, triangle
Story 5 - The Secret Plan
Square had a plan: Square wanted to build a huge playground. Square called Rectangle, who helped design a slide. Triangle suggested a roof for the gazebo, and Circle was perfect for building a carousel. Together they created an amazing place where every shape was needed. Children from all around came to play - and thanked the shapes for working together.
● Children build: constructions from particular shapes - a roof (triangle), a carousel (circle), a gazebo (square, rectangle)
Variants
Children invent their own fairy tales with shapes in the main roles.
Shape Hunters
Learning goal
Recognizing geometric shapes in the surroundings.
Needed elements
Blocks, cameras (e.g. toy ones) or photo frames.
How it goes
Children "hunt" for shapes in the room - they look for objects in the shape of a circle, a square, etc.
They show them to the teacher and try to build a similar shape from blocks.
The Magic Bag
Learning goal
Recognizing shapes by touch.
Needed elements
Blocks of different shapes, an opaque bag.
How it goes
Children draw a block from the bag without looking inside.
From touch they try to guess what shape they are holding.
After guessing, they show it and build a larger version of that shape.
Swapping Shapes
Learning goal
Understanding the characteristic features of shapes.
Needed elements
Blocks, boards with shapes.
How it goes
Children build a known shape (e.g. a triangle).
The teacher says: "Change one side and see what you get!"
Children experiment and discuss how the shape changes.
Shapes in Motion
Learning goal
Consolidating geometric shapes through movement.
Needed elements
Blocks, illustrations of shapes, space to play.
How it goes
On the cue "circle!" children roll like a circle, on "square" they move step by step as if along the sides of a square, and so on.
The teacher joins the cues into sequences.
Shapes - Family and Friends
Learning goal
Distinguishing similarities and differences between shapes.
Needed elements
Blocks, sheets describing "families" of shapes (e.g. all with 4 sides).
How it goes
Children sort the shapes into "families" (all with three sides, four sides, all round).
Then they build from blocks "homes" for those families.
Variants
An extension: creating "portraits" of the shape families.