Learning a new skill can be very exciting if we make it fun and playful for our little adventurers. Children love to be actively involved in learning something new. So for now, put away the books and flashcards and get ready to have some fun!
For every shape that I introduced to my children there was an art activity for them to do and then we went outside to use our bodies to explore the different shapes.
The circle
Inside activity:
We went on a shape hunt and tried to find anything that looks like a circle. We ended up with a toilet paper roll and an orange.
Step 1: Paint the bottom of the toilet roll and press on a piece of paper to make some circles.
Step 2: Cut the orange in half. Paint it on both sides and press on paper to make circles.
Step 3: Hang outside to dry.
Outside activity:
After the activity we went outside and we played with hula hoops.
You can show your little one that a hoola hoop is round and that it can roll around.
Roll the hoola hoop and your child can run after it and try to catch it before it lands on the floor.
Take the hoop in both hands and spin around and around.
The triangle
Inside activity:
Explain that a triangle has 3 corners and 3 sides. I showed them what a triangle looked like and counted with them.
Take an old magazine and rip the pages onto small pieces of paper to make a triangle collage.
Step 1: Draw a big triangle on a paper.
Step 2: Stick the small pieces of paper into the triangle to make collage.
Another fun activity for them was to build a triangle with old ice-cream sticks.
Step 1: Practice to pack the sticks in a triangle before they just start sticking.
Step 2: Stick it on the paper and paint over the triangle.
Step 3: Remove the sticks.
Outside activity:
Make a big triangle outside with any piece of rope that you can find and make a triangle shape. Let your little ones balance the piece of rope, walking on the triangle. They can walk forwards, backwards and even sideways.
After we did this I drew a triangle with chalk on the floor and the kids used anything they could find in the garden to pack on the triangle.
The square
Now you can explain that a square has 4 corners and 4 sides.
Inside sctivity:
Step 1: Take a big container or bucket and fill it with sand. (You also do this outside if you don’t want to make a mess).
Step 2: Hide different shapes under the sand and they must take out all the squares.
Step 3: Take the squares and paint them to print it on a piece of paper.
Outside activity:
Put wooden blocks outside where children can jump on.
You can make your own blocks by using old cardboard boxes and painting it with different colours.
The rectangle
Teach the children that a rectangle has two long arms and two short arms.
Inside activity
Look around the house to see if you can find anything that looks like a rectangle shape.
We used empty cookie boxes and made lovely shakers with them.
Step 1: Fill the boxes with anything like rice or macaroni.
Step 2: Make sure that all the sides are sealed with tape.
Step 3: Paint and decorate the box and shake shake shake!!
Outside or inside activity:
Take a piece of chalk and draw a big rectangular shape on ground, or you can use insulation tape on the floors inside.
Let children walk on the lines.
Now they can use their imaginations and use it for a road and play with cars and trucks.
Contributed by Elanie Odendaal of Clamber Club Sports – Bloemfontein
Tel: 082 303 2459
Email: sportsdanpienaar@clamberclub.com
Website: www.clamberclub.com