In this activity, the child has the opportunity to be creative by using a variety of shapes to create art.
Learning Area(s): Math; Sensory and Art
MATERIALS
- Various shapes cut out of colored construction paper (e.g., circle, square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid)
- Large white paper
- Glue
LET'S PLAY
Ask your child to start by picking her favorite shape. Hold up the shape she chooses and ask her to identify it. If she does not know the name, point out the features of the shape with your finger (e.g., “Look, it has one, two, three sides. Do you remember which shape has three sides? It starts with a ‘t’ sound”). If your child still needs help, tell her the name (triangle). Repeat this process of asking your child to pick a shape, name it, and describe its features together until all of the cut out shapes have been identified.
Encourage your child to glue the shapes onto the white paper, making whatever kind of design she wants. She can make an abstract design or try to make a recognizable object such as a house, hat, person, or animal.
Talk with your child as she is working. You might ask some questions like, “How many rectangles are you using?” “Did you use any circles?” You can also show interest by commenting on what you see, such as, “I see you’re putting the blue triangle on top of the blue square.” or “You used three circles in your picture.”
TIPS
- It’s okay if your child just wants to glue the shapes in random order. The process of considering different ideas and making her own choices are what’s important.
- If your child is ready for a challenge, you might encourage her to make larger shapes from smaller ones by saying, “Can you make a large rectangle out of small triangles? Can you make a large rectangle out of small squares?”
- Extend this activity using three-dimensional materials to create shapes. Pipe cleaners, toothpicks and marshmallows, or popsicle sticks can be glued to construct shapes. As the child builds, talk about what makes each shape unique and what features each shape has.