Shapes Kids Activities
Activities
Triangles
Objectives
Children will be able to identify and name specific two-dimensional geometric shapes: triangles.
Materials
- Triangle shapes printouts
- Circle, square, oval, diamond printouts
This is a Link.
Directions:
Show children the triangles and explain that all triangles have three sides and three corners. Count the sides and corners with children on all of the triangles you present. Help children see that although the sides may be different lengths, if a shape has three sides and three corners, it is a triangle. Mix the triangles with the non-circular shapes and place them on the floor or on a table. Let children take turns picking up shapes one at a time and have them tell you if the shape is or is not a triangle. If it is a triangle, have children put them in the “triangle” pile. Put the non-triangle shapes in another pile.
Rhymes and Songs:
Triangle Song
(Tune: Frere Jacques)
Sing the following song with children:
Here’s a triangle.
(Spread index and middle fingers apart; right index finger forms base.)
Here’s a triangle.
(Draw a small triangle in the air.)
Now draw one more with me.
(Draw triangle in the air.)
Can you count them?
Are you ready? One!
(Spread index and middle fingers apart; right index finger forms base.)
Two!
(Draw a small triangle in the air.)
Three!
(Draw in the air.)
Movement and Games:
Big Triangle
Designate three children who are sitting far apart in the circle as numbers 1, 2, and 3. Give the first child a ball of yarn. Have child 1 hold onto the end of the yarn and roll the ball to child 2. Have that child catch the ball, hold onto the yarn where it is, and then roll it to child 3. Now have child 3 hold onto the yarn and roll the ball to child 1. At this point, there should be a large triangle of yarn in the circle. Have the children let go of the yarn. Rewind the yarn ball and begin again with three more children. Continue until every child has had a turn. Continue the game by having children make other shapes.
Extension:
Play a game of Triangle Match.
Additional Resources
Triangle Witch
Have children glue three medium-sized black triangles for the arms and hat, one large black triangle for the dress, one small yellow triangle for the broom, and one circle for the head on construction paper to make a witch. Add hair, facial features, the brim of the hat, and the broom handle with crayons or markers.
Triangle Forests
Cut triangles of different sizes from green construction paper. Have children glue the green triangles on blue paper to create “forests.” Different shades of green make the pictures more attractive. Try brushing some glue on the construction paper and sprinkling with salt to make snow.
Tissue Paper Triangle Artwork
Cut triangles out of different colors of tissue paper. Give each child a piece of waxed paper. Have children brush glue on their piece of waxed paper and then place the triangles on top of the glue. Encourage children to work on small areas at a time and to overlap their triangles to create new colors. For a shiny effect, brush more glue over the papers after they have dried. Let dry and attach construction paper frames. Then punch a hole in one corner of each frame and hang the papers from the ceiling or in a window.
Movement Activities
Point the Way
Explain to children that they will need to follow the path of triangles to get to their final destination. Use masking tape or simply cut out different shapes to set on the floor. You can set your course like a sort of maze where you have several triangles pointing a way only to come to a dead end with a circle, oval, square, or rectangle shape that stops them from continuing to follow the point. At the end of the “pointing the way,” have several objects laid out on a table. Ask children to find the triangle-shaped objects. Tip: Triangle-shaped household objects are harder to come by than other shapes, so you may have to make some triangle shaped items. You can continue this game by asking children to find all the circle shaped items, etc.
The Triangle Song
(Tune: POP! Goes the Weasel)
I am a small triangle.
I have three sides you see.
I also have three corners.
They’re just right for me.