Your Child Will Learn
Shape names and characteristics
Here’s What to Do
- Head outside with your child for a walk.
- Point out some objects and ask your child to name what shape they are. Start with things that are squares, circles, and triangles (examples: square windows, circle manhole covers, triangle yield signs).
- Now it’s their turn! Ask them to search for squares, circles, and triangles as they walk.
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- As you head out the door, say “Our shape walk starts… now!”
ENGAGE
- “What are some shapes you can think of? Let’s look for those!”
- “Check out this window. What shape does it look like?”
ENCOURAGE
- If your child is having difficulty finding shapes, give them hints:
- “That sign right there has 3 sides. What shape has 3 sides?”
- “I’m noticing that the green light on the traffic light is totally round. What shape is round?”
REFLECT
- “What kind of shape did we see the most on our walk?”
Not Quite Ready
Show your child an example of one shape, then ask them to find other things that are the same shape.
Ready for More
Look for more complex shapes like rectangles, diamonds, ovals, pentagons, and hexagons
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will begin to correctly identify shapes and know their characteristics.
Time to Complete
10-15 minutes
Materials Needed
None