Theme of the Week: Teaching toddlers Shapes

Inspired by Teaching Tiny-Tots, this weeks theme is shapes. We had a lot of fun and did several activities with shapes. Here is what we have done today... Arts and Crafts:
*Shape Collage: - Cut out various sizes of different shapes for your child to use to create a collage. *Magazine Search: Leaf through a magazine, cutting out images that have 2-D shapes in them (ie. stove=square, fridge=rectange, roof=triangle, etc.) Divide paper into shape sections divided by lines and have the child place the picture in the appropriate area. *Shape Train: Have your children cut two circles, one triangle, one large square, and one rectangle from the paper. They can then add the circles to the bottom of the square and the rectangle standing up on top of the square and the triangle pointy end to the square.*Square Friend: Have your children cut out two- 1" white square (eyes), One-1" brown square (nose), a 2" red square (mouth), and Two - 2" blue squares (feet) Also provide them with four long yellow strips for arms and legs (have children fold back and forth to make legs zigzag). Finally, give them a 9" square body and have them put it together. They can use paint to personalize their friend.
*Build a House: Give child a large square for the house, give a triangle for a roof, 2 small squares for windows, rectangle for a do

or, small circle for a doorknob, and a circle for a sun.
*Shape collage pizza: Students will trace a circle on brown or yellow construction paper and cut it out. Students color the "sauce" with red crayon leaving the edge of the "crust" showing. Students will cut out thin white rectangles for cheese and glue and overlap them on the pizza. Pepperoni slices are red circles, mushrooms are brown semi-circles, sausages are brown ovals, olives are black circles, green peppers are triangles, pineapple are yellow squares, etc.

*Square picture frame: Make it by gluing four popsicle sticks together and painting. Have each child draw his picture in the square box.
*Make caterpillar pictures from circles.

*RECTANGLE STAINED GLASS: cut clear contact paper to fit the frame area (black construction paper cut into a rectangle frame). Take off the cover so you can stick the contact paper on one side of the frame. Now have your child stick tissue paper over the sticky part till all covered. Now you are ready to hang in the window (you can protect your tissue paper by putting another piece of contact paper over to completely seal the tissue paper!).
*Circle Prints: put paint in a dish so your child can press circle items in it to make circle prints! *Make a panda face: Make it entirely out of circles. Cut one large white circle about the size of a paper plate. Cut out black circles for 2 ears, black circles that go around eyes, and a small circle for a nose. Cut out two white circles for eyes and two tiny black circles for pupils. Add a smile and you are all done.*Shape Mobiles Need: cardboard and paper shapes, crayons, scissors, yarn, tape, hole puncher.Cut yarn into strings. Knot one end of each piece of string and tape the other to make a needle. Children can punch holes in the shapes and string them for hanging.Children may wish to use the cardboard cutouts to trace more shapes.
Games/Activities:
*Put wooden shapes in a bag and have the child try to guess the shape by feeling them.
*Go on a shape scavenger hunt
*Play I-spy shapes: draw and cut out shapes on to poster board (make them big) and color them. Apply glue around the edges of the shapes and sprinkle with glitter and let dry. Now you can play ISPY or use them for textrue shape tracing with fingers.
*Make shapes out of playdoh.

*LACING: Cut shapes out of poster and punch it with holes. Attach yarn to the shape but tying a knot and then the child can lace up.
*Shape Twister: Put shapes on construction paper and attach them to the floor so that they can not move. Pull shapes out of a bucket and have your children put their foot, their hand, etc on it.
*Musical Shapes: Tape Different shapes onto the floor. Have your children step from shape to shape as you play music plays. When the music stops have the children stop and yell out what shape they are standing on.
*Shape Cards: Draw different shapes on cardboard cards (for older children make the shapes different sizes and colors). Have your children try to match the cards by shape or color.
*Shape Throw: Divide a piece of poster board into eight sections (heart, square, circle, triangle, diamond, rectangle, oval, star). Have your children throw a beanbag at the poster board. Have them tell you what shape the beanbag landed on.
Food:
*Make a shape based lunch. For example-
Circles: M&Ms, Oreos, pancakesSquares: crackersRectangles: Graham crackers, sugar wafers, ice cream sandwichesTriangles: Doritos, taco chips
Oval: Ritz crackers
Sphere: cheese balls
Cube: caramels or cheese squares
Cylinders: marshmallows
Cones: Bugles or ice cream cones
Printables:
http://www.dltk-teach.com/shapes/poster/index.htm has really cute shape buddies to color.
http://www.dltk-teach.com/shapes/crafts-buddies.htm has really cute shape friends to make.
http://www.kidzone.ws/prek_wrksht/shapes.htm has traceable worksheets.
www.first-school.ws/theme/shapes_preschool_printables.htm has some fun printables Shape Songs:
Round is a Pancake
Round is a pancake,Round is a plum,Round is a doughnut,Round is a drum.Round is a puppy,Curled up on a rug.Round are the spots,On a wee ladybug.Look all around,On the ground, in the air,You will find round things everywhere!
Circle Song
(to the tune of: "If You're Happy and You Know It")
A circle is a shape that goes round.A circle is a shape that goes round.A circle is a shape that goes round,And round and round.A circle is a shape that goes round.
Tiptoe slowly on the circle and go round.Tiptoe slowly on the circle and go round.Tiptoe slowly on the circle,And go round and round and round.Tiptoe slowly on the circle and go round.
Make A Circle (to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel")
Round and round on the paper I go,What fun to go around like so,What have I made, do you know?I made a circle!
Make A Square(to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
From the bottom to the top,Straight across and then you stop,Straight down to the bottom again,Across and stop where you began,If the lines are the same size,Then a square is you surprise.
Make a Triangle(to the tune of "Three Blind Mice")
One, two, three; one, two, threeDo you see? Do you see?Up the hill and to the top,Down the hill--and then you stop,Straight across; tell me what have you got?A triangle--a triangle!
Make A Rectangle(to the tune of "The Eensy, Weensy Spider")
A long line at the bottom,A long line at the top,A short line to connect each side,A rectangle you've got!A short line at the bottomA short line at the topA long line to connect each sideA rectangle you've got!
Shape Song
(to the tune of: "The Farmer in the Dell")
A circle's like a ball,A circle's like a ball,Round and roundIt never stops.A circle's like a ball!
A square is like a box,A square is like a box,It has four sides,They are the same.A square is like a box!
A triangle has 3 sides,A triangle has 3 sides,Up the mountain,Down, and back.A triangle has 3 sides!
A rectangle has 4 sides,A rectangle has 4 sides,Two are long, andTwo are short.A rectangle has 4 sides!
Shapes
(to the tune of: "Frere Jacques")
This is a square. This is a square.How can you tell? How can you tell?It has four sides,All the same size.It's a square. It's a square.
This is a circle. This is circle.How can you tell? How can you tell?It goes round and round,No end can be found.It's a circle. It's a circle.
This is a triangle. This is a triangle.How can you tell? How can you tell?It only has three sides,That join to make three points.It's a triangle. It's a triangle.
This is a rectangle. This is a rectangle.How can you tell? How can you tell?It has two short sides,And it has two long sides.It's a rectangle. It's a rectangle.