From octagonal stop signs and rectangular doors, to triangular roofs and circular wheels—shapes are everywhere. Learning shapes not only helps children identify and organize visual information, it helps them learn skills in other curriculum areas including reading, math, and science. For example, an early step in understanding numbers and letters is to recognize their shape. Learning shapes also helps children understand other signs and symbols. A fun way to help your child learn shapes is to make a shape hunt game. Cut a shape out of paper and have fun searching your house or neighborhood for objects that match that shape. Or, gather a number of different objects, and help your toddler sort them into piles according to shape.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.
Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.
