Make Learning Shapes Exciting For Your Child With This Hide-And-Seek-Inspired Game!

While flashcards, worksheets, books, and similar materials can be great learning resources, one of the best ways for kids to learn is through play. If your little one is a physical learner, or if you’re simply looking for a fun activity to keep your child entertained at home, try this shape matching game from the blog Busy Toddler.

To prepare for this activity, all you need are a large piece of paper, tape, a marker, and Post-It notes.

Once you’ve prepared all the materials, roll out the paper and draw shapes on it. Go for shapes that your child is familiar with; Susie Allison of Busy Toddler used a triangle, a circle, and a square, which are the three shapes her child can identify most easily. Draw each shape multiple times and scatter them all over the paper.

Next, draw one shape on each Post-It note. Make sure you have one Post-It note for each shape on the large piece of paper. For example, if you drew ten squares on the paper, then you should also have ten Post-It notes with squares on them.

The next step is to secure the large piece of paper on the wall using tape and hide the Post-It notes all over the room (or even the house, if your child is up for a challenge). All your child needs to do is hunt for the Post-It notes and attach match them with the appropriate shape on the large piece of paper on the wall. Basically, your child gets to play a different kind of hide-and-seek!

The beauty of the shape matching game is that it makes learning fun for kids. According to UNICEF, children are “hands-on” learners who require interaction with solid objects to understand abstract concepts. Looking for and finding the Post-It notes and figuring out how to match them up can help improve your little one’s ability to identify shapes.

You can also try having your kids play this game as a way to promote their social skills, which is another benefit of play. Have your children work together in finding all the Post-It notes you’ve hidden and matching them up with the shapes drawn on the large paper. This activity provides a golden opportunity to encourage your kids to bond.

Finally, this activity can be varied in lots of different ways depending on the topic you want to teach your tot! For example, you can apply this approach to topics like letters and numbers. For older kids, this type of activity may also be used to study words and even simple math equations.

Would you ever try the shape matching game at home? Tell us about your experience below!