Giving children chance to 'play around' with two-dimensional shapes gives them the freedom to explore spatial properties for themselves, thereby developing their understanding in a meaningful way. These activities offer contexts in which children can engage in this 'play'.
problem
Favourite
Matching Triangles
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Can you sort these triangles into three different families and explain how you did it?
problem
Favourite
Let's Investigate Triangles
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Vincent and Tara are making triangles with the class construction set. They have a pile of strips of different lengths. How many different triangles can they make?
problem
Favourite
Sorting Logic Blocks
Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
This activity focuses on similarities and differences between shapes.
problem
Favourite
Transformations on a Pegboard
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
How would you move the bands on the pegboard to alter these shapes?
problem
Favourite
Stringy Quads
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
This practical problem challenges you to make quadrilaterals with a loop of string. You'll need some friends to help!
problem
Favourite
Stick images
Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
This task requires learners to explain and help others, asking and answering questions.
list
Geometric thinking - teacher articles
This series of three articles discusses the development of geometric thinking.
More activities with 2-d shape for younger children, and 3-d shapes for older.
problem
Favourite
Repeating Patterns
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Try continuing these patterns made from triangles. Can you create your own repeating pattern?
problem
Mrs Trimmer's String
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Can you help the children in Mrs Trimmer's class make different
shapes out of a loop of string?
problem
Favourite
Triangle Animals
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
How many different ways can you find to join three equilateral triangles together? Can you convince us that you have found them all?
problem
Animated Triangles
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Watch this "Notes on a Triangle" film. Can you recreate parts of the film using cut-out triangles?
problem
Triangle Edges
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
How many triangles can you make using sticks that are 3cm, 4cm and 5cm long?
problem
Cutting Corners
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Can you make the most extraordinary, the most amazing, the most
unusual patterns/designs from these triangles which are made in a
special way?
problem
Favourite
Egyptian Rope
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
The ancient Egyptians were said to make right-angled triangles using a rope with twelve equal sections divided by knots. What other triangles could you make if you had a rope like this?
problem
Favourite
Overlapping Again
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
What shape is the overlap when you slide one of these shapes half way across another? Can you picture it in your head? Use the interactivity to check your visualisation.
problem
Favourite
Quadrilaterals
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
How many DIFFERENT quadrilaterals can be made by joining the dots on the 8-point circle?
problem
Triangle Pin-Down
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Use the interactivity to investigate what kinds of triangles can be
drawn on peg boards with different numbers of pegs.
problem
Favourite
What shape?
Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
This task develops spatial reasoning skills. By framing and asking questions a member of the team has to find out what mathematical object they have chosen.
article
Shaping Up with Tessellations
This article describes the scope for practical exploration of tessellations both in and out of the classroom. It seems a golden opportunity to link art with maths, allowing the creative side of your children to take over.