3D shapes can be a difficult concept for young students to grasp. Let’s make teaching 3D shapes fun by incorporating hands-on, interactive projects into your math lessons. These five 3D shapes activities for kindergarten have proven to be class favorites year after year. Students will love showing off their knowledge of three-dimensional attributes while having a blast learning.
1. Play Dough 3D Shapes
We all know how much kids love playing with play dough and clay, and let’s be honest, so do we. This is a great way to introduce students to the concept that 3D shapes can be held and have length, width and depth. Grab your favorite clay or play dough and have students mold cubes, cones, spheres, pyramids, and more!
2. 3D Shapes Museum
Have students bring in examples of 3D shapes they find at home. Students can display their objects on their desks for the other students to observe. The class can go on a walking tour to check out the 3D shapes their friends brought in to showcase. After everyone has a chance to observe the shapes around the room, the class can sort them. They can sort by type or by similar attributes.
3. Snacking on 3D Shapes
Another memorable way to help students identify 3D shapes is by having them snack on cubes, cones, spheres, rectangular prisms and, cylinders. There are so many different foods that come in these shapes. Create a collection of yummy snack foods and have students sort them, name them and then eat them!
3D Shapes Snacks
- Cones – candy kisses, Bugles, waffle cones
- Spheres – cereal, candy, cheese balls, blueberries
- Cubes – cheese cubes, caramels
- Cylinders – marshmallows, cheese sticks, Combos
- Rectangular Prisms – wafer cookies, Kit Kats
4. Create 3D Shapes with Attributes
Manipulatives are a important tool to help in their understanding of 3D shapes. That’s why this activity helps make the concept concrete. Students use 3D shape nets to create multiple shapes with their attributes listed on the sides.
There are also options for students to create real life examples of each of the shapes. Students love the challenge of creating these 3D shapes as well as being able to keep their fun creations. Once students create all of the shapes, you can create a mobile of all of their creations. This looks amazing displayed around the classroom.
Grab these fun, editable 3d shape nets here: https://bit.ly/2Nad9ZT
5. Building 3D Shapes with Play Dough and Toothpicks
This activity is sure to challenge and engage your students. Give each of your students a copy of this free 3D shapes building activity book, a stack of toothpicks and a container of play dough.
Your students will love exploring and creating cubes, rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, square pyramids and triangular pyramids. After creating their 3D shapes, students will then write down the amount of faces, vertices and edges they see on each shape.
Grab this free resource below!
Have a Blast With These 3D Shapes Activities
With these 5 fun ways to teach 3D shapes, you and your students are sure to have an amazing time during math. Hands-on 3D shapes activities for kindergarten make learning memorable and engaging for everyone.
6 Comments
hi there, i have tried to get your building 3d shapes book and it hasnt shown up in my in box yet. just wondering if i could please get a copy of it.
Hi Kristen,
I can definitely help with that, sorry for the delayed response. Please email me at Lindsay@KeepingItCoolAtSchool.com and I can get that over to you. Chat with you soon. Thanks so much!
Truly,
Lindsay Keegan
Keeping It Cool At School
Thank you
My pleasure, enjoy 🙂
Good morning,
Yesterday I completed the form to receive the FREE Building 3D Shapes Book. I have not received it yet. I have checked my spam/junk folders. I even tried with a second email address and still haven’t recieved the booklet. Are you still offering this booklet?
Hi Lorie,
I’m so sorry the email isn’t coming through for you. Please email me at Lindsay@KeepingItCoolAtSchool.com and I can get that over to you. Chat with you soon. Thanks so much!
Truly,
Lindsay Keegan
Keeping It Cool At School