A simple way to teach kids about angles, and more hands on geometry learning activities for kids. I love that these activities work with young children but also scale up for older kids.
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Fun Ways to Teach Kids Geometry
What You'll Find on This Page
Geometry fascinates kids when you make it a hands-on experience! Today I’m showcasing some of my favorite hands-on geometry learning activities for kids. These simple tools and activity bring geometry to life, inspiring kids to work to learn more.
What Is Geometry?
Geometry is the study of lines, angles, surfaces, solids and points – how to measure them and how they relate to each other. Sizes, shapes, and positions of lines, angles, surfaces, solids, and points are also studied.
My eleven-year-old daughter put together these simple math manipulatives using some colored craft sticks Horizon Group USA sent us to play with. I love her simple visualization of acute, right, and obtuse angles, and the hands-on aspect of the activity helped solidify the definitions of these different angles for her younger siblings.
Hands-On Geometry Activities for Kids
- Create pictures using shapes
- A Playful Way to Learn Geometry and Develop Spatial Awareness
- Make a Shape Collage
- Turn your Lite Brite into a Geoboard
- Learn Geometry Using Clothespins
- Fun Ways to Explore Geometric Shapes
- Design a Quilt Using Triangles
- Finding Shapes at the Playground
- Tessellating Shapes
- Egyptian Math: Pyramids
- DIY Waldorf Geometric Puzzle
- Geometry Puzzles Solved with LEGOS
- Geometry Practice: Sides and Vertices Aliens
- Marshmallow and Toothpick Geometry Cards
- How to Make 3D Paper Shapes
- STEM Challenge: Can You Build a 3D Structure?
- How to Teach Geometry Through Play
Hands-On Geometry Learning Resources
I stock my home with geometry learning tools so that my kids learn the basics of this subset of mathematics through play and exploration in their free time.
Pattern blocks are my favorite geometric learning manipulative. Children learn a lot about shapes and angles through free play with these blocks! We often pair this toy with contact paper to keep pattern blocks from slipping and sliding on the floor as well as to create beautiful pattern block mosaic art on our walls. If you are looking for more formal pattern blocks based activities, hand2mind has some great pattern block activities.
y third grader is loving Beast Academy as her math curriculum this year! This series teaches a lot of geometry, which is why I mention it here. The content moves quickly, but the graphic novel style textbook and straightforward explanations keep kids engaged and learning.
I plan to keep updating this post. What hands on geometry learning activities for kids should I add to my list? Please let me know, and I’ll get it added in! Share links in the comments below, or share a post link on my Facebook page! You can also tag me on instagram.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
I love those popsicle stick angles.
The geometric shapes from Learning Resources are fabulous! I love your idea of putting together different types of triangles using craft sticks. I will definitely have to keep that in mind! Thanks for sharing.
Great ideas! Mine have always done best when math could be hands on.
I love that geometry is visual and your learning activities really make geometry intuitive and easy to grasp!
Thank you! That’s the goal. :)
We love hands-on learning!
These are great ideas! My kids did some of these when they were younger. I always liked ways to make math more like a game.