Today, we will explore fun shapes activities for preschoolers and toddlers! Shapes are one of the very first concepts we teach our kids along with simple every day words, letters, numbers, and colors.  

I reached out to my blogger friends for ideas to teach shapes to toddlers, and wow they had some great ideas!

You’ll find free printables, sensory play ideas, matching games, and fun ideas to teach shapes to your kids.

Amazing shapes activities for toddlers and preschoolers - find free printables for teaching shapes along with hands-on learning activities like sensory bins, matching games, crafts and more!

Let’s dive in and check out all these fun shape activities that are perfect for homeschooling or a preschool classroom!

1) Shapes Flash Cards

These shapes flashcards will help your child learn shapes including a square, circle, triangle, rectangle, trapezoid, octagon, heart, star, and diamond shape.

These free Shapes Flash Cards are by The Happy Printable. Use them to play a memory game or match the words to the various shapes.  

Additionally, you could use this printable for a shape scavenger hunt.  What a fun way to practice the names of the shapes.  

There’s so many fun ways to play and learn new shapes for toddlers and preschoolers!

2) Crab Shape Matching Practice

crab matching shapes printable

This Crab themed Shape Matching printable is by The Life of a Navy Nuke Wife. What fun your child will have sorting these adorable crabs by shape!

This free printable makes a wonderful busy book page as well.   

Such a great way to practice shape recognition. 

3) Fruit Themed Shape Match

Fruit Themed Shape Match

This free printable Fruit Themed Shape Match is from Artsy Craftsy Mom.

These fun fruit themed mats can be used as busy book pages or as play dough mats.

Teach your child basic shapes, fruits, and colors all at the same time.  

Such a fun way for young kids to practice fine motor skills too!

4) Unicorn Shape Match Printable

Unicorn shape matching printable

This Unicorn Shapes Printable is by The Inspiration Edit.

Perfect for unicorn fans, this free printable allows kids to match both the words and the shapes to the corresponding unicorn.

There’s no better way to learn than to engage your child in an learning activity with a favorite character!

5) Under The Sea Shape Craft

Under the sea shape craft for kids

This cool Under the Sea Shape Craft is from Messy Little Monster.

Grab a few simple supplies and the free template to create this adorable sea creature shape craft.

The simplicity and creativity of this craft make it perfect for toddlers and preschoolers alike.

6) Geometric Shape Train

Geometric shapes train - shapes activities for toddlers and prek

This Geometric Shapes Train is by Mama Smiles.

With the free printable template, you can create felt shapes (or paper shapes) to allow your child to make a train or another fun object from geometric shapes.

This would be a great shape activity for toddlers when you need a quiet activity for church, a plane ride, or at a restaurant.

7) Cardboard Car Parking Shapes Activity for Toddlers

Cardboard Car Parking Shapes activity for toddlers

This Cardboard Car Parking Shapes Activity for Toddlers is by Little Ladoo.

Using some simple supplies, you can create adorable little garages in the form of simple geometric shapes!

There’s also some other fun ideas to extend the shapes activities. How cute is this shapes activity for toddlers and preschoolers?!

8) Circle Art Painting for Toddlers

shape activities for toddlers - painting circles

This Circle Art Painting project is by Messy Little Monster.

Your little one will love exploring various objects that make circles with this shape painting craft!

I love how simple and fun this idea is for teaching shapes to kids. This really helps kids see shapes in their daily life as well.

9) Circle Snowman Activity

Easy Snowman Craft by Simply Full of Delight - child stamping a cup into paint to create a snowman

Level up your circle stamping activity with this Simple Snowman Craft!

This fun shapes activity is found on my blog Simply Full of Delight.

Kids can create their own snowman by stamping with a cup, then adding details like buttons, a hat, scarf, and more! What fun!

10) Shapes Busy Book Printable Set

Shapes busy book pages - free printable from Two Pink Peonies

This Shapes Busy Book Printable Set is by Two Pink Peonies.

These free printables are perfect for adding to your child’s busy book or using as centers activities.

There’s a shape matching activity as well as a tracing shapes page! You can also find out how to make a busy book in this article as well.

11) Easy Shape Sorting Sensory Bin

Shape sorting sensory bin

This Easy Shape Sorting Sensory Bin is by Taming Little Monsters. Little ones will love digging through the sensory bin materials to find the shapes.

Next, build those differentiating skills by having your child sort by shape. What an awesome learning activity! Be sure to grab these free shape cards so kids can enjoy this cool sensory idea.

12) Trace the Shapes Printable

Tracing the Shapes

This Trace the Shapes Printable is by A1 Worksheets. You can download this free shapes worksheet to help your child learn to draw shapes and recognize each shape’s name.

I love the simplicity of this activity and that you could cut out these shapes and use them as a jumping off point for other games.

13) Under the Sea Themed Shape Match

under the sea printable shapes match

This Under The Sea Printable Shape Match is by Artsy Craftsy Mom.

Teach your child about shapes and colors with this fun ocean themed printable set!

Perfect for centers or in a busy book, these fun printables are sure to be a hit with your child.

14) Craft Stick Shape Mats

craft stick shape mats

These Craft Stick Shape Mats are by Taming Little Monsters.

Using the free printable, your child can create shapes using craft sticks or pipe cleaners.  I love how this activity inspires little ones to use their problem-solving skills while teaching basic concepts.  

This would be great for a centers activity or for a quiet activity to pop in your bag!

15) Marble Paint Heart

Valentine's Day Marble Paint Heart art with free heart printable

This Marble Paint Heart Craft is a great addition to your shape activities.

You can grab a free heart shape printable to make this shape activity fast and easy for young children.  

This shape art could also be done in different ways.  For example, you could use painter’s tape to cover portions of the heart and then paint over it and remove the tape for a cool effect.

16) Marble Paint Star

star craft for preschoolers

This Marble Paint Star Craft is also from my blog. Kids can paint the Star shape with marbles using this easy technique.

Such a fun activity for little learners and such a great opportunity for kids to identify different shapes through hands-on activities.

The free printable star template can also be used to make other star shaped crafts as well.  

17) Marble Paint Circle Craft

marble paint earth

This Marble Paint Earth Craft makes the perfect preschool shapes activities for young learners.  You could alternatively use the free printable shape to glue tissue paper to or construction paper, or your own crafting idea.

This is a great activity that helps kids learn the names of shapes that is also so much fun!

I hope you’ve found some amazing shapes activities for toddlers and preschoolers!

If you are looking for more preschool or toddler activities, be sure to check out these fun sensory bin activities. Sensory play is a great way to engage children in imaginative play and build fine motor skills in an exciting way.

You can find some awesome resources for teaching your child to write here.

Also you can find fun activities to teach numbers to your kids here. So many fun ideas to inspire you, whether you are a preschool teacher or a homeschooling family.   

You can find some free printable sequencing cards for pre-k aged kids here.  These are great for building a strong foundation in early math skill ideas and teaching words like first, second, next, last, etc.

Lastly, if you teach preschool you might enjoy these large group activities for preschool.

If you have any questions or comments, drop them in the comments section below!

Amazing Shapes activities  for toddlers and preschoolers -There's  free printables for teaching shapes along with hands-on learning activities including sensory play, matching games, and more!