Shapes on the Floor
The setup
Cut large shapes from big pieces of paper (use color paper if you have it) and place the shapes on the floor. At first, use basic shapes such as triangles, rectangles, squares, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons. Find patterns for these online or in the EFM Printables file. To cause more running around, include more than one of each shape.
The challenge
Give your child some shape information and ask them to run to that shape, or shapes. For a very young child, show them a drawing and ask them to find and name that shape on the floor. For older children, name the shape and challenge them to find it.
Add variety to this by asking for shapes all of whose sides are the same length, or all of whose angles are the same (or all different), or whose opposite sides (or angles) are the same size.
Extending the challenge
With experience, include less basic shapes – add specific triangles (right, obtuse, acute), a kite, a parallelogram (diamond), a star, and some unusual shapes.
As your child gets experienced, playfully mix in some impossible requests such as a triangle with two right angles or a quadrilateral with exactly three right angles.
Another way to play
Reverse roles so your child makes up questions and you find the shapes. Make a “mistake” sometimes and have your child explain to you what you did wrong.