Which is the one shape that is different from all the other? The circle! This is for the simple fact that a circle has no sides, no angles, and no corners, which not only makes it interesting but also idiosyncratic. For these reasons, introducing children to shapes, especially circles, can be quite exciting yet intimidating at the same time.
Though children are eager to learn, educators need to look for methods that can help them comprehend a concept much easier. One such method can be activities, which can be included in the teaching plan to introduce circles to toddlers. When memorable events or activities are associated with what children learn, they might learn better, faster, and even retain the concept. Moreover, the power of play has been beneficial for kids in many ways.
Just like we talked about activities to teach triangles and squares to the kids, through this post, you will come across some different activities which would help educators and parents enhance the learning process of the circle shape for your preschooler.
Engaging and unique activities to introduce the circle shape to preschoolers
1.Snacky tacky
Who doesn’t love snacks and chocolates? Little ones will be enticed to have some. This activity is all about offering them their favourite chocolates with a condition-to arrange them in a circle before they may eat them. To start with, the teacher gives a handful of toffees and a plate to each student. Before students can relish delicious treats, they are asked to arrange them in the circle. To aid them, teachers may ask to trace the plate borders.
2. Tracing Circles Using Ribbons (or Shoe Laces!)
You might have to work with scissors and glue for this one, so prep accordingly. Draw a circle using a pencil over a considerably big sheet of paper. this activity can be performed in one of two ways. You can either get them to use a big piece of ribbon to stick around the outline of the circle entirely and cut at the very end (when the pieces meet). Get long strings of ribbon to perform this activity this way. Or else, cut ribbons or use multiple shoelaces for lacing around the outline of a big circle. Depending on how big the circle is, cut out multiple pieces. Paste them piece by piece using glue over the circular outline. You can either help the preschooler cut out the ribbons or watch them do it by themselves.
3. Circular Objects
From the sun to the wheels, to a CD, there are plenty of things that are circular in shape. In this activity, educators need to guide the students to collect all things that they see are circles in shape. It could be an eraser, a cushion, or even a plate. The task would be to collect more than 5 objects. To amp it up, students can be given a timeframe in which they need to collect all 5 circle-shaped objects. For example- in 5 minutes. This would not only help them comprehend the shape, about also stimulate their mind and reflexes.
4. Print away
The activity is easy, and the teacher needs to procure at least two rubber stamps, one of which can leave circle residue on the paper. The other stamps can be of any other shape. To start with, the Instructor needs to take a random stamp and press it on a fresh sheet of paper. Now the kid needs to identify if this is a circle or not. The test can turn complicated when the number of rubber stamps increases. This makes a lot of options to recognize circles from. This activity helps toddlers to recognize circles among various other shapes effortlessly.
5. Circle Doorway
Indulging toddlers into an interesting dreamland can ameliorate their learning experience. The teacher needs three or four cardboards to initiate. To start with, the instructor makes large-shaped holes in the cardboard- big enough for students to enter into. These shapes include circles and any other alternatives like triangles and rectangles. The student is in a den and has to escape from the right door (circular door). All the doors (shapes) are placed together; the kid needs to identify a circular door and go through it to finish the activity. This activity can be complicated by increasing the number of levels.
6. Draw it Pretty
Drawing is one of those few skills that not only preach writing but also enhance motor skills. To start with, the teacher asks kids to draw something using just circles. For instance, draw a balloon with spheres only or they can draw fruits and vegetables which are circular in shape. By doing so, kids will think of other things around them which are circular in shape. This way they can repeatedly draw various sizes of circles inferring the shape subconsciously.
7. Circle Hunting
While traditional teaching methods teach the students about the various shapes, their uses, and applications— It is time to take them for a spin and let them burn out some energy while they engage in an educational activity that does not feel like learning. Hide cut-out circles of different colours, each colour corresponding to a specific size all-around a room. Not let your toddler go around the room to identify and find the hidden circles from the hiding spots. Make them gather it all together and line it according to color or size. This activity combines so many things over a short period. You will feed off their excitement during this activity.
8. Hoopla Ring Game
Kids would love this game as this one involves their favourite teddy bears! In this activity, parents and educators can ask the kids to gather small size teddy bears of different colours. The next step would be to take bangles of the exact same colour as the teddy bears – the final outcome would look like a mini Hoola hoop. The child now has to throw one of the rings in a strategic way. The way of throwing the ring would be in which it lands upright on the teddy bear of the same colour.
In this way, the kids will learn about the circle shape and become more aware of the colours as well. Moreover, making the hoola hoops would act up as a great task during the activity hours!
Preaching Circles- Making instruction interesting to Little ones
Kids have a growth mindset. They are curious to explore everything around them through all their senses. Comprehending the same, instructors and parents can retain some traits into their pedagogies to instruct circles finer.
- Converting the teaching practices into a game or activity makes them get enticed. The above picks can let them grasp circles better.
- Making the little ones recognise circles in daily routines wherever possible can help them recognise faster. For instance, if they ask for a lollipop, parents can ask what shape it is before buying.
- Offering them enough space and time to learn can make kids comfortable and retain interest
- Rewards for every correct answer or for every task completed can add to their motivation. Say, teacher can allure them to offer a cookie for every correct answer of the circle quiz.
Conclusion
Teaching your toddler the circle shape is not a very challenging activity as it is a very easily distinguishable shape only perhaps confused with the oval shape. Every time your toddler does exceptionally well, praise them accordingly.
Teach them to recognize one shape from the other and incorporate different shapes into the activity once they are familiar with one or more of them to see if they have truly understood what makes a circle different from other shapes.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,