Focus on Attributes!
posted by Dr. Bilge Cerezci
As she sits on the floor, a three-year old starts stacking blocks with various shapes and sizes. After some experimentation, she realizes that it is hard to build a tower if a block lays on its curvy side.
What does this 3-year-old discover about shapes?
From an early age, young children notice different shapes have different characteristics, even if they don’t know their names yet. They realize that some shapes have points while others have none. They also discover some shapes have flat sides while others don’t. Traditionally, we teach children the names of basic two-dimensional shapes: circle, square, triangle and rectangle and assume that being able to name these shapes indicates a higher level of geometrical understanding. Unfortunately, this can be any further from the truth. In reality, young children need your help to focus on attributes of shapes rather than overall appearance. For example, as you build a block tower together, encourage your child to pay attention to defining attributes of the each shape you are using. You might say, “I see you are stacking up the blocks that have flat sides. Look, all of its sides are flat. How is this one (i.e., cube) different that this one (i.e, half circle block)?” As you continue with the activity, encourage your child to use her fingers to trace and feel the shape. Give them a plenty of time to feel the shapes, count the sides and even ask them to find an item in your home to that resembles that shape.
As children manipulate various three-dimensional shapes, they will eventually build deeper understanding geometrical shapes such as flat faces of solid (three-dimensional) shapes are two-dimensional shapes.
There are many ways to encourage and help your child to learn about shapes. Here are some of the games you might play with your children at home:
* Drawing shapes in sand or foam
* Walking around shapes drawn or taped on ground
* Making shapes with bodies
Shapes are all around us and it is easy to play games like these at home, outside and elsewhere. Most importantly, make sure to have fun while doing it.
hello guy are all right
Helping children by getting them active and engaging in making shapes helps them to learn about attributes. Learning how each shape has attributes and using different ways to show that will help students understand and remember what attributes are. Acting out shapes, drawing shapes, picking shapes out.
I love the very easy ideas that can be used to incorporate at daycare. Using foam is fun and drawing shapes is even more so!