Building shapes from parts, like sticks and clay
In Pre-K, children learn to make shapes from parts, such as building a triangle from three sticks or a square from four.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
Try these with your child
These are real questions from our Pre-K practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
Look at these shapes. Which one could you make with four straight sticks that are all the same length?
- The triangle
- The circle
- The square
Why this matters
Building a shape with their own hands shows your child what it is made of, in a way a picture cannot. Knowing that a triangle needs three sides that meet leads to describing shapes by their sides and corners in kindergarten, drawing shapes with given features in 2nd grade, and measuring the distance around a shape, called the perimeter, in 3rd grade. It also builds the hands-on sense of space used in puzzles and building.
Where kids can get stuck
- Leaving a gap between the sticks so the triangle does not close, and still calling it a triangle.
- Using sticks of very different lengths for a square, without noticing it looks more like a rectangle.
- Building a shape correctly but not being able to say how many sides it has.
How you can help
- Give your child dry spaghetti pieces and mini marshmallows or playdough balls, and build triangles and squares together on the kitchen table.
- Use your child's arms and legs, or your own, to make shapes on the floor, such as a triangle with three people lying down.
- Make shapes from yarn or shoelaces on the rug, then count the sides together and talk about what makes each shape what it is.
Want a little more? Watch the kid-friendly video below together, or try Bobby's Math Club for free practice that adapts to your child.
Kid-friendly explanation
Questions parents ask
Why is my child building shapes with sticks and clay?
Building a shape shows your child what it is made of. Putting three sticks together to make a triangle teaches that a triangle has three sides that meet at three corners. That hands-on understanding is deeper than recognizing a picture. It also sets up kindergarten, where children describe shapes by their sides and corners and draw them.
My child's shapes do not look quite right. Does that matter?
Not much at this age. The point is to explore how parts fit together. If a triangle has a gap, you can ask, "Can an ant walk all the way around without falling off?" Questions like that help your child notice that sides need to meet. Neat, exact shapes come with time and practice.
What does shape building lead to?
In kindergarten, children build and draw shapes more carefully and describe them using sides and corners. They also start joining small shapes to make bigger ones, such as two triangles making a rectangle. Later grades build on this when children learn about the properties of shapes and how shapes can be split into equal parts.
Make learning math fun
Bobby's Math Club turns Pre-K math practice into something fun to do together.
- Unlimited free practice
- Questions matched to your child’s level, a few minutes a day
- Hints when they are stuck, and a celebration when it clicks
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
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Join the clubNote for teachers: This skill is covered by the Pre-K math learning standard PK.G.4: “Create and build shapes from components (e.g., sticks and clay balls).” Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow. (Pre-K standard PK.G.4)