Space, Shape and Measure

Activities to develop space, shape and measure skills

· Share books involving shape, space and measures

· Go on shape and pattern walks: - Children look for shapes and patterns in their setting and local environment - Children look for directions and arrows etc

· Play games involving shape, space and measures - make repeating sound patterns with claps or jumps

Use ‘small world’ play to develop mathematical concepts

 - Making patterns with cars, for example, red, blue, red, blue, etc

- Using positional language when arranging furniture in dolls house

- Using directional language when playing with road maps, etc

- Comparing and ordering size

 Use construction kits to develop mathematical concepts

- Exploring the best 3D shapes for building constructions, for example, Can you build with spheres?

- Making a drawn plan for a model

- Drawing a picture of a model

- Exploring ramps

- comparing/ordering length, for example, roads, tracks

Use sand/water play to develop mathematical concepts

 - Buried shapes

– Making impressions in sand

- Exploring line patterns in sand

- comparing/ordering size

Use creative activities to develop mathematical concepts

- Making dough/clay models, for example, making shorter or longer worms

- Making shapes using cutters

- Printing activities, for example, choosing a printing object to produce a particular shape or line

- Making symmetrical patterns

- Making line drawings by drawing, printing, painting

- Making pattern by drawing, painting, printing

- Making patterns using various tools in clay

- Junk modelling using a variety of shapes

Take part in cooking activities:

- Measuring ingredients

– Weighing, balancing, pouring out cupfuls, etc

 - Using different shape cutters

- Decorating cakes with different shapes