Welcome to Toddler Camp — a collection of themed, everyday activities to keep your toddler engaged at home. Below are ideas for a Shapes Day packed with hands-on learning, sensory play, crafts and games to help little ones identify and practice shapes.
Shapes are a core concept for toddlers between ages two and three. Because objects in the home naturally form circles, squares, triangles and more, you can point out examples throughout the day and reinforce learning with playful activities.
For Shapes Day at Toddler Camp I put together a set of crafts and activities that focus on identifying shapes. A single simple printable works for several of the ideas below and makes transitions between activities easy and effective.
Printables
I created a one-page shape activity sheet you can use with many of the projects here. It’s handy for shape hunts, matching games and sensory activities.
Movies + Shows To Watch
Shape-themed screen time can support learning when paired with active play. Try these options for a short, themed viewing session:
- Sesame Street: Shape Hunt (Episode 4821)
- Sesame Street: Hooper’s Lockdown (Episode 4620)
- Inside Out — great for talking about feelings and visual shapes in scenes
Active Play
Shape Hunt
Use the printable shape worksheet as a guide. Choose one shape at a time and have your child look around the house for items matching that shape. Bring found items back and match them to the sheet. Move on to the next shape when ready.
Hopscotch with Painter’s Tape
Create shapes on the floor with painter’s tape or washi tape along a hallway or open area. Invite toddlers to hop from one shape to another, calling out the shape names as they jump.
Sensory Play
Hidden Hot Glue Shapes Sensory Bin
Trace shapes onto parchment paper using a hot glue gun (avoid wax paper; the glue will stick). Let the glue shapes cool and peel them from the parchment. Fill a small bin, bowl or pot with a dry sensory filler and bury the hot glue shapes for your child to discover.
Provide tools for scooping and digging to build fine motor skills and extend play. Ideas: tongs, spoons, cups, measuring cups and an ice cream scoop. When shapes are found, have your child match them to the printable sheet. Re-bury the shapes for another round or allow free scooping and pouring.
Tip: place a towel or cookie sheet under the bin for easier cleanup. A cardboard tube works well as a slide to move filler between containers.
How to Create a Sensory Bin Filler
You can make a filler from many dry goods or non-food items you already have. Here are options that work well:
- Dry pasta
- Farro
- Rice
- Oats
- Beans
- Dry chickpeas
- Sprinkles
- Shredded paper
- Pom poms
- Buttons
- Feathers
- Sand
- Confetti
- Beads
I used farro and sprinkles for extra excitement, but pick what’s convenient and safe for your child. Avoid small items for children who still mouth objects.
Crafts
Circle Painting with Cardboard Tubes
Cut cardboard tubes (toilet paper, paper towel or wrapping paper rolls) into 2–3 inch pieces. Pour different paint colors into shallow dishes. Toddlers can dip tube ends into paint and stamp circles on paper, exploring color and repeated shapes.
Easy Shape Felt Board
Cut a variety of shapes from colored felt, varying both size and type. Felt sticks to felt, so no glue is needed. Secure a large piece of felt to a wall with painter’s tape and let kids arrange shapes to create pictures, animals or scenes. This is a reusable, low-mess activity that encourages creativity and shape recognition.
Games + Puzzles
Supplement homemade activities with a few tactile toys that reinforce shape skills, such as wooden stacking puzzles, tangram sets and portable shape sorters. These support problem-solving and fine motor development while keeping the theme consistent.
Books To Read
Reading about shapes helps connect the play activities to language. Some favorites to try with toddlers include bilingual and pattern-focused books that highlight shapes and visual relationships. Reading together after an activity is a calming way to reinforce the day’s lesson.
If you’d like to see how a full camp day is structured to balance active play, crafts and downtime, you can refer to the original Toddler Camp post for ideas. If you try any of these Shapes Day activities, I’d love to hear which ones your child enjoyed.