Shapes and angles games
Choose a game, or try a different year.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
For parents and teachers
These maths games bring together related learning across Years 1 to 6. Start with a familiar skill, then try the next challenge when your child is ready. A school may teach these ideas in a different order; use the curriculum statements below to choose a suitable game.
The quoted headings and statements come from the National Curriculum in England. Every game has its own explanation and free printable. Talk through a question together before playing independently, and use the printable to return to a tricky idea away from the screen.
Notes on each game and its curriculum statement
Key Stage 1
Year 1: 2-D and 3-D shapes
Geometry – properties of shapes: “recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes”
Year 1 pupils learn to recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes. 2-D shapes are flat, such as triangles, squares, rectangles and circles. 3-D shapes are solid, such as cubes, cuboids, spheres, cylinders, cones and pyramids.
In this game children match a short description to the shape's name. Each description uses simple features a child can see or feel, such as straight sides, corners, a point or a curved surface, so they learn what makes each shape different.
Play 2-D and 3-D shapes · Free printable
Year 1: Shape hunt: 3-D shapes in everyday objects
Geometry – properties of shapes: “recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes”
Spotting shapes in everyday objects is one of the best ways for Year 1 pupils to learn the names of 3-D shapes. A football is a sphere, a dice is a cube, a cereal box is a cuboid, a tin of beans is a cylinder and a traffic cone is a cone.
In this game children sort everyday objects into groups by the 3-D shape they are most like. Each round uses three shapes, so they compare shapes that are easy to mix up, such as cubes and cuboids, or cylinders and cones.
Play Shape hunt: 3-D shapes in everyday objects · Free printable
Year 2: Sides and vertices of 2-D shapes
Geometry – properties of shapes: “identify and describe the properties of 2-D shapes, including the number of sides, and line symmetry in a vertical line”
Year 2 pupils learn to identify and describe the properties of 2-D shapes, including the number of sides, and to compare and sort common shapes. Vertices is the mathematical word for corners.
In this game children put sets of shapes in order by their number of sides or vertices, fewest first. To order them, they need to know that a triangle has 3 sides, a square and a rectangle 4, a pentagon 5, a hexagon 6 and an octagon 8.
Play Sides and vertices of 2-D shapes · Free printable
Year 2: Faces, edges and vertices of 3-D shapes
Geometry – properties of shapes: “identify and describe the properties of 3-D shapes, including the number of edges, vertices and faces”
Year 2 pupils learn to describe 3-D shapes by their faces, edges and vertices. A face is a flat or curved surface, an edge is where two faces meet and a vertex is a corner where edges meet.
In this game children match each 3-D shape to its properties, such as 6 square faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices for a cube. Several shapes have similar numbers, so children must know each shape well rather than guess.
Play Faces, edges and vertices of 3-D shapes · Free printable
Lower Key Stage 2
Year 3: Right angles: less, equal or greater?
Geometry – properties of shapes: “identify right angles, recognise that 2 right angles make a half-turn, 3 make three-quarters of a turn and 4 a complete turn”
Year 3 pupils recognise angles as a property of shape or a description of a turn. They identify right angles, recognise that two right angles make a half turn and four make a complete turn, and say whether angles are greater or less than a right angle.
In this game children sort angles, from clock hands to the corners of shapes, into less than a right angle, a right angle, and greater than a right angle. Comparing each angle with the square corner of a piece of paper is the method to use.
Play Right angles: less, equal or greater? · Free printable
Year 3: Parallel and perpendicular lines
Geometry – properties of shapes: “identify horizontal and vertical lines and pairs of perpendicular and parallel lines”
Year 3 pupils identify horizontal and vertical lines and pairs of perpendicular and parallel lines.
In this game children sort pairs of lines from everyday objects and shapes into parallel, perpendicular and neither. Parallel lines stay the same distance apart and never meet. Perpendicular lines meet at a right angle.
Play Parallel and perpendicular lines · Free printable
Year 4: Acute and obtuse angles
Geometry – properties of shapes: “identify acute and obtuse angles and compare and order angles up to 2 right angles by size”
Year 4 pupils identify acute and obtuse angles and compare and order angles up to two right angles by size.
In this game children sort angles into acute, right angle and obtuse, using clock hands, shape corners and turns. An acute angle is less than a right angle. An obtuse angle is greater than a right angle but less than a straight line.
Play Acute and obtuse angles · Free printable
Year 4: Triangles and quadrilaterals
Geometry – properties of shapes: “compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes”
Year 4 pupils compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes.
In this game children match descriptions of sides, angles and parallel lines to shape names, from isosceles triangles to trapeziums and kites. Each description fits only one name, so children have to read every property.
Upper Key Stage 2
Year 5: Angles in degrees
Geometry – properties of shapes: “know angles are measured in degrees: estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles”
Year 5 pupils know that angles are measured in degrees. They estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles, and identify angles at a point and a whole turn (360°), half a turn (180°) and other multiples of 90°.
In this game children sort angles given in degrees into acute, right angle, obtuse and reflex. Knowing the boundaries, 90° and 180°, is all children need to sort any angle.
Play Angles in degrees · Free printable
Year 5: Angles on a line and at a point
Geometry – properties of shapes: “identify: angles at a point and 1 whole turn (total 360°); angles at a point on a straight line and half a turn (total 180°); other multiples of 90°”
Year 5 pupils identify angles at a point and one whole turn (360°), angles at a point on a straight line and half a turn (180°), and other multiples of 90°.
In this game children use these facts to find missing angles on a straight line, around a point and in quarter turns. Every question needs one fact and one subtraction.
Play Angles on a line and at a point · Free printable
Year 6: Missing angles
Geometry – properties of shapes: “find unknown angles in any triangles, quadrilaterals, and regular polygons”
Year 6 pupils find unknown angles in any triangles, quadrilaterals and regular polygons, and recognise angles where they meet at a point, are on a straight line, or are vertically opposite.
In this game children use these facts to find missing angles. Each question needs the right total, 180° for a triangle or 360° for a quadrilateral, and careful subtraction.
Play Missing angles · Free printable
Year 6: Parts of a circle
Geometry – properties of shapes: “illustrate and name parts of circles, including radius, diameter and circumference and know that the diameter is twice the radius”
Year 6 pupils illustrate and name parts of circles, including the radius, diameter and circumference, and know that the diameter is twice the radius.
In this game children match descriptions and measurements to the parts of a circle. Some cards give a radius and ask for the diameter, or the other way round, so children practise doubling and halving.