Shape hunt: 3-D shapes in everyday objects: what children learn
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.
Review: describing everyday objects with shape names is Kindergarten standard K.G.A.1 in Common Core.
How to play
Sort the cards into the right groups. Tap a card, then its group. You can also drag a card, or press the number on its group. Each game has 3 rounds with no timer. Every card is checked as soon as you place it: a card in the wrong group comes back with a hint, and you get a point for each card you place right first time. For a quicker go, choose Quick quiz: 10 multiple-choice questions in 150 seconds (choose Relaxed for more time).
Step by step
- Picture the object. Think about what the object looks like and how it would feel in your hand. Is it round all over, or does it have flat faces?
- Round all over is a sphere. Balls, oranges and marbles are spheres. They have one curved surface and no flat faces.
- Box shapes: cube or cuboid?. A cube has 6 faces that are all squares, like a dice. A cuboid is box-shaped with rectangle faces, like a cereal box or a brick.
- Curved and flat together. A cylinder has a circle at each end, like a tin. A cone has one circle and a point, like an ice-cream cone.
Worked examples
Example 1: What shape is a glue stick most like?
Working: It has a circle at each end and a curved side.
Answer: cylinder
Example 2: What shape is a shoebox most like?
Working: It is a box with rectangle faces.
Answer: cuboid
Example 3: What shape is a party hat most like?
Working: A circle at the bottom and a point at the top.
Answer: cone
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Calling every box a cube. Check the faces. If they are all squares it is a cube; if some are rectangles it is a cuboid.
- Calling a cone a pyramid. A cone has a round base and a curved surface. A pyramid has a flat base with straight edges and triangle faces.
- Naming the flat shape instead, such as 'circle' for a tin. Ask 'is it flat or solid?' Solid objects have 3-D shape names.
Activities to try at home
- Hunt for spheres, cubes, cuboids and cylinders in the kitchen cupboard.
- Sort the recycling by shape before it goes in the bin.
- Build a model with boxes and tubes and name each part.
Ideas for the classroom
- Set up a shape table where students bring in objects for each 3-D shape.
- Take photos on a shape walk around school and label them.
- Hide objects in a feely bag and let students guess the shape by touch.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a color-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Review: describing everyday objects with shape names is Kindergarten standard K.G.A.1 in Common Core.
Why does it say 'most like'?
Real objects are not perfect shapes. A brick may have rounded corners, but it is still most like a cuboid.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Tab to an object, press Enter to pick it up, then choose the group it belongs in.