Shapes, position and direction words for young children

Geometry in the early years is not about memorising the names of shapes, though that is part of it. It is about learning to look carefully at the space around us, to describe where things are, and to notice what makes a shape the shape it is. Children who develop this spatial sense early tend to find later work in geometry, measurement and even problem solving easier. This article looks at two connected strands, shapes and position and direction, and offers ways to build both through everyday play.

Written for children aged 3 to 8.

Why spatial thinking matters

Studies have repeatedly found that early spatial skills, such as mentally turning a shape, noticing patterns and following directions, predict success in mathematics later on. Spatial thinking is also a skill that is teachable: it grows with the right kind of play. Block building, puzzles, drawing and moving about all contribute.

Strand 1: shapes

Start with flat shapes and what they look like

Children typically begin with the circle, square, triangle and rectangle, and later add shapes like the oval, rhombus, hexagon and pentagon. The best approach is to explore properties rather than just names.

Counting sides and corners. A triangle has three sides and three corners; a square has four of each. Let children trace the edges with a finger and count. Counting sides is a perfect link between geometry and number.

Sorting. Give your child a mixed set of cut-out shapes and ask them to sort them any way they like: by colour, by size, by number of sides. Then ask: "How did you sort?" and "Can you find another way?" This is early mathematical classification.

Beware of "typical" pictures. Many children think a triangle must be an equilateral triangle pointing upwards, because that is how it is usually drawn. A triangle can be tall, thin, wide or upside down, and it is still a triangle because it has three straight sides. A square tilted on a corner is still a square. Show examples that vary, so children focus on the defining features rather than orientation.

Shapes are everywhere. A shape hunt around the house or on a walk is a delightful game: circles (plates, wheels, clocks), rectangles (doors, windows, books), triangles (roof gables, pennants, sandwich halves).

Then solid shapes

Three-dimensional shapes, such as the cube, sphere, cylinder and cone, can be handled, rolled, stacked and compared. Which ones roll? Which stack well? Which have flat faces? An empty box, a ball, a tin can and a party hat are all fine examples.

A subtle but important point: a face of a solid is a flat shape. If you dip a cube's face in paint and press it on paper, you get a square print. This links 3D and 2D shapes beautifully.

Combining and making shapes

Building a house from a square and a triangle, making a pattern from tiles, folding paper to make two triangles from a square: these activities teach children that shapes can be put together and taken apart, just as numbers can. Tangram puzzles and pattern blocks are good tools, but scissors and paper work just as well.

Strand 2: position and direction

Words are the heart of this strand. Children need a vocabulary, and the best way to build it is to use it constantly in natural situations.

Position words

Prepositions. On, under, above, below, in front of, behind, next to, between, beside, inside, outside, near, far. "The book is under the cushion." "The cat is between the chairs." Use them in daily life, and play games such as "Where's the teddy?", hiding a toy and giving clues.

Left and right. These are among the hardest position words for children, and it often takes until age six or seven for them to be secure. Be patient. Some tricks help: a bracelet or sticker on the right hand (if your child is left-handed, this is the trick to rely on, since "the hand you write with" will not work). Remember that left and right are relative: facing your child, your left is their right.

Ordinal position. First, second, third, last. Queues, races and lines are rich places to use these.

Direction and movement

Forward, backward, turn. Programming games are a great setting. Create an obstacle course with cushions and chairs. One person is the "robot" and the other gives commands: "forward three steps, turn left, forward two." This teaches precision and sequencing, the very beginnings of computational thinking.

Quarter and half turns. A quarter turn is turning a square corner; a half turn is turning all the way around to face the opposite direction. Linking turns to fractions is natural.

Maps and plans. Draw a simple map of your child's bedroom, the garden or the route to the park. Use symbols for objects, and talk through the journey: "From the gate, go straight, then turn left at the tree." Moving from a real space to a drawing of it is an important step. Mapping from above, a bird's-eye view, is hard at first and best introduced with objects placed on a large sheet of paper.

Grids. For older children (around 7), a simple grid of squares with a treasure placed on one of them introduces coordinates: "Go two across and three up." Battleship-style games provide a natural purpose.

Language in both languages

Spatial words differ across languages, and children in bilingual families benefit from hearing both. English and French use prepositions differently ("on" and "sur", "in" and "dans" are close; others such as "next to" and "à côté de" take more words). Playing the same position game once in each language is a fun way of strengthening both vocabulary and understanding.

Playful activities to try

• Block towers and bridges. Building and describing: "I put the long one across the two short ones."
• Puzzles. Jigsaws and shape puzzles train mental rotation.
• Obstacle courses. "Go over the rope, under the table, around the chair."
• Drawing from description. "Draw a circle above a square." Swap roles.
• Shape stories. "A triangle, a circle and a square went for a walk..."
• Treasure hunts. Hide a small treat and write or say directions to it.
• Mirror and symmetry games. Fold a piece of paper, paint on one side, and press the two halves together to see what symmetry looks like.

What to look for as children grow

By the end of kindergarten, children can usually name and describe basic flat shapes and a few solids, use common position words, and follow simple directions. By grade two, they are more careful with properties (sides and corners), more secure with left and right, and ready for simple maps and grids. Children differ widely, and a lot of this develops through play rather than instruction.

Geometry in the early years can be wonderfully physical and wonderfully fun. A cushion fort, a map of the garden and a game of "robot" are all, quietly, mathematics.

Try it in the app

Practise this at the screen too: Shape hunt, Where is the ball?, Left and right. You may also like our articles on measuring at home and real counting versus reciting.