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Shapes Worksheets for Preschool

13 free PDFsUS Letter or A4Answer key includedNo login

A page for each shape to trace and color, shape hunt pictures, a shape sort and a shapes chart for the wall.

Download the shapes worksheets

Shapes chart

A wall chart of all seven shapes with their names.

Trace and color each shape

One page per shape: trace the big shape, then color everyday things with that shape.

Shape hunts

Find and color every circle, square or triangle in a big picture made of shapes.

Shape sort

Sort everyday things by shape: cut and paste, or circle the shape with no cutting.

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these shapes worksheets

Preschoolers learn shapes by seeing them, naming them and moving their hands around them. These shapes worksheets for preschool cover the seven shapes young children meet first: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, star and heart. Every page is big and simple, with one job and one short direction for the grown-up to read.

Each shape has its own page. Children trace one large shape on a thick grey path, starting at the big dot and following the arrow, then color everyday things with that shape, like a clock, a slice of pizza or a door. The heart page has small hearts to trace instead.

When the names start to stick, try the shape hunts. Children find and color every circle in a train, every square in a house or every triangle in a sailboat. The shape sort comes as a cut and paste page and as a circle the shape page with no cutting. Pages with one right answer have an answer key on page 2.

Standards

  • ELOF P-MATH 9Child identifies, describes, compares, and composes shapes.
  • ELOF P-PMP 3Child demonstrates increasing control, strength, and coordination of small muscles.

How to use them

  1. Hang the shapes chart where children can see it. Point to each shape and say its name together.
  2. Start with circle, square and triangle. Add rectangle, oval, star and heart once those feel easy.
  3. On the shape pages, let children trace the big shape with a finger first, then with a crayon.
  4. Before the shape hunt, walk around the room and find real circles, squares and triangles together.
  5. Use the cut and paste sort when scissors are out, and the circle the shape page when they are not.

Teaching tips

  • Talk about what makes each shape: a triangle has three sides and three corners; a circle is round with no corners.
  • Show shapes turned different ways. A triangle is still a triangle when it points down.
  • Squares and rectangles are easy to mix up. A square's sides are all the same; a rectangle has two long sides and two short sides.
  • Children who find tracing hard can trace with a finger, a dot marker or a toy car before using a crayon.
  • Pictures have short labels for the grown-up to read aloud. Children work from the pictures.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What shapes should preschoolers know?

Most preschoolers start with circle, square and triangle, then learn rectangle, oval, star and heart. By kindergarten many can name these shapes and find them in everyday things.

How do I teach shapes to a 3 or 4 year old?

Name shapes during play, trace them with a finger, and look for them around the house or classroom. Then use these worksheets to trace each shape and find it in pictures.

Do these shapes worksheets have answer keys?

Yes. The shape hunts, the shape sort and the circle the shape page have an answer key on page 2. Tracing and coloring pages do not need one.