While it is true we see the world in colours, we also see it in shapes.Take a casual glance around you and you’ll see a myriad of shapes staring right back at you, demanding to be noticed. It is no surprise then that kids are taught shapes early on at the preschool or kindergarten level so they can understand the world around them better. And if you need a little bit extra help, take a look at the list of names of shapes with pictures below. It will prove to be a great guide!
Did you know that geometric shapes help children develop spatial awareness and mathematical abilities?
Shapes Everywhere- 40 Shape Names for Kids to Identify
- Square
- Rectangle
- Circle
- Oval
- Triangle
- Pentagon
- Hexagon
- Octagon
- Cube
- Sphere
- Cylinder
- Cone
- Rectangular prism
- Pyramid
- Arrow
- Crescent
- Cross
- Decagon
- Heart
- Heptagon
- Kite
- Nonagon
- Parallelogram
- Quadrilateral
- Rhombus
- Right angled triangle
- Ring
- Semi-circle
- Star
- Trapezium
- Trapezoid
- Cuboid
- Diamond
- Hemisphere
- Hexagonal pyramid
- Octahedron
- Pentagonal prism
- Prism
- Rectangular prism
- Square pyramid
- Tetrahedron
- Triangular prism
Also known as a quadrilateral, a square has four equal sides in measurement and angles.
Two pairs of opposite sides of a rectangle measure equally, thus defining this shape.
Next on the list of names of shapes with pictures is the circle. A 2-D shape, all of the points of a circle are at an equal distance from its centre.
“On a drawing sheet, make some big and small circles using a black marker. Give the drawing sheet to your child and ask them to colour inside each circle using different hues. This activity will help your child to understand the shape of a circle.”
Angela Naik, writer at FirstCry
Another 2-D figure, an oval has a flat face with curved lines closely resembling the silhouette of an egg.
Three vertices, three sides and three edges make up a triangle.
Belonging to the category of polygons as far as shape names in maths are concerned, pentagon features five sharp sides and five angles. The sum total of its interior angles is 540°.
A closed figure with six sides, six angles and six vertices.
A type of polygon, an octagon has twenty diagonals within it along with eight angles and eight sides.
Of the shape names in maths, cubes are commonly used. Made up of six square faces, eight vertices and twelve edges, each of the squares in a cube are of equal size.
3-D in its form factor, spheres have a round shape and are perfectly symmetrical. They have volume and a surface area too.
A cylinder features a curved surface on either side which join circular bases that are parallel to each other.
How many of these geometric shape names do your kids know about?
This 3-D shape rests on a flat surface and tapers towards the top at a point, which is known as its vertex.
Comprising six faces and twelve edges, all the faces of this shape are rectangular.
A type of polyhedron, the lateral faces of a pyramid are triangular while its base is a polygon.
An arrow is made up of a straight line which has an arrow shape attached to one end. It is used as an indicator.
Featuring two pointed ends that are joined with a set of curved lines, a crescent resembles a moon.
When two lines intersect each other at their centrepoint, a cross is formed. A cross’ intersections make a 90° angle.
This polygon features ten equal angles each 144° along with ten sides of equal measure.
Did you know that geometric shapes are foundational for mathematical skills that also help in problem-solving?
Among the names of different shapes, a heart is most recognisable. It has been designed to represent a heart.
Seven equal angles with seven equally measuring sides make up a heptagon.
You will find a pair of equal angles and a pair of equally measuring corresponding sides in this quadrilateral.
This polygon has nine angles, each of 140° as well as nine identically measuring sides.
This shape features slanted sides and angles that do not measure 90°. However, they are equal in length.
This type of polygon has four sides and angles each, all of which have different measurements.
Similar to a square, the difference between the two is that a rhombus’s angles do not measure 90° each.
In this triangle, one angle equals 90°, while the sum total of the other two angles is also 90°. You can help your kid learn these interesting shapes name with pictures.
A ring is a circular band that has its own circumference and a hollowed out centre.
Half of a circle whose angle measures 180° can be defined as a semi-circle.
A kid’s favourite when it comes to of different shapes, a star has five equiangular corners that point outwards.
This shape is made up of two pairs of elements, which are two parallel sides and two lateral sides.
For a trapezoid to take shape, there must not be any opposite pairs of sides that are parallel to each other. Studying shapes and their names is an essential skill for children to understand the world around us.
A cuboid is a simply a 3-D rectangle that features six faces, eight corners and twelve edges. Cuboid is also one of the distinct shapes names in maths.
This famous shape has four straight and closed sides that are equal with opposing sides being parallel to each other.
Simply put, a hemisphere is a 3-D semi-circle that has its own circumference and radius.
A hexagonal pyramid is formed when six isosceles triangles fuse together at the top and have a hexagonal base.
This simple shape features a set of six vertices, eight triangle-shaped faces and twelve edges. This shape appears as if two pyramids have fused at their bases.
Next on the list of shapes, this one is a combination of two inner pentagons and six rectangle-shaped faces.
This 3-D shape has two identical ends with flat faces, identical cross-sections and equal bases. Prism is one of the most beautiful shapes name in maths.
Similar to a cuboid, this type of prism has six vertices along with twelve edges on its opposing sides.
A pyramid whose base is square shaped is referred to as a square pyramid.
This is a type of a triangular pyramid with parallel edges, faces or sides.
When two equilateral triangles connect via three of their sides while maintaining parallel edges, a triangular prism takes shape. These are the 42 geometric shapes names that would be fun to teach your kids.
Conclusion
Understanding shapes and their names can be an essential skill for your children to develop. In this article, we have briefed you about 42 different types of shapes and ways in which you could teach about these to your children. Does your little one have a favourite shape?
There you have it! A comprehensive list of shapes that can be really useful in advancing your child’s learning of different form factors around them. At EuroKids, we adopt a practical and interactive approach to teaching kids shapes and more so they can easily grasp the concept in a simplistic and easy-to-recall manner. To know more about our teaching and time management skills, visit your nearest EuroKids centre.
For informative and accurate articles on all things related to your new born-toddler’s development, growth, health and nutrition, follow EuroKids Blogs and do check out our nationally recognized preschools – EuroKids for the first step in your kid’s educational journey!
