Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Cognitive Development (CD)

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children identify and use common shapes and concepts about position during play and other activities.

Skill Progression: Composes geometric shapes

Age: 33-36 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 33-36 Months.

Use shape blocks during playtime. Ask the child to create a picture or object with the blocks.

Be a play partner and take blocks to build something. Put some blocks together to make a square, circle, triangle, or rectangle.

Observe how the child deconstructs the adult’s structure and see what the child makes.

Early childhood educators and parents can point out the different shapes in the environment and use everyday objects to make new configurations. For example, three Cheerios in a row looks like a snowman; a round cracker and a triangle of cheese together look like an ice cream cone.