What Are Shapes?
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore shapes in art! Kids will learn to identify and name basic shapes in a fun way.
About this story
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore shapes in art! Kids will learn to identify and name basic shapes in a fun way.
What you'll learn
- Identify basic shapes: circles, triangles, squares
- Understand the characteristics of different shapes
- Encourage creativity through art and exploration
Owlo! Owlo! Look what I made in art class today!
Oh my goodness, Koko! You made a whole picture using cut-out pieces. Tell me about it!
I used a big round sun, and a triangle for the mountain, and little squares for the windows on the house!
You just named three very important things, Koko. Circles, triangles, and squares are all shapes!
Wait, so shapes have names? I just picked the pieces that looked right!
They do have names! And you already know more shapes than you think. Let's go to the art room and explore together.
Ooh, there are so many colourful pieces on the table! This one is perfectly round, like a wheel.
That round shape is called a circle. A circle has no corners and no straight sides at all.
No corners? So it just goes round and round forever?
Exactly right! Now pick up that red piece next to it. What do you notice about it?
This one has four sides, and they all look the same size. It looks like a window!
That is a square! A square has four equal sides and four corners. Corners are the pointy spots where two sides meet.
Four sides, four corners. Got it! What about this tall one? It looks like a door, but the top and bottom are longer.
Great eye, Koko! That is a rectangle. A rectangle also has four sides and four corners, but two sides are longer than the other two.
So a square and a rectangle are kind of like cousins?
That is a wonderful way to think about it! They are both in the same shape family. Now, what about the pointy one?
Oh, this one! It has three sides and a pointy top. Like a party hat!
That is a triangle! Three sides and three corners. Triangles can look different from each other, but they always have exactly three sides.
Always three? Even if one side is really long and one is tiny?
Always three sides, yes! That is what makes it a triangle, no matter what it looks like.
Owlo, I see shapes everywhere now! The clock on the wall is a circle. The door is a rectangle!
Once you learn to spot shapes, you see them absolutely everywhere. Buildings, books, food, toys — shapes are all around us.
Even a slice of cheese pizza is a triangle!
Now you are thinking like a true shape detective, Koko. Shapes help us describe and build everything in the world.
So shapes are like the building blocks of everything we see?
Beautifully said. Shapes help us understand the world, create art, build houses, and so much more.
Now, before we pack up these colourful pieces, can you tell me what you learned about shapes today?
Okay! So, shapes are everywhere, and they all have names. A circle is round with no corners at all. A square has four equal sides and four corners. A rectangle is like a square, but two sides are longer. And a triangle has three sides and three corners, always! Oh, and I am now officially a shape detective, which is a very important job.
It is one of the most important jobs there is. Next time, we can explore even more shapes, like stars, hearts, and diamonds!
There are MORE shapes? We are going to be very busy, Owlo.
