Year 1 Properties Of Shapes

Make Shape Learning Fun with Five Hands-On Year 1 Activities

Transform your Year 1 geometry lessons with this engaging Properties of Shapes resource, featuring five carefully designed activities that introduce young learners to 2D shapes through creative, hands-on exploration.

Five Complete Activities Included:

1. Making And Recognising 2D Shapes: Children create and identify circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles through practical making activities—building a solid foundation in shape recognition and properties
2. Recognising Shapes Activity Sheets: Engaging worksheets that reinforce shape identification skills through drawing, matching, and sorting exercises perfect for independent practice or small group work
3. Playdough Shapes: Get hands-on with playdough! Children mould and create 2D shapes, developing fine motor skills while exploring shape properties in a tactile, memorable way
4. Sorting Shapes: Develop critical thinking as children sort shapes by different properties—sides, corners, size, and colour—building classification skills and mathematical reasoning
5. Symmetrical Shapes Painting: Discover symmetry through creative painting activities that make this abstract concept concrete and visually stunning—perfect for cross-curricular art and maths links

Why Teachers Love This Resource:

• Curriculum-Aligned: Fully supports Year 1 Maths objectives for properties of shapes in the National Curriculum of England
• Multi-Sensory Learning: Activities engage visual, tactile, and kinaesthetic learners through varied approaches
• Ready to Use: Complete lesson plans with clear instructions, learning objectives, and resource lists
• Minimal Preparation: Uses simple, accessible materials like playdough, paint, and activity sheets
• Differentiation Built-In: Activities can be adapted to support all learners in your Year 1 class
• Cross-Curricular Links: Connects to KS1 Art & Design and Design & Technology objectives

Perfect For:

• Year 1 Maths lessons on properties of shapes
• Key Stage 1 geometry teaching
• Homeschool maths curriculum
• Reception/Year 1 transition activities
• Building mathematical vocabulary and confidence
• Continuous provision activities

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of these activities, children will be able to recognise and name common 2D shapes, describe their properties, understand basic symmetry, and sort shapes using different criteria. The hands-on approach ensures concepts stick and children develop genuine understanding rather than just memorization.

Make shape learning an adventure! These engaging activities turn abstract mathematical concepts into concrete, enjoyable experiences that Year 1 students will love—building confidence and enthusiasm for maths that will last throughout their education.