Painting or stamping with shapes is a fun math and art activity to do with young kids! We enjoy using everyday items to learn, and here is an easy way to teach kindergarteners and preschoolers basic shapes. Grab some paint, paper and various shapes to get started. Enjoy fun and playful learning with easy preschool activities!

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Explore Shapes For Kindergarten And Preschool

Learning about basic shapes is important, but so is play! We have you covered with this colorful shape painting activity. Get kids to use various shapes as stamps to create their own unique artwork.

If you’ve wanted an easy playful learning activity to share with your kiddos, you will love this shape activity. Combine these free printable shape activity with some of our other hands-on shape activities for a fun math lesson in the classroom or at home.

Basic Shapes

Here are some of the basic shapes to teach to kindergarten and preschoolers.

Circle: A circle is a round shape with no corners or edges. It looks like the outline of a ball or a plate.

Square: A square has four sides of the same length and four right angles. It looks like a box or a piece of paper.

Triangle: A triangle has three sides and three angles. There are different types of triangles, all three sides are the same length, two sides are the same length, or all sides are different lengths.

Rectangle: A rectangle has four sides with opposite sides being equal in length and all angles being right angles. It looks like a stretched-out square.

Oval: An oval is like a stretched-out circle. It has curved sides but no corners or edges.

Star: A star has many points, and it can have different number of points. It can look like the shape you draw when you connect the dots of a star in the sky.

Heart: A heart shape is often associated with love. It has two rounded parts at the top and comes together at a point at the bottom.

Books About Shapes

Here are five Shape books perfect for pairing with this shape art activity! (I am an Amazon Affiliate)

“Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh: This interactive book follows three mice as they explore different shapes to escape from a cat. It’s a great way for preschoolers to learn shapes while engaging in a cute story.

“Brown Rabbit’s Shapes” by Alan Baker: Join Brown Rabbit as he discovers shapes in his everyday life, from squares to stars. The colorful illustrations make learning about shapes enjoyable.

“Shape by Shape” by Suse MacDonald: This book combines clever die-cuts with colorful illustrations to explore how shapes can be transformed into various objects and animals.

“Color Zoo” by Lois Ehlert: While not exclusively about shapes, this book introduces animals created from basic geometric shapes. The cut-paper illustrations are vibrant and engaging.

“The Shape of My Heart” by Mark Sperring and Alys Paterson: Follow Little Polar Bear as he explores his world and discovers shapes in unexpected places. The rhythmic text and charming illustrations make it a delightful read.

See our printable shape worksheet pack at the end for more excellent book suggestions!

Get Your Free Printable Shape Activity!

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Shapes Art Activity

Supplies:

  • Washable paint
  • Paper plates
  • Various shapes to use as stamps
  • Art paper or cardstock
  • Optional – a shallow plastic bin
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Instructions:

STEP 1. Add a squirt of several colors of paint to a paper plate.

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STEP 2. Place the paper in the container if using.

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STEP 3. Dip a shape into the paint.

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STEP 4. Stamp it onto the art paper to leave an outline of the shape.

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STEP 5. Repeat with more shapes.

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More Fun Kindergarten & Preschool Themes

Printable Shape Activities Pack

Who’s It For?

Perfect for 3-to 6-year-olds in a preschool classroom, learning center, or home. Easy to set up and use with one kiddo or turn into a center for the classroom. This shape activities pack includes a book and supply list to help you easily set up the 14 shapes activities.

What’s Included?

  • Dot Shapes
  • Building Shapes
  • Seek and Find
  • Shape Printmaking
  • Sensory Sorting
  • What Shape is it?
  • Mini-Book
  • Shapes Crown
  • Writing Center
  • Tracing Cards
  • Board Game
  • Matching Game
  • Cover Up! Game
  • Puzzles
  • Book List

There are so many fun ways to explore shapes!

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