Body Shapes: The Three-Kid Triangle

Lying on the floor, children team up to make a triangle with three bodies, a square with four and a big circle with the whole class. They discover how many sides each shape has and cooperate to build it.

How to play

1. Sitting down, the teacher shows the triangle card and we count its sides with a finger: 1, 2, 3 (1 min).
2. Each child lies down straight as a stick, arms up overhead or along the body (2 min).
3. In groups of three, we join heads to feet to make a triangle on the floor; the teacher checks it "from the sky" standing on a chair (4 min).
4. Now a fourth friend joins and we turn it into a square: how many sticks do we need? (4 min).
5. The whole class lies down in a giant circle holding hands, and we look at it from above (3 min).

Rules

• Each of us is a straight stick and stays still until the shape is done.
• Touch gently with feet or hands to close the shape.
• Count the sides before saying it's finished.

Variations

Adaptations

• Child with limited mobility: if they can't lie down, they form a side sitting with arms stretched out, or are the "photographer" checking the shape from above with the teacher.
• Autistic child: can be part of the shape without touching anyone, leaving a small gap.
• Blind or low-vision child: before lying down, feels a large cardboard shape and counts its sides with their hands.

Learning goals

• Recognize triangle, square and circle.
• Connect the number of sides to the number of children.
• Work together to build a shape.

Equipment for a class of 25

• tarjetas de formas: 4
• colchonetas: 6

Teacher tip

Keep a big card of each shape on the floor next to the group. If they struggle, be one of the sides yourself the first time: with a grown-up lying down, they laugh and get it right away.

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