Learning shapes
Shapes are all around us - wheels are circles, windows are squares, slices of pizza are triangles. Learning the basic 2D shapes and their names is one of the first steps in geometry and helps kids describe the world around them.
Sides and corners
One easy way to tell shapes apart is to count their sides and corners. A triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners, a square has 4 equal sides, a pentagon has 5 and a hexagon has 6. A circle is special - it has no straight sides at all.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic shapes for kids?
The basic 2D shapes are the circle, triangle, square, rectangle, oval, and then pentagon, hexagon and star. Learning their names and counting their sides is a great first step in geometry.
How many sides does a triangle have?
A triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners. A square and a rectangle have 4, a pentagon has 5, and a hexagon has 6. A circle has no straight sides.
What is the difference between a square and a rectangle?
Both have 4 sides and 4 right-angle corners, but a square has all four sides the same length, while a rectangle has two long sides and two short sides.