Chapter VI – Exploring Geometric Shapes with KORBO Blocks

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Exploring Geometric Shapes with KORBO Blocks

Recognizing and naming basic geometric shapes is an important part of mathematical education in preschool. This skill forms the foundation for later understanding of space, shapes, symmetry, and relationships between objects. Children learn to notice the characteristic features of different shapes, compare them, organize them, and use them to build simple constructions.

Using KORBO blocks in learning about geometric shapes allows children to experience these concepts in a sensory and practical way. Thanks to their repeating shapes and the possibility of connecting and manipulating elements, children can literally “build” the shape they are learning about. This means they learn not only visually, but also through touch, movement, and spatial exploration.

The activities included in this chapter support:

  • recognizing and reinforcing the names of shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle),

  • creating and analyzing shapes through construction,

  • developing spatial orientation, observation skills, and logical thinking,

  • cooperation in a group and communication during team activities.

Shared play with geometric shapes offers not only opportunities for learning, but also the joy of creating. This is the best way to help mathematics be associated, from an early age, with something enjoyable and understandable for children.

Activity 1: “Find and Name”

Educational Objective: Recognizing and Naming Geometric Shapes

Materials:
KORBO blocks containing circles (gears), square and rectangular bases (for example, plates), cards with pictures of shapes.

Procedure:

  1. The teacher shows a card with a specific shape.

  2. The children search for a block whose shape matches the one shown.

  3. Together, they name the shape.

Variant:
Searching for all blocks of a given shape within a set time limit.

Activity 2: “Build the Shape”

Educational Objective: Constructing Geometric Shapes from Elements

Materials:
KORBO blocks, a construction mat

Procedure:

  1. Children try to build a square, rectangle, triangle, and circle using the available blocks.

  2. The teacher helps if needed, explaining the differences between the shapes.

Variant:
Pair work – one child builds the shape, the other names and describes it.

Activity 3: “Which Shape Disappeared?”

Educational Objective: Reinforcing Shape Names and Developing Observation Skills

Materials:
A set of KORBO blocks representing different geometric shapes

Procedure:

  1. Blocks of various shapes are placed in the center.

  2. The children observe them carefully and then close their eyes.

  3. The teacher hides one block. The children guess which shape has disappeared.

Variant:
The game can be led by the children – one child hides a block, and the others guess.

Activity 4: “A Walk Among Shapes”

Educational Objective: Recognizing Shapes Through Movement

Materials:
Large outlines of geometric shapes made from blocks and arranged on the floor.

Procedure:

  1. Children walk along the outlines of the shapes and name them.

  2. The teacher gives instructions such as: “Stand on the circle,” “Walk through the square,” etc.

Variant:
Children build the shapes themselves and invite others to walk through them.

Activity 5: “Geometric Puzzles”

Educational Objective: Developing Spatial Orientation and Analytical Thinking

Materials:
Printed outlines of shapes (or shapes drawn on cardboard), KORBO blocks

Procedure:

  1. Children place blocks inside the drawn shapes, trying to fill them as completely as possible.

  2. They name each shape and state how many blocks they used.

Variant:
Comparing results: in which shape did more blocks fit?

Activity 6: “Shape Dominoes”

Educational Objective: Reinforcing Shapes Through Matching

Materials:
Cards with pictures of shapes, KORBO blocks

Procedure:

  1. Children arrange a domino game by matching identical shapes.

  2. For each matching picture, children select a block with a similar shape.

Variant:
Domino with shapes and their names.

Activity 7: “Block Shapes in Pairs”

Educational Objective: Recognizing and Comparing Geometric Shapes

Materials:
KORBO blocks, cards with shapes

Procedure:

  1. Children draw a card with a shape.

  2. Their task is to build two identical shapes using blocks.

  3. They show the shapes to the group and compare them together.

Activity 8: “Shapes Against the Clock”

Educational Objective: Recognizing shapes and working within a limited time

Materials:
KORBO blocks

Procedure:

Children have, for example, one minute to build as many known shapes as possible.
When the time is up, the children present their constructions.

Variant:
Counting together how many children’s constructions of each type were built.

Activity 9: “Where Does the Shape Live?”

Educational Objective: Categorizing and recognizing shapes in the environment

Materials:
Cards with names of shapes, blocks, photos of objects (for example, a clock, a door, a window)

Procedure:

Children match a shape to objects that have a similar shape.
Then they build their own “home” for the given shape using blocks.

Activity 10: “Shapes in a Story”

Educational Objective: Recognizing and combining shapes within a narrative context

Materials:
KORBO blocks, a story told by the teacher

Procedure:

The teacher tells a story, for example: “The square went for a walk and met a triangle…”.
As the story unfolds, the children build the shapes that appear in the story using blocks.

Variant:
Children create their own stories with shapes as the main characters.

Activity 11: “Shape Hunters”

Educational Objective: Recognizing geometric shapes in the environment

Materials:
KORBO blocks, cameras (for example, toy cameras) or photo frames

Procedure:

Children “hunt” for shapes in the classroom by looking for objects shaped like circles, squares, and so on.
They show their findings to the teacher and try to build a similar shape using blocks.

Activity 12: “The Magic Bag”

Educational Objective: Recognizing shapes through touch

Materials:
Blocks of different shapes, an opaque bag

Procedure:

  1. Children draw a block from the bag without looking inside.

  2. Based on touch, they try to guess which shape they are holding.

  3. After guessing, they show it and build a larger version of the shape.

Activity 13: “Shape Swap”

Educational Objective: Understanding the characteristic features of shapes

Materials:
KORBO blocks, shape boards

Procedure:

  1. Children build a familiar shape (for example, a triangle).

  2. The teacher says: “Change one side and see what happens!”

  3. Children experiment and discuss how the shape changes.

Activity 14: “Shapes in Motion”

Educational Objective: Reinforcing geometric shapes through movement

Materials:
Blocks, illustrations of shapes, space for play

Procedure:

  1. On the cue “circle,” children roll like a circle; on “square,” they move step by step as if along the sides of a square, and so on.

  2. The teacher combines the cues into sequences.

Activity 15: “Shapes – Family and Friends”

Educational Objective: Distinguishing similarities and differences between shapes

Materials:
Blocks, cards with descriptions of shape “families” (for example, all shapes with four sides)

Procedure:

  1. Children group shapes into “families” (all with three sides, all with four sides, all round shapes).

  2. Then they build “homes” for these families using blocks.

Variant:
Extending the activity by creating “portraits” of shape families.

Stories for Activity 10

Story 1: “The Square’s Walk”

One day, the Square decided to go for a walk. It walked very evenly—after all, each of its sides was the same length! Along the way, it met a Circle, happily rolling across the meadow.
“I envy you for being able to spin!” said the Square.
“And I envy you for your corners!” laughed the Circle.
Together they met a Triangle who was building a house but still needed a roof.
“We’ll build your roof out of our friendship!” they said, and helped him finish the construction.

🧱 Children build: a square, a circle, a triangle (roof)

Story 2: “The Shape Ball”

A grand ball was held in the palace of Shapeland. All the shapes arrived: the Rectangle in a long gown, the Square in an elegant tailcoat, the Circle wearing a golden crown, and the Triangle in a colorful cloak. They danced together in the great hall and formed different patterns. When the orchestra played a fast dance, the Circle started rolling, the Triangle jumped, and the Square and Rectangle made funny turns.

🧱 Children build: the party guests’ shapes – square, rectangle, circle, triangle

Story 3: “The Lost Circle”

The Circle got lost in a forest full of straight and sharp shapes. It looked for its way home, but all the trees were triangular and the stones looked like squares.
“I’ll help you!” said the Rectangle, who knew the road to Shape City. Along the way, they shared stories about different shapes and found a Heart drawn on the ground with a stick—a symbol of friendship. Together, they returned to the Circle’s home.

🧱 Children build: circle, triangle, square, rectangle, heart

Story 4: “The Shape Race”

One day, the shapes decided to have a race. The Circle was the fastest because it could roll endlessly. The Square tried to run, but its corners were too stiff. The Rectangle had long sides, so it took big steps, and the Triangle jumped because it had three sharp vertices.
“It’s not about who wins,” said the Circle. “What matters is that we have fun together!”

🧱 Children build: all the racing shapes – circle, square, rectangle, triangle

Story 5: “The Mysterious Plan”

The Square had a plan: it wanted to build a huge playground. It called the Rectangle, who helped design a slide. The Triangle suggested a roof for a gazebo, and the Circle was perfect for building a carousel. Together they created an amazing place where every shape was needed. Children from all around came to play and thanked the shapes for their teamwork.

🧱 Children build: constructions using individual shapes – roof (triangle), carousel (circle), gazebo (square, rectangle)

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