Which shapes are included?

Circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, rhombus, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, star and heart, depending on the activity.

What does sides and corners practice?

Children count the straight sides and the corners of each shape and write them in the boxes, which shows them that a shape is named by its sides, not its size.

How does colour by shape work?

A key at the top gives each of four shapes a colour. Children colour every shape on the page to match, which is a fun way to practise telling them apart.

Why is there a green dot on the traced shapes?

It shows where to start tracing, so children go round each shape in one smooth line.

Shape Worksheets: Trace, Name, Count Sides and Colour 2D Shapes

Shapes in many sizes and directions

Children often think a triangle has to point up. The shapes here are drawn in different sizes, and colour by shape scatters them so children name each one by its sides and corners.

Three activities

Tracing and naming suits Nursery and Reception. Sides and corners suits Year 1. Colour by shape works for any age as a quiet, satisfying activity.

Curriculum links in England

ReceptionThe EYFS framework asks for rich chances to develop spatial reasoning, including shape, space and measures, though no early learning goal covers shape.
Year 1Pupils recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes, such as rectangles (including squares), circles and triangles.
Year 2Children describe the properties of 2-D shapes, including the number of sides and line symmetry in a vertical line.
Year 3Pupils draw 2-D shapes and make 3-D shapes.

The Year 1 wording, rectangles “including squares”, is worth borrowing: a square is a special rectangle, and the sides and corners page helps show why. English classrooms often say “corners” in Key Stage 1 and add “vertices” when 3-D shapes are described in Year 2.

The rhombus, pentagon, hexagon and octagon go beyond the Year 1 examples and suit Year 2 sorting. The maker doesn’t cover 3-D shapes or symmetry, so use real solids and paper folding for those.

Summarised in our own words from the EYFS statutory framework (early learning goals) and the National Curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study (DfE).