Shapes are the building blocks of this world, and are one of the first things that small children learn about. From simple shapes like squares and circles to more complex ones like polygons and octagons, kids can benefit from reading about all kinds of shapes as soon as they are able to focus on a page.
Everything we look at in life is made of shapes. Play some games with your kids when you’re out and about, pointing at stop signs, traffic signs, road signs, buildings, and more, and challenge them to name the shape. It’s crucial that kids be able to understand, spot, and recognize a variety of different shapes. Indeed, shapes form a solid foundation, which, when built early, can help them with more complex processes later on, such as geometry and even the core principles of art.
We place a big emphasis on reading here at Country Home Learning Center, especially in regards to the basics. We believe it’s never too early to learn about anything from shapes and colors to dinosaurs and the concept of sharing.
We’ve put together a list of the best books about shapes for your children to enjoy and learn from, whether at school or at home. You can get any of these books at your local library, book store, or online retailers like Amazon. Check out the list today and stock up on books about shapes!
Best Shape Books to Check Out
Stanley’s Shapes by Williambee
Toddlers will enjoy the bright, graphic illustrations in this cute board book which challenges you to spot different geometric objects.
Frankie’s Food Truck
Take a fun learning adventure with this board book – perfect for kids who are just learning their shapes. Frankie serves a different shape for each day of the week. This is also a lift-the-flap book, which, let’s face it – kids just love! This is definitely a yummy introduction to shapes.
Mail Duck by Erica Sirotich
Mail Duck delivers shapes to his animal friends, such as triangles to Trudy, circles to Cecil, squares to Scout, ovals to Omar, rectangles to Rosie, and hearts to Harry. This book has interesting, detailed illustrations and is great for kindergarteners.
Circle, Triangle, Elephant by Kenji Oikawa and Mayuko Takeuchi
This instructive yet silly book provides three geometric objects on a page, such as circle, rectangle, and triangle. Then things get whimsical when the author adds other fun objects such as lemons, elephants, and boats to round out the story.
This is a Book of Shapes by Kenneth Kraegel
The book begins by introducing three basic shapes, then gets silly with an emu pushing a pancake wagon down the hill. Along the way, more shapes are introduced, from circles to ovals. There’s even a rhino wearing a jet pack!
Picture This Shapes by Judith Nouvion
Challenge your kids to spot the dots on the ladybug’s wings or the green moth’s triangular shape. This short board book is a nice natural tribute to what can be discovered in nature.
Tangled by Anne Miranda, illustrated by Eric Comstock
This is a geometric book about shapes, but it’s also about friendship and problem-solving. One by one, each shape gets trapped in a jungle gym and cannot get out.
A Trapezoid Is Not a Dinosaur by Suzanne Morris
This “punny” book, great for kindergarteners, focuses on shapes that are putting on a play. Each shape elaborates on its qualities (angles, sides, etc.) so it’s easy to learn the properties of each shape.
Colors versus Shapes by Mike Boldt
In this book about cooperation, the Colors show the Shapes their talent by mixing blue and yellow together to make green. Then it’s the Shapes’ turn to show the Colors how, when you put two triangles together, they make a square.
City Shapes by Diana Murray, illustrated by Bryan Collier
A little girl spots different shapes while walking around the city, from a square and rectangle to a diamond and a star. Get inspired for your own city shape hunt with this watercolor- and collage-illustrated book.
We hope you found this list enjoyable and decide to pick up one or two. Reading is the foundation of learning, and there’s no better way to learn about shapes than cracking open a picture book with your child and exploring the world.
Come Read With Country Home Learning Center
Here at Country Home Learning Center, we know the value and importance of reading every single day. Even the smallest children can benefit from books about shapes and any other topic that interests them. Come see how reading forms an integral part of our program and take a tour of our facilities. Contact us today in San Antonio or Austin to set something up!