As parents, caregivers, or educators, we always look for ways to engage young children in learning. One fun and simple concept we can introduce to children is the circle shape.
It is a basic shape that children regularly encounter daily, and we can do many fun activities and games with them to help them learn more about circles. Here are 16 ideas to get you started!
benefits of circle games
Helps develop fine motor skills:
Activities like Circle Painting and Circle Cutting require children to use their hands and fingers precisely, improving their fine motor skills.
Enhances cognitive development:
Activities involving sorting, matching, and seriation can help children develop their cognitive skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and pattern recognition.
Improves creativity:
Fun circle activities like Circle Scavenger Hunts and Circle Hopscotch encourage children to think outside the box and develop new and unique ways to play and learn.
Teaches shape recognition:
Children can develop their ability to recognize and identify shapes by engaging in activities focusing on circles, laying a foundation for further geometric understanding.
Provides opportunities for socialization:
Many circle activities can be done with friends or family members, allowing children to socialize and work cooperatively.
Fosters a love of learning:
Children can develop a positive attitude towards learning by engaging in fun and interactive circle activities, setting the stage for lifelong learning and curiosity.
Fun circle games for young children
Circle scavenger hunt
Take children on a scavenger hunt around the house or classroom to find circular items. You can provide a list of objects or have them search for circles independently. This activity helps children identify circles and develops their observation and problem-solving skills.
Get ready for a circle scavenger hunt adventure with your little ones! The idea is simple – create a list of circular objects, and let the kids go on a search to find them all!
This exciting activity is not only fun, but it also helps young children develop their visual discrimination skills.
The possibilities for circular objects are endless, from coins and buttons to balloons and wheels. Children will love the challenge of finding each item on the list and the sense of accomplishment when they succeed.
Circle painting
Provide children with different-sized circular objects like bottle caps, cups, and bowls, and encourage them to use these objects to create circle patterns on paper. You can also use circle stamps to create different patterns and designs.
Get creative and artistic with Circle Painting! This activity involves using circular objects to create unique and colorful paintings.
Circle painting is a great way to engage children in art while helping them develop their fine motor skills and understanding of shapes.
By dipping circular objects like paper cups, bottle caps, or cotton rounds into paint and pressing them onto paper, children can explore their creativity while learning about the properties of circles. They can experiment with different colors, patterns, and sizes, making each painting a masterpiece.
Circle puzzles
Circle Puzzles are like mini adventures for young minds. They offer an exciting and rewarding challenge that allows children to enhance their problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities while having fun.
These circular wonders can be either bought or made with cardboard, and once assembled, children can revel in the satisfaction of seeing a complete circle or picture.
Not only do these puzzles help with spatial reasoning and fine motor skills, but they also provide a deeper understanding of the unique properties of circles.
From simple to complex designs, Circle Puzzles come in various difficulty levels, ensuring that children of all ages and abilities benefit from their endless entertainment and learning opportunities.
Circle sorting
Are you looking for a way to entertain your little ones while boosting their cognitive development? Circle sorting is the answer! It’s a fantastic activity that can help young children develop their sorting and classification skills in a fun and engaging way.
Turning it into a treasure hunt can make it even more exciting. Give them a pile of circular objects, and ask them to sort them by size, color, or texture.
As they delve into the task and organize the objects, they’ll start to recognize patterns, compare and contrast, and think logically. The best part is that you can use everyday objects to make it more thrilling for children of all ages and abilities.
Buttons, beads, or paper cutouts – the options are endless! So, put on your explorer’s hat, and let’s begin this exciting adventure into the world of circles!
Circle hopscotch
Circle hopscotch is a playful and fun way for kids to develop their gross motor skills and learn about circles. Children can jump from circle to circle while counting or reciting the alphabet. Create a hopscotch board using different-sized circles.
It’s a simple activity that can provide hours of entertainment!
By hopping from one circle to the next, children can improve their balance and coordination while also getting some exercise. As they hop, children can also learn about the properties of circles, such as their size and shape, making it a valuable educational activity.
Circle matching
Create a game where children match objects with their corresponding circular shapes. This game helps children develop their visual discrimination skills.
Circle sensory bin
Create a sensory bin filled with circular objects of different textures, sizes, and colors. Children can explore the objects with their hands and learn about the other properties of circles.
Circle weaving
Create circular looms using paper plates or cardboard circles with holes punched around the edge. Children can weave materials like yarn or ribbon through the holes to create circular patterns.
Circle songs and rhymes
Introduce children to songs and rhymes with circle references, such as “The Wheels on the Bus” and “Ring Around the Rosie.” Singing and reciting rhymes help children develop their language skills and memory.
Circle building
Provide children with circular blocks or objects like cups and lids and encourage them to build structures using only circles. This activity helps children develop their spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.
Circle tracing
Provide children with various circular objects and encourage them to trace around them on paper. This activity helps children develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Circle matching memory game
Create a memory game where children match pairs of circular objects with different patterns, sizes, and colors. This game helps children develop their memory and visual discrimination skills.
Are they looking for a fun and engaging way to help your child learn about circles? Look no further than the Circle Matching Memory Game!
This simple game involves laying out pairs of circular cards face down, then taking turns flipping them over to reveal the matching circles. By playing this game, children can improve their memory skills while also learning to recognize the shape of a circle.
Circle toss game
Create a circle target using a hula hoop or other circular object and ask children to toss bean bags or balls into the target. This game helps children develop their gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Circle graphing
Create a graph with circular shapes and ask children to sort objects by color or size and place them in the appropriate section of the graph. This activity helps children understand basic math concepts and data visualization.
Circle scavenger hunt outside
Take children on a walk outside and ask them to find circular objects in nature like flowers, leaves, and rocks. This activity helps children develop their observation skills and appreciation for the natural world. Take the circle scavenger hunt outdoors and turn it into an adventure!
This fun and educational activity involves searching for circular objects outdoors, from round rocks and pebbles to flowers and leaves.
As children explore and discover the circular wonders around them, they can improve their visual discrimination skills and learn about the properties of circles, such as their size, shape, and color. It’s a great way to engage children in nature while encouraging them to learn and grow.
Circle story time
Read books with circular themes like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle or “Round is a Mooncake” by Roseanne Thong. Discuss the circular objects and concepts in the stories to help children develop their language and comprehension skills.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. I’m here to help you with play-based learning activities and crafts for kids ages 0 – 8. ( Cledemy.com is my Next startup on Pre to 8th Grade Printable and Worksheet Education Resources)
