Shape tracing worksheets: circle, square, triangle and more

Which shapes to start with

Begin with the circle, square and triangle. They are the shapes children meet first in picture books and in Kindergarten maths, and they need only one curved line or a few straight ones. Move on to the rectangle and oval, then the star, heart, diamond, hexagon and crescent, which need sharper turns and more careful corners.

Talk about the shape, not just the outline

Ask how many sides and corners each shape has before tracing it. A triangle has three straight sides and three corners; a circle has no corners at all. Children who can say why a square is not a rectangle with unequal sides are building the vocabulary they will use in Grade 1 and Grade 2 geometry.

Corners are where the pencil stops

For shapes with straight sides, show children how to stop at each corner and then change direction, rather than rounding the corner off. For the circle and oval, start at the top and go anticlockwise, the same direction used for the letters c, a, d, g, o and q, so shape practice also prepares letter formation.

Go beyond the page

After the sheet, hunt for the same shape around the room: a clock face, a window, a slice of pizza. Short, playful practice on most days works better than long sessions.