Free Shapes Tracing Worksheets for Preschool

Once we introduce our children to shapes we provide them with a whole new way of viewing objects around them. Help your children to observe and learn about shapes with these free shapes tracing worksheets for preschool homeschoolers.

Shape Tracing Worksheets

Shapes are such an important part of our world. When we think of objects and their characteristics, shapes are part of that make up. They are actually an important part of our visual cues. Before we get to the shape tracing worksheets, let’s talk about why teaching shapes is important. 

Why is teaching shapes important?

When we think of the heads on our bodies we automatically think of the shape being round. Think of a pizza pie and you know the box is square and the pie itself makes a circle. (We won’t talk about why this makes sense in our world -circle in a square-, but it is just the way it is.)

Nonetheless, shapes make up what our children will begin to notice about the world around them even at a young age. Shapes impact our visual information, identify signs & symbols, set the stage for letters & numbers, symmetry, and so much more. From planets to books, recognizing shapes is essential for them to learn early on.

Teaching shapes in preschool and kindergarten

The days of learning shapes solely from a preschool worksheet or flashcards are long gone. Yes, it is great to still use worksheets or tracing shapes worksheets to reinforce what the kids have learned about shapes. However, don’t’ let that be the extent of your lesson plans.

However, children can more easily understand the concepts of shapes when they have hands-on activities that are engaging and interactive. While they are actively learning shapes they also improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. It is a win-win.

Shape recognition can make a shape lesson come alive if a child is involved in fine motor skills simultaneously.

Shape Tracing Worksheets PDF

Free Shapes Tracing Activity Pack Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to get access to our free printable pack with shape tracing worksheets for your early learner.

How to teach shapes

As an early learning teacher, I always taught tracing shapes for preschoolers before teaching letters or numbers. As I mentioned before, teaching shape names lay a good foundation for students to progress and learn about various shapes. Start with simple shapes, or maybe even straight lines before moving on to more difficult shapes.

Once shapes and colors are learned, children can then put those together to eventually be able to form letters or numbers.

Here are some fun activities I used to teach shapes in a fun way with my early learning classrooms. The activities will translate perfectly to your homeschool.

1. Use the toys around your play area to show your children the shapes they are learning.
2. Make DIY shape stampers.
3. Sidewalk chalk shape hunt (gross motor activity).
4. Make a shape collage.
5. Have your children trace shapes.
6. Search shapes in an activity bin or morning tub (in salt or sand).
7. Play shape matching games (free matching cards found below).
8. Paint with shapes.

These are just some suggestions all can enjoy, no matter your kids ages.

These worked well with my young learners from my experience but I am sure there are more creative ideas out there. From teaching the name of the shape to exploring fun shapes and 3D shapes, the more a child practices the better.

Here are some shapes to teach for a great introduction in your lessons:

• circle shapes
• half circle
• triangle
• square
• rectangle
• oval shape
• heart
• star
• moon
• cross
• arrow

Other Shapes Kids Can Learn

• hexagon shape
• crescent shapes or mooncircle shapes
• cross shape
• diamond (rhombus)

Shape Tracing Worksheets

Before we get to the instant download, explore these super useful free shapes printables below.

Free Shapes Worksheets

Learning About Shapes Activity – When your little ones learn different shapes they begin to see shapes everywhere! Grab these learning shapes activity pages to help your students understand what makes each shape unique from basic shapes to complex.

Shape Cards for Preschool – Matching items is a great activity for kids to recognize shapes, whether a large shape or small. These preschool matching shape cards (with a circle shape, star shapes, heart shapes, and more) will help them to learn the names of eleven common shapes they see every day.

Printable Shapes – Use these printable shapes worksheets for coloring, tracing, and cutting shapes. 

Resources for Learning About 2D Shapes – Basic 2D shapes are what your students should first be learning. Help your kids learn all about rectangular doors, circular windows, triangular pizza slices, and more with these 2d shapes printables.

Printable Shapes Worksheet – Help your kids learn their shapes with these free shapes worksheets. 

Letter Tracing Worksheets

Alphabet Tracing Pages for Your Young Writers – Many of us don’t realize it, yet shapes are the foundation needed for kids to write their alphabet. Grab these alphabet shape tracing worksheets for young writers with letter practice, adorable pictures, and pencil grip control practice.

Ocean-Themed Cursive Alphabet Tracing Pages – As kids learn their shapes and eventually alphabet, add ocean-themed pages to help. These ocean-inspired cursive alphabet tracing pages contain uppercase and lowercase practice.

Name Tracing Printables

Name Tracing Worksheets – Following our children’s alphabet writing skills, they then can move on to learning how to write their names. Grab these free editable name tracing sheets for your beginning writers.

Shapes Tracing Activity Pack Instant Download:

This preschool shapes worksheet pdf download is perfect for young children or kindergarten kids. A great way for kids to learn the names of shapes is by using shape tracing worksheets. You can use these adorable shape sheets to teach the correct name of the shapes and they even double as cute coloring pages.

Tracing shapes is one way kids can work on developing fine motor control. You can start with tracing large shapes and then progress to tracing smaller shapes.