Share how your children learn about shapes to win one of three Triangle-themed bundles including gorgeous new picture book, ZigZag Travel Grobag plus a limited edition print

[SorchaMumsnet]

Shapes make up the world around us and are an important part of early childhood development. To celebrate the publication of Triangle, a slyly funny picture book about some very sneaky shapes, we've got a trio of Triangle-themed goodies up for grabs.

Meet Triangle. He is going to play a sneaky trick on his friend, Square. Or so Triangle thinks...

<a class="break-all" href="//www.amazon.co.uk/Triangle-Mac-Barnett/dp/1406376671/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488286252&sr=8-1&keywords=triangle%20jon%20klassen&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank"> Triangle is the first tale in an exciting new shape trilogy by the award-winning team consisting of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen (creator of This Is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back). This mischievous, shifty-eyed story will delight your little ones whilst approaching the traditional concept of shapes from a whole new angle.

Walker Books have teamed up with The Gro Company to offer Mumsnetters the chance to win one of three gorgeous Triangle-themed prizes. Grobag is the No. 1 baby sleep bag for keeping little ones safe and comfortable throughout the night and their funky, triangle-print ZigZag Travel Grobag is perfect for taking safer sleep on the road.

For a chance to win one of 3 copies of Triangle plus a ZigZag Travel Grobag and a limited edition print, just tell us - how do your DC learn about different shapes?

This discussion is sponsored by Walker Books and ends Wednesday 19 April

Books T&Cs apply

[Heinousfauxpas]

My 18 month old granddaughter loves shapes. She first started noticing the button pattern on her bibs and called them "Behs." We told her they were circles and from then on anything round was pointed at and pointed out.

We all talk about the shapes we see in the objects around us as well as in her books. She has one just about shapes which she loves. At 18 months she can already reliably point out a square, a circle, a star and a heart. I bought her a top with a star on and that was the next shape she learned after her beloved circles :)

The prizes sound perfect. Books are her favourite things in the world (next to her Mum and Dad). She is also going on her first ever holiday in May so a travel gro-bag would be brilliant. A print would be lovely too as hopefully a move from renting to a first home is coming up in the autumn. They haven't been able to put pictures up in their current flat.

[legfaced]

Shape sorter and lift the flap books

[r0ck]

My three year old is obsessed with superheroes so we've been drawing comic strips all about CircleMan and his sidekick Mr Rectangle saving Princess Triangle from Square Villain!

[thesoupdragon44]

I think learning about shapes in food is a great way to engage children, my son loved having lunch cut into different shapes and it made it fun!

[HalfCarrot]

We play I Spy, shapes version, when we're out for a walk. I spy with my little eye, something shaped like a triangle.

[Mozarmstrong]

Used a shapes sorter f o r playtime and always point to shapes around e.g. a window a door a washing bowl any thing has a shape we soo on it!!

[riverwell]

When we are out and about and spotting different shapes we see. It's great for encouraging a more mindful approach to life whereby you take in and are aware of what's going on around you at the time.

[hayleywalden560]

We started off with shape sorting toys & then lots of building blocks. Nowadays there are some good, simple games on the CBeebies website with shapes, my youngest (about to turn 4) particularly likes the 'Bing' building blocks one where she can make all sorts of things with different shapes building blocks and then colour them, whilst also building on her hand/eye coordination and computer mouse control.We also imitate that by cutting out lots of different shapes then playing games with them e.g. Matching them, matching them to their number of sides and making pictures/collages by cutting and sticking with them. In the garden, we try to make different shapes with our bodies too - that can be fun

[sallyc06]

We have various shape sorters which all my children loved, then we went onto household objects, even things like food, fruit is a good one, and I cut toast into various shapes, also laying out funny shapes on their plates for dinner, then we draw some, although I have to admit my circles are not very good!

[cathisherwood]

Shape sorters and books are a good start and we also play games like Dotty Dinosaur where they collect the shapes as shown on the dice but as other people have mentioned shapes are everywhere to spot once the child gets the idea - it can be a variation of eye spy too

[user1490614333]

My baby likes using wooden toys and I give her different toys to play with. She likes looking at a book with different shapes and animals.

[barricade]

Using a combination of Mega Blocks, Lego and ELC Shape Sorters are brilliant is presenting shapes of different colours and sizes, and using them in games like 'Find The Shapes', etc.

Plus there are several excellent video clips on YouTube and BBC iPlayer which present animations and songs teaching shapes. ( "I can see a square ... pumpity, pum ... I can see a square ..." )

[Nanalou]

To teach my 2 year old grandson shapes we have a wooden jigsaw, play doh cutters and books, we also point out shapes and colours when we are out walking.

[SurfgirlG]

My DD is only just starting to learn about shapes at 13 months. She is at the stage where she now understands what her shape sorter is for, rather than just chewing on it! Her coordination is still coming on, so she struggles with the harder shapes, but claps herself when she manages to get one through the hole.

[kateandme]

incorp into everything,when on walks what shape is the signs.what shape is there food.loved cutting cheese into shapes with me.spaghetti hoops are fab for circles. ravioli for swaures.
building blocks.we had a colourful set of wooden ones that fit into certain wholes.

[rachelh27]

I have somehow got into the habit of dancing to the "I am a shape" tune on CBeebies while trying to form the actual shapes with my hands and body. I prance around as if I'm dancing to YMCA, shouting "I AM A TRIANGLE". Not sure the kids are learning anything exactly, but they find it very amusing.

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

The DDs learned about shapes from playing with their shape sorter and foam bath shapes, but tv shows such as Mr Maker with the 'I am a shape' sketch and Team Umizumi have also played a big part.

[Rae1000]

Shape sorter & books really. It was something that just evolved & happened!

[BlackSusie2004]

We combine it into everyday life, street signs, different shaped sandwiches, etc, making it a game rather than formalised learning.

[StickChildNumberTwo]

My small one is just getting the hang of shape sorters. Big one did 3D shapes at school a while back and spent a few weeks obsessed with spotting them everywhere. I can't remember what we had when she was learning shapes, but it must've had a semi circle because I remember my sister being impressed she knew it!

[hanliying]

She loves her picnic basket with food in different shapes.

[peanutmum111]

We use every opportunity to discuss the basic shapes at first : circle, square, rectangle and triangle. Have a look at 'MR Maker' a children's TV programme, as it deals with shapes, a song, pictures made with the shapes. As it is simple and clear its ideal. Now we are able to re-enforce the information. Of course books are good, and they love drawing, we use SHAPES to draw pictures, circles are balloons, triangle is a roof on top of a square to make a house with a rectangle door, and so on

[Pigeonpea]

We had a shape sorter as well as using books and singing about shapes to learn

[MillieMarysMummy]

Shape sorter is a fun way to familiarise tots with shapes. Shapes can come in songs and hand actions too - e.g. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the Diamond in the Sky 🔷

[Catiefraser]

We use a shape sorted toy which he loved and also books. We identify the shape of things in the house using the books. It's great fun