Do you remember playing with magnetic or wooden shapes when you were little? I had a set of wooden shapes in different sizes and colours which could be used to make all sorts of pictures and patterns. This is my DIY version, which I made for my class recently as we've been learning about shapes. I started with seven or eight sheets of colourful paper and being very lazy, I cut the shapes out mainly freehand and holding the whole bundle together at the same time! The only shape I didn't cut freehand was the circle as I find I can never get a perfect circle, they just get smaller and smaller as I keep cutting, trying to make them perfect. This pack of paper was from Lidl for £2. What a bargain! After cutting the shapes I laminated them. I have a little laminator at home for doing school bit and pieces (supermarkets sell them for around £10). Then I made up some ideas cards by creating pictures with the shapes and taking photographs of them. When the children at school make their own pictures and designs, I'll take photographs of them too and increase the box of ideas cards. Shapes are great for all sorts of learning including.... Colour and shape recognition Sorting for size, colour, shape Making patterns Making repeating patterns Creating pictures and art You can also discuss properties of shapes such as whether they have curved or straight lines, number of sides, corners etc... Here are some of the other picture card ideas I made. Repeating patterns Create pictures Create art!