In this resource we will explore the sub strands of geometry that can be explored in the early year. We will talk about shapes, importance of examples and non examples, composing and decomposing shapes, symmetry as well as spatial relationships.

Historically, geometry was one of the first areas of mathematics taught to young children. In the 1850s Friedrich Froebel, the Father of Kindergarten, designed a engagements that used geometric shapes and children learned by manipulating them in space. These were called gifts to enable children to explore and grasp basic forms and relationships. The first six gifts included balls of different colors, cubes, spheres, cylinders, as children progressed through the gifts the complexity of the toys also increased.

But when you look at classrooms today geometry in the early years classroom is merely about having children recognize basic shapes, while manipulation of shapes, spatial exploration and relationships are generally neglected.

Geometry has two major components. One is exploring shape. The second is thinking about space. We learn how things relate to one another and to us in space.