This game may be played as a group or on an individual basis. For this activity, you will need to draw a familiar shape, such as a square, in the middle of a sheet of construction paper. Provide the children with glue, scissors and age-appropriate magazines. Instruct them to look through the magazines for objects that are the same shape as the one you drew on the construction paper. Have the children glue the pictures they find inside the shape on the construction paper. Repeat this game using a different shape and have the children display their collages on the wall or a bulletin board.
Prepare for this game by cutting out pairs of common shapes from one color of construction paper. With the children out of sight, hide one of each shape in various places throughout the room. Inform the children that you have hidden each shape's partner somewhere in the room and that it is their job to find it. This game may be modified to include color instruction, by preparing partner shapes from different colors of construction paper and having the children find the partner shape and color. Another modification would require you to hide the shapes outside. Divide the children into teams, and have them compete to see which team can collect the shapes the fastest.
This game teaches preschoolers about the color red, but there are several others that may be used to teach different colors. For this game, you will need to provide a small red wagon. Instruct each child to pull the wagon around the room until he finds a red item, then have him place that item into the wagon.
This game requires children to use their imaginations by pretending that they are on a trip to a farm. Have the children take turns by saying, "I went down to the farm and saw a red ...." Have each child fill in the blank. Responses might include barn, truck, house or chicken.
Prepare for this game by cutting several familiar shapes out of cardboard. Sit in a circle with the children, and place the shapes in the center on the floor. Tell the children to close their eyes. While their eyes are closed, trace around one of the shapes on a sheet of paper. Holding the sheet of paper with the traced shape, have the children open their eyes and guess which shape on the floor matches the one that you traced. Modify this game by cutting shapes out of different colors of cardboard and tracing on matching sheets of paper. Have the children match the shape and color.