Boxi Math

Back to Stage 0 / Unit0D · Fit shapes together

Game card for parents · 0D-3 · Ages 4–6 · 5 min

Same or Different?

Your child learns that a shape turned around or flipped over is still the same shape.

S-4 Shapes can moveS-6 Mistakes are fine — try it

You need

  • 4 large building blocks of the same size
  • a plate or tray

How to play

  1. Build an L shape with 3 blocks on the plate.
  2. Build the same L on the table, but turned a different way.
  3. Ask your child: same shape or different?
  4. Turn the plate slowly to see if they match.

Guess first

Same or different? Guess first, then turn the plate and find out.

Three things to ask

  1. What did we have to do to make them match?
  2. Can you build one that will never match, however we turn it?
  3. Is a square still a square if we turn it?

Easier

Use 2 blocks in a line and turn them.

Harder

Use 4 blocks, and include a flipped shape that only matches if you lift and turn it over.

Watch for

Young children often say a turned shape is "different". Let them turn it themselves; doing it changes their mind more than being told.

boxi-math.github.io · CC BY 4.0 · Boxi Yu