STEM Snowman Activity- Building Shapes

One way to learn about shapes is to build their perimeter. This STEM snowman-themed activity invites children to build six basic shapes with craft sticks. Your children are going to love building shapes around of the whimsical snowmen displayed on each of the building mats.

Before you get started with the activity, you may want to read them a children’s book about snowmen. It is always fun to read a book that shares the same theme as an activity they will be working on. There are tons of wonderful children’s books about snowmen. Below you will find several of my very favorite books.
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Getting Ready to Start the Build Shapes Activity

You will need to download the STEM Snowman Activity Building Shapes set. It will need to be downloaded and open with Acrobat Reader. Then you will need to print it out in color. The building shapes activity mats really don’t look good printed out in black and white. They look awesome in color.

Next, you will need to decide whether you want to use craft sticks of something else to build with. You could use sticks from outdoors or long LEGO bricks if you like.

Finally, the mats will need to be laminated or cover with plastic so you can use them over and over again.

Exploring the Shape Mats

You will find so many ways to use the mats in this building shapes activity set. Let me share with you a few of the activities I came up with.

Center Activity

First, the mats and sticks can be set out in a center. Your children can select the mat they want to work on or you can put out the mat you want them to explore.

Whole Group Activity

Second, the same mat can be given to a group of children. They can work on their mat and watch how other children build their shape.

Working with an Adult

Finally, you could work with a child one on one. They will benefit from you talking with them about what they are building. Great vocabulary words like sides, corners, vertices, and edges can be explained.  You can even count the number of sides or edges each shape has.

If you like this building shapes activity, here are some more you will love:

First, we have a Building Alphabet Letters on the Barn Door activity.

Second, Building Letters with Crayons will be great to explore.

The third activity you will like is Building Shapes with Stickman.

Fourth, you will love this snow globe shape-building activity.

Fifth, these color-sorting cards will be fun to explore.

Sixth, a set of snowman-themed cup-stacking challenge cards will be great to work on.

Finally,  How many ways can you build a shape? will be fun to explore.