Ice and Penguin Shape Sorting Mats Free Printable
Your students will love getting to explore shapes in a new and interesting way with the ice and penguin shape sorting printable! Make sure to add this to your list of winter math activities for preschoolers.
You can have the printable sent to you via the form at the bottom of this post.
It’s really no surprise that preschoolers love all things penguin. What’s not to love? They are black and white with a cute beak and floppy webbed feet. Let’s not forget their very interesting waddling gait that the children just love to mimic.
The ice and penguin shape printables are perfect for little ones to learn about shapes. Each penguin is drawn to resemble a certain shape. Then, there are corresponding iceberg shape mats.
If you’re a regular reader of Fun-A-Day, or if you’ve ever downloaded one of our printables before, you’ll know that each printable is super versatile. Below, we will cover a variety of ways the penguin and ice shape mats can be used.
Penguin Shape Sorting
As I mentioned above, there are a variety of ways to use the icy shape mats and penguin sorting cards.
Related: Preschool Winter Crafts
Materials Needed for The Shape Mats
Before we jump into the many ways these mats can be used in your classroom, let’s chat materials.
The list is rather short, which is always a plus in my book. And you’ll likely have most of these items on-hand in your classroom or school. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Downloaded penguin and ice shape mats file (at the end of the post)
- Printer
- Copy paper
- Scissors or paper trimmer
- Laminator
- Laminating pouches
Now, the laminator and laminating pouches are absolutely optional. But I find that laminating printables like this really opens up the realm of activity possibilities! And, not to mention, it makes the printables more durable and lasting, so that you can use them for years to come.
Preparing the Printable
Preparing the printables is a breeze. There are only a few steps and then you’re on your way!
First, find the printable located at the bottom of this page and enter your email to receive your free download. Then, use the most up-to-date version of Adobe Reader to open the file. This will reduce the likelihood that you’ll run into any of those pesky printing issues. I would also suggest saving a copy of the printable for future use.
After that, print out the free penguin and ice shape mats. You can either print one set for classroom use or multiple sets for individual students or small groups.
Next, cut apart the penguin shape cards. The iceberg shapes are full-page, so there’s no need to trim them down.
Related: Winter Sensory Bottles
And finally, place the penguin shape cards and iceberg mats in the laminating pockets and laminate them. And that’s it – your penguin and ice shape mats are all set to use as you see fit!
Using the Penguin and Ice Shape Mats
Now that your printables are prepped, it’s time to explore the many ways the ice and penguin shape mats can be used!
The first activity I’ll go over is pretty simple, but packs a big punch when it comes to preschool development skills. Since the penguin cards and iceberg mats have corresponding shapes, they’re perfect for a friendly game of matching!
So, just lay the iceberg mats out and let the kids match the penguin shapes to them. This could be done individually, as a simple turn-taking game between peers, inside a penguin sensory bin, or even as a pretend play activity.
If you want the kids to practice some pretend play with the mats and cards, try modeling this for them. Bring out some small shark toys and pretend that the water around the icebergs is infested with sharks! The penguins have to slide and hop from iceberg to iceberg until they land safely on the one that matches their shape.
Another fun activity for the ice and penguin shape mats is to use manipulatives, stickers, dry-erase markers, etc. to “trace” the shapes. The kids could even use the mats as models to build their own shapes with blocks! Below, we used small blue and white cubes to trace the perimeter of the hexagon iceberg.
The kids will get to explore their senses, practice their fine motor skills, AND learn about shapes with this next activity idea! Set out some bottles of white shaving cream along with the laminated iceberg pages and let the kids trace and color in the iceberg shapes by spraying the shaving cream on them! Lay some toy penguins out and watch as the kids’ imaginations come alive as they learn and grow through play.
Materials for Other Activities
With all of these wonderful activity ideas, you’ll likely need some extra supplies. I’ve made a list of some things that will pair perfectly with the iceberg and penguin shape printables.
Done-For-You Preschool Resources
Are you looking for some other amazing preschool resources? Maybe some full and comprehensive lesson plans with lots of hands-on activities? Well, Preschool Teacher 101 has you covered!
Click on the image below to learn more about our penguin preschool lesson plans!
For regular access to all of our amazing resources, consider joining the waiting list for The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101!
Get Your Ice and Penguin Shape Printable
The free printable is available to members of Fun-A-Day’s (free!) email community. If you’re a member, enter your email in the form below. You’ll receive the download links in your inbox within 24 hours.
If you’re not a member, you’re welcome to join us! Add your information to the form below to do so. Then you’ll receive an email with the download links as a welcome gift.
Please be aware that some school districts have very strict firewalls that can interfere with this process. If that’s the case where you work, I suggest grabbing the printables from a home email address (and on a home computer). Be sure to read my printing FAQs for reference.
You can also open the form in a new window if you’d prefer.
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