Montessori Mom

"Going round and round in circles…"

Circles are everywhere — in the face of a clock, the rim of a plate, the shape of the moon. They're one of the most fundamental shapes in geometry and trigonometry, with their circumference, radius, degrees of angles, and chords. But for young children, circles are simply magical: they roll, they spin, and they have no beginning or end. In this lesson, we explore the circle through Montessori geometric cabinet cards, sorting exercises, creative crafts, games, and even a delicious circle sandwich!

🎒 Materials You'll Need

• Printed geometric circle cards (see free printout below) — two copies recommended
• Montessori geometric cabinet or geometric shape insets for hands-on matching
• Scissors, glue, and colored paper
• A pencil, pen, or chalk
• String or twine
• A thumbtack and thick cardboard (for drawing circles)
• Chalk for outdoor drawing
• Circle cookie cutter or jar lid
• Bread, sandwich spread (peanut or almond butter, honey, or jam), and a butter knife
• Cutting board
• 👉 Montessori Geometric Cabinet Puzzles on Amazon

🔎 Free Printouts

Use these free printable resources to extend the lesson:

• 📄 Geometric Cards — Circles — Solid, thick-lined, and thin-lined circle shapes from the geometric cabinet
• 📄 Curved Shapes — Explore additional curved geometric forms
• 📄 Curved Shapes (Solid) — Solid versions for matching and tracing
• 📄 Fraction Cards — Extend circle learning into fractions

⭕ Part 1: Matching Circles from the Geometric Cabinet

An Easy Lesson for Younger Children

Print out two copies of the circle shapes from the geometric cabinet. Each circle is represented by a solid shape, a heavy-lined shape, and a thin-lined shape.

Keep one copy intact as your template. From the second copy, carefully cut out the individual circle shapes along their outlines. Show your child how to match each cut-out circle onto its matching spot on the template — just like fitting puzzle pieces into place!

Start with just 2 or 3 shapes and add more as your child grows confident with the exercise. This builds visual discrimination and fine motor skills at the same time.

Advanced Sorting

Once your child is comfortable with basic matching, introduce a more advanced sorting exercise:

1. Sort and match circles that are alike. Place the solid shape first, then the same-sized thick-lined shape, and finally the thin-lined circle — arranged in a row from left to right.
2. Sort by size. Arrange all the solid shapes in order from smallest to largest, then repeat with the thick-lined circles, and finally the thin-lined ones.

You can do these exercises on a table or spread them out on a rug — whatever feels most comfortable for your child.

🗣️ Part 2: Name the Shape

Use the three-period lesson to teach the names of basic shapes — circle, square, and rectangle:

1. Period 1 (Naming): "This is a circle."
2. Period 2 (Recognition): "Can you show me the circle?"
3. Period 3 (Recall): "What is this shape called?"

The three-period lesson is a cornerstone of Montessori teaching and works beautifully for introducing geometric vocabulary.

🔍 Part 3: Find the Shape

Give your child a circle shape and ask them to find circles in their room — or anywhere in the house! Help them discover ideas together. For example:

• A plate or bowl
• A round mirror
• A bracelet
• A circular rug
• A clock face
• A doorknob

This "shape hunt" helps children connect abstract geometry to the real world around them — a key Montessori principle.

✏️ Part 4: Pencil on a String — Drawing Circles

This is a wonderful hands-on introduction to geometry! Here's how it works:

Outdoor Version

Tie a string to a piece of chalk. Have one person hold the end of the string firmly on the ground (this is your center point) while a second person pulls the string taut and draws a chalk circle on a cement surface. Adjust the length of the string to make different-sized circles!

Indoor Version

Place a piece of paper on thick cardboard. Use a thumbtack to secure one end of the string at the center of the paper. Tie a pencil or marker to the other end, pull the string taut, and draw your circle. By changing the length of the string, your child can create circles of many different sizes.

This activity naturally introduces the concepts of radius (the string length) and center point — geometry in action!

🌀 Part 5: Circle Crafts

Spiral from a Circle

Did you know you can make a spiral from a circle? Print or draw a circle, then cut along a spiral line from the outside edge to the center. Older children can try cutting freehand using the geometric circle shapes as a guide. Hang your finished spiral near a window and watch it twirl and dance when the air circulates — mesmerizing!

Paper Circle Chains

Cut strips of paper and form them into circles, linking each one through the last to create a colorful paper chain. Use different colored paper to make festive chains for any season, birthday party, or dramatic play corner. This is a lovely fine motor exercise that also reinforces the circle shape.

🎶 Part 6: Circle Games

Have your children make a circle by holding hands and enjoy these classic circle games together:

• The Farmer in the Dell — Children stand in a circle and take turns being chosen to stand in the center.
• Ring Around the Rosie — Hold hands, walk in a circle, and tumble down together!
• Duck, Duck, Goose — A timeless circle game that gets everyone moving.

Circle games build community, cooperation, and spatial awareness — all while reinforcing the shape of the day!

🥪 Part 7: Circle Sandwiches — Practical Life

What better way to celebrate circles than to eat one? This practical life activity combines food preparation with shape recognition.

What You'll Need

• Sliced bread
• Sandwich spread (peanut or almond butter, honey, or jam)
• A butter or spreading knife
• A circle cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, or jar lid
• A cutting board

How to Make It

1. Lay a piece of bread on the cutting board.
2. Use the circle cookie cutter or jar lid to press a circle shape out of the bread.
3. Spread your favorite filling on the circle.
4. Enjoy your circle sandwich!

Let your child do as much of the work independently as possible — spreading, pressing, and arranging. This is practical life at its most delicious. 🥰

📚 Going Further

Once your child is comfortable with circles, extend their learning:

• Fractions: Use circle shapes to introduce halves, quarters, and thirds — circles are the perfect shape for exploring fractions visually.
• Other geometric shapes: Explore the rest of the geometric cabinet — squares, triangles, rectangles, and curved shapes.
• Compass drawing: For older children, introduce a real compass for precise circle drawing.

Circles are just the beginning of a wonderful geometric journey. Enjoy going round and round together! 💛