6 Play ideas with the Pastel Shape Expansion pack

By Jarmila Smejkalova

The Shape Expansion Pack has extended the possibilities for play and learning in our house. It contains 48 pieces of exclusive shapes including large triangles, right-angle triangles, quarter circles, pentagons, trapezoids and rhombi that offer unlimited 2D and 3D designs, encourages mathematical understanding and inspires imagination.

I will share 6 play ideas with this pack considering different stages of childhood development.

The Boats

For little ones it’s not easy to learn to recognise and associate colors, it takes time and patience, but it’s definitely easier to learn through PLAY. As children play with CONNETIX, they are naturally building their cognitive development, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination – making concepts like colour and shape much easier to grasp.

With this game, the child will have to match the sail to the boat. The goal of the game is to identify the colour, learn the corresponding name and match the name to the correct colour.

This game can also be useful for older children who are learning colour names in a foreign language.

Tiles needed

8 Right-angle triangles
8 Trapezoids

Ice Cream Stand

This ice cream stand is a super fun activity for preschoolers who are approaching maths and is also a timeless game for older children. Setting up an ice cream shop involves role-play which has many benefits for children such as developing creativity, improving self-expression, cognitive and social development, and building empathy.

It can be built on a magnetic board but also simply on a flat surface.

Thanks to the chalk marker, the large triangles become the ice cream cones and the trapezoids become the ice cream scoops, and that’s it!

How many scoops of ice cream? What taste? Lemon, pistachio or strawberry ice cream, our CONNETIX ice cream shop has all the delicious, creative flavours guaranteed to satisfy customers!

Tiles needed

8 Rhombi
8 Right-angle triangles
7 Large triangles
6/8 Trapezoids

The Barn

My youngest daughter loves to build barns and pens for her animals. The idea of building the barn came to me with her in mind. If your children also love to play on the farm then this one is for you!

Imaginative play is very important for children’s development because it promotes creativity and imagination. Building with CONNETIX helps to develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, spatial awareness and precision.

The strong magnets in the right-angle triangles make the construction strong, but to strengthen it further I recommend adding quarter circles in the corners at the base of the roof.

Tiles needed

8 Right-angle triangles
6 Large triangles
6 Rhombi
8 Trapezoids
2 Quarter circles

Ball Run

The ball runs are always a lot of fun and although this one may seem complicated at first glance, it’s quick and easy to build. Younger children will need a little help, but it provides a great opportunity to spend quality time together as they acquire new skills. By building this ball run, older children will be able to improve problem-solving skills by not giving up at the first difficulties, strengthen self-esteem through completing the project, and boost their concentration.

Tiles needed

6 Right-angle triangles
7 Trapezoids
8 Rhombi
4 Large triangles
8 Pentagons

The Tree

This tree will enrich small world play and allow children to travel within their imagination. It also creates a beautiful visual effect when spinning on the turntable.

I used the base plate for stability and recommend building the 4 parts forming the cross first and then add the remaining 4 parts to complete the tree.

Tiles needed

8 Trapezoids
8 Rhombi
8 Right-angle triangles

The Squirrel Ball Run

Thanks to the shape expansion pack, imagination no longer has any limits! I really like to give a shape to our constructions, and since we have the new shapes, we have gone to the next level – building epic ball runs with a precise resemblance, such as this squirrel.

As well as being a fun, educational activity, the ball run activates children’s brain functioning, strengthening many skills while they play!

Tiles needed to build this Squirrel ball run:

1x 3-Square rectangles
1x 2-Square rectangles
2 Square tiles
5 Small right-angle triangles
1 Hexagon
1 Trapezoid
1 Quarter circle
1 Mini rectangle

Clear tiles:

2x 3-Square rectangles
5x 2-Square rectangles
2 Square tiles
5 Small right-angle triangles
1 Hexagon
3 Quarter circles

These builds are just a few examples of what can be created with the shape expansion pack although the possibilities are endless!

Jarmila Smejkalova

Jarmila is a devoted mom of four whose passion lies in homeschooling and nurturing creativity through play. With years of experience in homeschooling her children, she's a strong advocate for this educational approach. Jarmila thrives on fostering open-ended play, believing it to be a cornerstone of childhood development. Her life is a joyful whirlwind centered around her children and the boundless world of imaginative play.

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