The same shape material can support different activities: find a match, choose a sorting criterion or draw a composition. Each game asks a different question and lets you change the activity without necessarily changing the product.
Here are three examples for families and classrooms. If you use them with an autistic child, start with their interests and the use you have chosen with the person supporting the activity.
Starting material
Montessori Shapes, item 1047, contains shapes and suction cups. The Henbea manual describes matching and outline tracing, with or without a light table. The following examples develop suggestions for organising those uses.
Prepare a suitable surface, the selected pieces and paper if you will be drawing. Review the set's instructions and warnings before use. The table-and-paper examples in this article do not require additional lighting.
Idea 1: find a match
- Choose a shape to present and prepare the options you will compare it with.
- Show a match, following the material's instructions for use.
- Offer another choice and let the child place or point to their option.
- Decide whether they want to repeat, change the shape or move to another activity.
You can vary the number of options or leave one piece ready as an example. The activity is about comparing the shapes presented; you decide which elements introduce a useful difference for that game.
A specific question might be “which one shall we put here?” If you want to describe the choice, you can name the shape or point to the outline being compared. You can agree how to take part without requiring a spoken explanation.
Idea 2: choose a sorting criterion
Prepare two spaces on the table and choose a visible criterion: shape or colour, depending on the pieces available. Place an example in each space and suggest finding other pieces that follow that criterion.
To change the game, change the criterion and present an example again. A piece that belonged to one group can move to another when the question changes. Explain the new activity before moving the other pieces.
You can also ask how the child wants to group the pieces. If they suggest their own arrangement, you can describe it and play using that criterion. The activity focuses on arranging and comparing the material in that session.
Idea 3: create with outlines
Select a shape and follow the manufacturer's instructions for using it as a template. Draw its outline on paper and offer the opportunity to add another shape. You can suggest a free composition, a shared drawing or choosing a name for what you have created.
For a matching activity, keep the drawn outline and compare which shape fits it. For a creative activity, use the outline as the beginning of another drawing. These are two ways of presenting the same initial result.
Choose what to change next time
You can change just one decision: the shapes presented, the sorting criterion or the type of composition. This keeps the game you are offering and the material you need to prepare clear.
To compare this activity with other catalogue uses, see the selection of educational materials. For more path activities, visit the prewriting activities; for preparing several sets in a centre, see the classroom materials guide.
