If you’re looking for some engaging shape activities for preschoolers and kindergarten kids, these treasure map shape mats are for you!
You can use the printable treasure map shapes to practice multiple early learning skills with your students. They’re very easy to prep, and you can use them with a wide variety of materials.
Plus, you can differentiate how you use the treasure map shape printable with the children. This means you can meet their individual needs as they play and learn.
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Related: Free Preschool Printables
Be sure to request your own copy of the printable treasure map shapes! You can do so near the bottom of this post, via the form above the last image.
Treasure Map Shape Mats
Below, I outline how to ready the map shapes and a few suggestions for using them with your students. Please keep in mind that you don’t have to do things the same way I have. You and the kids can definitely come up with different ideas!
Prep the Printable Treasure Map Shapes
First, grab all the supplies you need to get the treasure map shape mats ready. Here’s what I usually use (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
Once you have that, gather any additional materials you’d like to use alongside the printable shapes. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Dry erase markers
- Simple sensory materials
- Playdough
- Counting bears
- Mini erasers
- Pom poms
- Gold coins
- Craft gems
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Related: Watermelon Shape Mats
Once you have everything you need, it’s time to prepare the mats. It’s a very simple process:
- First, request the treasure map shape mats near the bottom of this post.
- Save the file to your computer.
- Next, print the mats, making as many copies as you need.
- Finally, laminate the pages or place them in dry erase pockets.
And now you’re ready to share the printable treasure map shapes with your students!
How to Use the Treasure Map Shape Mats
There are a multitude of ways to use the treasure map shapes printable! I’m going to share my usual go-to ideas with you!
Let the children use playdough to fill the different shapes in. You can even get fancy and let them use loose parts to create their own maps on top of the dough.
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Give the kids their choice of manipulatives or loose parts to trace around the edge of each shape on the treasure maps. Encourage the kids to to count how many items fit around each of the shapes.
You can also ask the children to use those same manipulatives to fill in the shapes on the treasure map shape mats. Have them make observations about what they notice as they do so.
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Challenge your students to use dry erase markers to trace over the shapes on the large mats or the small pages.
Take the kids on a shape scavenger hunt in the classroom or even outside. See how many they can find as they work together!
How will YOU use the printable treasure map shapes?
What Skills Do Shape Printables Explore?
I love that a simple printable, like the treasure map shape mats, let kids explore so many early learning concepts! Here’s an overview of some skills they touch on:
- Shape recognition
- Fine motor skills
- Pencil grip
- Hand strengthening
- Patterns
- Counting
- Area
- Shape formation
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Can you think of anything else I need to add to that list? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.
When to Use the Treasure Map Shape Mats
In addition to being versatile with skills, the printable treasure map shapes are also versatile when it comes to when you use them. You can use the shapes any time of the year!
Personally, I think they pair very well with a pirate theme. That’s why I keep calling them treasure map shape mats, in case you couldn’t tell. Or break them out on International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
You can also use them during:
- Summer camps
- Community theme
- Unit focused on shapes
- Map making theme
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Of course, you can also incorporate the treasure map shape mats into your math lessons just because. They don’t have to line up to a specific theme if you don’t want them to!
When do you think you’d use the printable treasure map shapes? Don’t forget to request your own copy near the bottom of this post!
More Pirate Activities for Kids
If your students are asking for even more pirate ideas, here you go:
- Pirate Cutting Practice
- Sponge Pirate Ship
- Pirate Messy Play
- Paper Bag Pirate Craft
- Pirate Printable Book
I think they’re great in conjunction with the treasure map shape mats printable!
Pirate Dramatic Play
We created my sister site, Preschool Teacher 101, to help our fellow early childhood educators! We have hundreds of fully-developed, done-for-you resources like lesson plans, teacher guides, math games, dramatic play sets, circle time songs, and so much more. There’s also The Pack, where our members have access to our materials at a steep discount.
I think our pirate dramatic play set would be perfect if your kids loved the treasure map shape mats! Click on the image below to get it:
You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers, if you prefer.
Get the Treasure Map Shape Mats
This free printable is available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If you’re a member, fill out the form below and the download links will be sent to your inbox. If you’re not a member, you can join us by entering your information in the form. Then you’ll receive the printable treasure map shapes as a welcome gift!
Be sure to check out my printing FAQ page if you run into any issues.
Clik here to view.
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