NCERT Maths Mela, Class 3, textbook pages 9–15

How to teach Class 3 Maths Chapter 2, Toy Joy, at home

3D shapes and where things are, taught with things you already have at home: a 10-minute activity, a game for the week, a 5-day plan and the mistakes to watch for.

a rocket from boxes, a bottle and a cone

NCERT Class 3 Maths Chapter 2 Toy Joy: what it teaches

Your child builds toys and houses from boxes, bottles and cones, names the shapes (cube, cuboid, cylinder, cone), talks about faces, edges and corners, and describes where each part sits: on top of, between, under.

Why it matters later. Naming solids and describing positions supports geometry, map reading in Chapter 14 and nets of boxes in Chapter 5.

See it: this chapter in pictures

cubecuboidcylinder
A dice is a cube; a toothpaste box is a cuboid.
red: an edgegreen: a cornerface
Faces are flat surfaces, edges are where faces meet.
yellow box on topcylinder betweenred box at the bottom
Position words: on top, between, at the bottom.

You need

  • old boxes of different sizes
  • empty bottles and tins
  • paper cones or party caps
  • tape and markers

Tonight’s 10 minutes

  1. Build a rocket or robot together from boxes, bottles and a cone.
  2. Count the parts: how many cubes, cuboids, cylinders and cones did you use?
  3. Describe positions: “What is between the red box and the yellow box? What is on top?”
  4. Draw a face on each shape and talk about its flat and curved faces.

Words to use

  • cube
  • cuboid
  • cylinder
  • cone
  • face
  • edge
  • on top of
  • between
  • under

Watch for

  • Calling every box a cube. A cube has all faces the same square. Compare a dice with a toothpaste box.
  • Mixing up edges and faces. Face is what you can paint; edge is where two faces meet and you can run a finger along it.

What it sounds like at home

A short example of the conversation. Your words will differ; the questions are what matter.

YouWhat did you use for the rocket’s top?

Your childA cone.

YouWhat is between the two boxes?

Your childThe bottle, a cylinder.

YouHow many flat faces does a box have?

Your child6.

A game for this week: Build and describe

  1. You build a small tower from 4 or 5 shapes, hidden from your child.
  2. Describe it: “A cube at the bottom, a cylinder on top of it…”
  3. Your child builds from your description.
  4. Compare. Swap roles.

A 5-day plan, 10 minutes a day

  1. Day 1Build a rocket from boxes.
  2. Day 2Count shapes used.
  3. Day 3Position words: between, on top, under.
  4. Day 4Faces and edges hunt.
  5. Day 5Build and describe game.

Everyday moments to practise

  • Grocery packets: cuboids.
  • A dice: a cube.
  • Ice-cream cones.
  • Water pipes and bottles: cylinders.

Quick check

Ask these at the end of the week. Tap to see the answer.

Which shape has a pointed top and a round base?

A cone.

How many faces does a cube have?

6.

Name a cylinder at home.

A bottle, a tin, a candle or a glass.

Ready for the next chapter when your child…

  • Names cube, cuboid, cylinder and cone.
  • Describes positions of parts in a model.
  • Finds faces and edges of a box.

Activities, wording and illustrations are Mathify Kids’ own, following the topics of NCERT’s Maths Mela (Class 3). See the full Class 3 parent guide for every chapter.

Questions parents ask

What shapes are in Toy Joy?

Cubes, cuboids, cylinders and cones, used to build toys, with faces, edges and positions.

Is a sphere in this chapter?

The main shapes are cube, cuboid, cylinder and cone.

Why use waste boxes?

Children learn shapes best by handling and building with them.