Shape Match: a shape matching game
Match 2D and 3D shapes with their names, and rectangles with their area or perimeter. A free shape matching game for any device. Grades 1 to 4.
🧒 Kids: Turn over 2 cards. Find a shape and its name, or a rectangle and its area. Find all the pairs!
How to play
- Choose what to match (2D shapes, 3D shapes, area or perimeter) and how many pairs (6, 8 or 10).
- Press Deal the cards. All cards start face down.
- Turn over two cards. If one shows a picture and the other shows its name or measurement, they stay face up.
- If they don’t match, they turn back over. Remember where they were!
- Find every pair in as few moves as you can.
What your child practices
Matching links a shape with its name, or a rectangle with its measurement. The settings practice naming 2D shapes, including squares, rhombuses, kites and trapezoids (1.G.A.1, 2.G.A.1), naming 3D shapes such as cubes, cones and prisms (K.G.A.2), and the area and perimeter of rectangles (3.MD.C.7, 3.MD.D.8). Every card in a game is different, so each card has exactly one partner. There are 8 different 3D shapes, so that setting deals up to 8 pairs.
Which setting to choose
| Setting | Example | Good for | Learn it first |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D shapes | a hexagon picture and Hexagon | Grades 1–3 | polygons |
| 3D shapes | a cone picture and Cone | Grades 1–3 | faces, edges and vertices |
| Area | a 4 by 5 rectangle and 20 cm² | Grades 3–4 | area |
| Perimeter | a 4 by 5 rectangle and 18 m | Grades 3–4 | perimeter |
Grade 1 and 2 children can start with 2D and 3D shapes. Area and perimeter suit grades 3 and 4.
Once your child can clear 10 pairs in about 14 moves, try Geometry Bingo next, which adds a gentle timer.
Tips for parents
- Play together and take turns. Say each card aloud, like “a cone has a point and a circle”.
- Start with 6 pairs.
- When you find a pair, explain it: “6 sides, so it’s a hexagon.”
- After the game, read the list of pairs on the results screen together.
- Your best (fewest moves) is saved for each setting.
In the classroom
Works well on an interactive whiteboard with two teams taking turns. For a quieter version, children play on their own devices and record their move count. Pass real 3D shapes round the class before the 3D setting.
More geometry games and practice
Games: Shape Race · Geometry Bingo · all geometry games · number sense games · all math games
Print it: the naming 2D shapes worksheet, the 3D shapes worksheet, the quadrilaterals worksheet and the area of rectangles worksheet, with answer keys, for practice away from the screen.
Practice: geometry practice · area and perimeter calculator · geometry quiz · geometry levels
Last reviewed
Questions parents ask
How do you play Shape Match?
Turn over two cards at a time and match each shape picture with its name, or each rectangle with its area or perimeter. Find all the pairs in as few moves as possible.
What can you match in this game?
2D shapes from triangles to octagons, 3D shapes such as cubes, cylinders, cones and prisms, and rectangles with their area or perimeter.
How many cards are there?
Up to 20 cards: 6, 8 or 10 pairs. The 3D shapes setting has up to 8 pairs, one for each shape.
What grade is Shape Match for?
Grades 1 to 4. Shapes for grades 1 and 2, area and perimeter for grades 3 and 4.
Is there a timer?
No. Shape Match has no time pressure, which makes it a good first geometry game.