I saw this idea for making popsicle stick shapes on Pinterest from A, Bee C, Preschool.   So fun and easy!  She wrote the shape names on the sticks and also made paper shapes that fit inside the stick shapes.  Of course I had to make it even easier.

1. Color the sticks with markers.  This was my girls’ favorite part.  I gave them a certain amount of sticks and a marker and let them do the rest.
2. Put all the sticks together.
3. Identify colors by saying “Find all the green sticks!”
4. Make a shape with the sticks by connecting them end to end.  Identify the shape.  Count the sides and corners.

I liked leaving the sticks plain so the kids could play with them in other ways.  We made symmetrical designs and played “continue the color pattern” with the sticks after we made shapes.

Some other ideas:

• Glue the sticks down on paper
• Draw around the sticks to make the shape
• Glue the ends of the sticks to make permanent shapes
• Use playdough or marshmallows to “glue” them together temporarily