Year 2 geometry is about describing shapes precisely: counting sides and corners (vertices), naming pentagons, hexagons and octagons, and recognising 3D shapes by their faces.
What your child will learn
- Count the sides and corners of 2D shapes
- Name pentagons, hexagons and octagons
- Identify 2D shapes such as semicircles and ovals
- Recognise and name common 3D shapes
Sides and corners
A corner — also called a vertex — is where two straight sides meet. Most 2D shapes with straight sides have the same number of sides as corners: a hexagon has 6 of each.
Shape names tell you the number of sides
“Penta” means five, “hexa” means six and “octa” means eight. Once children know this, pentagon, hexagon and octagon become easy to remember — an octopus has eight legs!
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. What is the name of this shape?
- Hexagon
- Pentagon
- Octagon
- Square
Show answer
Answer: Octagon. This is a octagon. It has 8 sides and 8 corners.
2. Which shape has 8 sides?
- Octagon
- Triangle
- Pentagon
- Right-angled triangle
Show answer
Answer: Octagon. A octagon has 8 straight sides and 8 corners.
3. What 3D shape is this tin?
🥫- Cylinder
- Cuboid
- Sphere
- Cube
Show answer
Answer: Cylinder. A tin is shaped like a cylinder.
Tips for grown-ups
- Count the sides of road signs, tiles and windows.
- Build shapes with straws or sticks and count the corners.
- Describe a shape without naming it and guess each other’s shapes.