Re-purposing Tupperware "Shape-O"

"Tupperware Shape-O" a classic toy.

The "Tupperware Shape-O" is a classic toy that brings nostalgic memories for some (including me) of their early childhood. We have a Tupperware "Shape-O" that has been a little ignored and forgotten in our household as the kids are getting older.  I thought it was time to bring back the "Shape-O" and re-purpose it for now. 

The "Tupperware Shape-O" includes 10 shapes which are numbered 1 to 10.  There is the ball itself with holes for posting the shapes. 

Here is a round up of ways you can use your "Shape-O".

Learning shapes

1. Trace the shapes onto paper to get an outline.  Ask your child to match the shape to the outline. A great way to encourage visual discrimination.
2. Place the shapes into a bag.  Ask your child to put their hand in the bag and feel a shape.  Ask them to identify the shape.  This ability to perceive and recognise an object using tactile cues without visual and auditory information is called stereognosis.
3. Draw or trace shapes on a doodle board, whiteboard or paper.  
4. Use shapes as cutters with playdough.
5. Form shapes using pipe cleaners.
6. Form shapes using straws.
7. Draw shape outlines with chalk on the ground outside.  Place the shapes in a bag.  When the shape is selected, child runs (or hops/skips/jumps/pushes on the scooter board) to the correct shape. This activity incorporates gross motor skills with learning shapes. There is an element of visual perceptual skill development "form constancy and position in space skills".
8. Throw the "Shape-O" ball onto the lawn.  Ask your child to identify the shape, run back to the shapes, select the correct one and post it into the hole.  Again incorporating gross motor skills with learning shapes. 

Learning numbers and counting!

1. Line up your "Shape-O" shapes according to the number printed on the shape.  Place the correct number of short straws into playdough sections.  Count the straws.  Remove the straws and count the holes.
2. Stack small blocks inside the "Shape-O" shapes according to the numbers inside.
3. Use small objects (eg. marshmallows, sultanas, beads) to count out the numbers inside the shapes.
4. Place the shapes inside a paint palette.  Peg the correct number of pegs to the paint palette section corresponding to the number inside the shape.
5. Use a bingo paint marker to count out the numbers in each shape.

For babies...

Babies will love to pull the scarf from the "Shape-O" ball.  They can watch the colours of the scarf and problem solve to get the scarf out. Older babies may like to poke the scarf into the holes. {Supervise your babies as any cord may be a choking hazard). 

Crawlers will love to go after the rattling ball with the shapes inside. They can push the ball to their grown up or around the room. 

Do you have a "Tupperware Shape-O"?  Have your children played with it recently?  Let me know if I've given you some ideas to take it out of storage and back into the rotation of toys. Have fun!

Note: I have not received any renumeration for this post from Tupperware.