3D Shapes and Shapes out of Straws and Pipe Cleaners

My kids absolutely loved doing this activity. So did I. My sister-in-law has been a school teacher and has moved into a principal position. She has handed me some of the supplies she used to use in the classroom. The other day she gave me a bag full of straws. She said she was sure I’d figure out something to do with them, but they used to make shapes. I asked about that, and she said they used to make squares, rectangles and triangles out of straws and hold them together with pipe cleaners. I thought it was a really fun sounding idea, but I also know Abby is learning her 3D shapes, so I wanted to try and take it to the next level. I cut the pipe cleaners in half, and they were the perfect connectors. The kids picked it up right away.

The girls could do the 2D shapes by themselves. 

I helped connect a bunch of them to take it to the 3D version. We made cubes, a rectangular prism, a triangular pyramid and a square pyramid.

Corban just has fun sticking pipe cleaners in straws. It reminds me of one of his favorite activities with pipe cleaners. The link will take you to an idea that kept him entertained for quite a while on our plane trip to San Diego.