3D Shapes EYFS - 3D Shape Sorting Activity - Maths Resource - Free Printable

Let’s solve this step by step.

We are given two categories: Cube and Cuboid.

First, let’s remember what these shapes look like:

- A cube has 6 faces, and all faces are squares — meaning all sides are equal in length. Think of a dice or an ice cube.
- A cuboid also has 6 faces, but they are rectangles (not necessarily all the same size). Think of a shoebox or a book.

Now, let’s go through each object on the right side and decide if it is more like a cube or a cuboid.

1. Oil drum → It’s cylindrical, not a cube or cuboid. But since we only have those two boxes, maybe we skip it? Wait — actually, looking again, perhaps we’re meant to sort only objects that fit one of the two shapes. Let’s check all.

Actually, let’s list them clearly:

Top row:
- Oil can → cylinder → doesn’t fit either? Hmm… but maybe in this activity, we ignore non-matching ones? Or perhaps we consider approximate shape? Let’s think differently.

Wait — maybe the task is to match real-life objects to their closest 3D geometric shape: cube or cuboid.

Let’s examine each:

✔ Ice cube → definitely a cube

✔ Glue stick → cylinder → not cube or cuboid → skip?

But wait — look at the suitcase → it’s box-shaped with rectangular faces → cuboid

Party hat → cone → skip

Traffic cone → cone → skip

Eraser → usually rectangular prism → cuboid

Globe → sphere → skip

Basket of fruit → irregular → skip

So which ones actually fit?

Let’s pick only the ones that are clearly cube or cuboid:

From the grid:

- Ice cube → Cube
- Suitcase → Cuboid
- Eraser → Cuboid

What about the oil can? If it’s a metal can, it’s cylindrical — so not matching.

Glue stick — cylinder.

Party hat — cone.

Traffic cone — cone.

Globe — sphere.

Fruit basket — no.

So only three objects clearly match:

→ Cube: Ice cube
→ Cuboid: Suitcase, Eraser

Wait — is there another? What about the purple block shown under “Cuboid” in the example? That’s just an example shape.

Looking back at the image layout — the left side shows examples: blue cube for “Cube”, purple cuboid for “Cuboid”.

Then on the right, we have 9 images. We need to sort them into the two columns based on whether they resemble a cube or a cuboid.

Let’s re-evaluate each of the 9:

Row 1:
1. Oil can → cylinder → neither → probably not included
2. Party hat → cone → neither
3. Traffic cone → cone → neither

Row 2:
4. Ice cube → Cube
5. Glue stick → cylinder → neither
6. Suitcase → Cuboid

Row 3:
7. Eraser → typically rectangular → Cuboid
8. Globe → sphere → neither
9. Fruit basket → irregular → neither

So only 3 objects qualify:

- Cube: Ice cube
- Cuboid: Suitcase, Eraser

But wait — maybe the eraser is considered a cube? No, most erasers are longer than wide — so cuboid.

Is there any other object that could be a cube? The ice cube is the only obvious one.

Perhaps the activity expects us to include only those that closely match.

Alternatively, maybe the “oil can” is being treated as a cuboid? Unlikely — it’s round.

Another thought: sometimes in early education, they simplify — e.g., a tissue box is cuboid, a die is cube.

In this set, only ice cube is truly cube-like.

Suitcase and eraser are cuboids.

So final sorting:

Under Cube: Ice cube
Under Cuboid: Suitcase, Eraser

But let’s double-check — is there a sixth-grade level expectation here? Probably elementary school.

Maybe they consider the glue stick as a cuboid? No, it’s round.

Unless... some glue sticks are square? Not typically.

I think we should stick with:

Cube: Ice cube
Cuboid: Suitcase, Eraser

That’s 1 cube, 2 cuboids.

But wait — what about the pink eraser? In the bottom left of the grid — yes, that’s the eraser.

And the suitcase is clear.

Ice cube is clear.

Others don’t fit.

So answer is:

Put the ice cube picture under "Cube".

Put the suitcase and eraser pictures under "Cuboid".

Final Answer:
Cube: Ice cube
Cuboid: Suitcase, Eraser