Introduction
Angles may sound like a big maths idea, but for Year 3 children, it’s all about spotting simple turns and corners in everyday life. Understanding angles at this stage builds strong foundations for later geometry learning. With the right homeschooling tips and hands-on activities, you can make learning angles fun and memorable.
Understanding the Concept of Angles
An angle is made when two straight lines meet at a point. For Year 3 maths, children mainly need to recognise:
- Right angles (a perfect square corner – 90°)
- Angles bigger than a right angle (obtuse)
- Angles smaller than a right angle (acute)
You don’t need to measure with a protractor yet—just spotting and naming angles is enough.
Step-by-Step Guidance for Parents
- Start with a Right Angle
- Show your child the corner of a piece of paper. Explain that this is a right angle.
- Say: “A right angle looks like the corner of a square.”
- Have them walk around the room and find other right angles (door frames, books, tiles).
- Compare Bigger and Smaller Angles
- Draw three shapes: a small narrow angle (acute), a right angle, and a wide angle (obtuse).
- Ask: “Which looks smaller than the square corner? Which looks bigger?”
- Use your arms to act out angles—hands close together for acute, arms wide for obtuse, bent at the elbow for right angle.
- Use Turns
- Stand together and make turns.
- Quarter turn = right angle
- Less than quarter turn = acute
- More than quarter turn = obtuse
- This connects angles to movement, which feels natural for children.
- Stand together and make turns.
- Work with Shapes
- Look at triangles: point out how some have small (acute) angles, some have larger (obtuse) ones.
- Explore rectangles and squares—each corner is a right angle.
Hands-On Activities for Learning Angles
1. Angle Hunt Game
Give your child a “right angle tester” by folding a piece of paper into a square corner.
- Ask them to walk around the house testing corners.
- If it matches exactly, it’s a right angle.
- If the corner is smaller, it’s acute.
- If it’s wider, it’s obtuse.
2. Angle Arms
Play “Simon Says” with angles:
- “Simon says make a right angle with your arms.”
- “Simon says make an acute angle.”
- “Simon says make an obtuse angle.”
This physical approach helps the idea stick.
3. Draw and Sort
Draw different angles on paper. Have your child cut them out and sort them into three piles: acute, right, and obtuse.
Real-Life Connections
Angles are everywhere! Point them out when:
- Opening doors (acute when nearly closed, obtuse when wide open).
- Looking at road signs (many are triangles and rectangles).
- Folding pizza slices (triangles have different angles).
This shows your child that maths is part of daily life, not just worksheets.
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Confusing “big” and “small” angles – children sometimes think longer lines mean a bigger angle. Remind them it’s about how wide the opening is.
- Mixing up turns and distance – practise quarter turns in both directions.
- Forgetting right angles – keep coming back to the “square corner” as the reference point.
Free Online Resources
- BBC Bitesize KS2 Maths – Angles – short videos and quizzes.
- Topmarks Angles Games – interactive activities for practice.
Closing Encouragement
Exploring angles in Year 3 maths doesn’t need to be complicated. With simple homeschool activities and real-life spotting games, your child will quickly feel confident naming and comparing angles. If your child still finds it tricky after lots of practice, it may be worth checking in with a tutor for extra support.
Extra Support with Battersea House
At Battersea House, we know every child learns differently, and sometimes a little extra guidance can make all the difference. Alongside our free homeschooling resources, we also offer personalised online tutoring to help children grow in confidence and achieve their full potential. If you’d like tailored support in maths, English, or beyond, visit batterseahouse.co.uk to learn more.