What are 3 Dimensional Shapes? - [Definition, Facts & Example]

What are Three-Dimensional shapes?

In geometry, a three-dimensional shape can be defined as a solid figure or an object or shape that has three dimensions – length, width and height. Unlike two-dimensional shapes, three-dimensional shapes have thickness or depth.

The attributes of a three-dimensional figure are faces, edges and vertices. The three dimensions compose the edges of a 3D geometric shape.

A cube, rectangular prism, sphere, cone and cylinder are the basic 3-dimensional shapes we see around us.

We can see a cube in a Rubik’s cube and a die, a rectangular prism in a book and a box, a sphere in a globe and a ball, a cone in carrot and an ice cream cone and a cylinder in a bucket and a barrel, around us.

Here’s a list of the 3-D or three-dimensional shapes with their name, pictures and attributes.

Name of 3D shape:	Picture of 3D shape:	Attributes:
Cube		Faces - 6 Edges - 12 Vertices - 8
Rectangular Prism or Cuboid		Faces - 6 Edges - 12 Vertices - 8
Sphere		Curved Face - 1 Edges - 0 Vertices - 0
Cone		Flat Face - 1 Curved Face - 1 Edges - 1 Vertices - 1
Cylinder		Flat Face - 2 Curved Face - 1 Edges - 2 Vertices - 0

Fun Facts

All three-dimensional shapes are made up of two-dimensional shapes.

Let's sing!

3D shapes are fat not flat.

Find a cone in a birthday hat!

You see a sphere in a basketball,

And a cuboid in a building so tall!

You see a cube in the dice you roll,

And a cylinder in a shiny flag pole!

Let's do it!

Instead of showing videos around 3D shapes to your kids and kindergarteners, ask them to observe and spot things around them in which they can find three- dimensional shapes.

You can further ask them to identify and sort the three -dimensional shape and it’s attributes.

Related math vocabulary

2-dimensional, Solid figure, Length, Width, Height

3-dimensional - Definition with Examples

What are Three-Dimensional shapes?

Learn with the Complete K-5 Math Learning Program

Let's sing!

Let's do it!

Related math vocabulary