Shape Makers (Timberdoodle Review)

I’m back this week with another thinking game review. This time, my grandkids have been helping me try out a big, bright, and beautiful new building block game called Shape Makers.

I used to be the grandma with all the crafts. Anytime the kids came over, they’d want to make a new art project. But lately, I’ve become the grandma with games.

And Shape Makers has been hugely popular, especially with the littles. Although it is designed for ages 5 and up, my 4-year-old grandson is a huge fan.

It makes him feel smart when he can solve the puzzles without any help. And the more we play, the more that happens.

The object of the game is to build a structure on the grid that will simultaneously cast the shadows pictured on both standing cards.

The cards are numbered and color-coded — the challenges become harder as you move from cooler colored cards with lower numbers to the warmer colored cards with double-digits.

To make things a little easier on the four-year-old, at first I would pick out the shapes I knew he’d need, and he’d build the tower from that limited selection.

But he quickly caught on and started telling me which shapes to set aside or collecting them himself. His baby brother loved those brightly colored blocks and begged to play, too.

But he needed a little more guidance to get it right. Fortunately, Shape Makers comes with four wooden grids, so multiple children can play at the same time.

The older grandkids have enjoyed Shape Makers, as well. It’s a great game for sharpening spatial reasoning skills.

Do you have kids or grandkids who would enjoy this fun and challenging game? You can get your own Shape Makers set through Timberdoodle. It’s available for individual purchase or as part of their 2026 First Grade Curriculum Kit.

And while you’re on the Timberdoodle website, I’d encourage you to look around. We love everything we’ve ever ordered from this small family-owned company!

Be sure to sign up for their Doodle Dollar program to save on future purchases. And to see more of my Timberdoodle Reviews, simply scroll to the bottom of my Homeschool Help page, and you can read them all!

PLEASE NOTE: As a member of the Timberdoodle blog team, I routinely receive free or deeply discounted products in exchange for writing honest reviews. Opinions expressed in these posts are 100% my own. I’ve been a happy and enthusiastic Timberdoodle customer for decades — long before I ever started blogging for their company.