9 fun ways to explore KS2 angles in the classroom

Sophie Bartlett explores nine fun, hands-on ways to teach KS2 angles with activities using tape, K'NEX, art, and more to help pupils enjoy learning angles.

Hands using a protractor and pencil to measure an angle on squared paper, with a ruler nearby.

When it’s time to teach angles in KS2, you’re probably scrambling around your equipment cupboard for protractors and geometry shapes. But there are so many fun and interesting ways to teach angles. I’ve listed my favourite 9 ways to make angles your new favourite thing to teach!

What are the different types of angles in ks2?

Angles are first introduced in the year 2 curriculum, where pupils should be taught to:

use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement, including movement in a straight line and distinguishing between rotation as a turn and in terms of right angles for quarter, half and three-quarter turns (clockwise and anticlockwise).

This is then built on throughout KS2:

Year 3

recognise angles as a property of shape or a description of a turn
identify right angles, recognise that 2 right angles make a half-turn, 3 make three-quarters of a turn and 4 a complete turn; identify whether angles are greater than or less than a right angle

Year 4

identify acute and obtuse angles and compare and order angles up to 2 right angles by size

Year 5

know angles are measured in degrees: estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles
draw given angles, and measure them in degrees (°)
identify:– angles at a point and 1 whole turn (total 360°)– angles at a point on a straight line and half a turn (total 180°)– other multiples of 90°– use the properties of rectangles to deduce related facts and find missing lengths and angles– distinguish between regular and irregular polygons based on reasoning about equal sides and angles

Year 6

draw 2-D shapes using given dimensions and angles
compare and classify geometric shapes based on their properties and sizes and find unknown angles in any triangles, quadrilaterals, and regular polygons
recognise angles where they meet at a point, are on a straight line, or are vertically opposite, and find missing angles

Teaching how to use a protractor

Before introducing any of the activities below in UKS2, it’s important that children learn how to properly use a protractor. If you’ve not taught this before, you might be surprised how many children start with the protractor upside down and then wonder (usually out loud) why the numbers are back to front…!

You could start teaching this by using an interactive protracto r on the board, and then move to modelling how to use a real protractor under a visualiser.

Hands using a protractor and pencil to draw precise angles on paper.

LbQ’s Measure Angles online resource for year 5 is another great way to put this into practice.

A question from one of LbQ's question sets. An illustration of a protractor with an angle marked incorrectly as 60°, featuring a cartoon character questioning the correct angle measurement.

1. Table tangles

One of the simplest, yet most effective, ways to explore angles is by transforming your tables or floors into geometric playgrounds. Use masking tape to criss-cross the surfaces with intersecting lines, forming a variety of angles at each crossing point.

Pupils can investigate the angles by classifying them as acute, obtuse, or right angles. They can estimate before measuring, giving them a chance to hone their visual judgment. These taped lines also provide a perfect context to introduce or reinforce key angle rules, such as:

Angles on a straight line total 180°
Angles around a point total 360°
Concepts like vertically opposite and corresponding angles

For a smaller-scale version, students can create their own angle boards using rulers and strips of paper. Either way, the visual and tactile aspect helps embed key angle concepts.

Classroom desk with geometric patterns laid out with masking tape, including angles and numbers marked on.
Image from Emily Weston.

2. Using K’NEX

K’NEX pieces perfectly lend themselves to teaching angles. The white K’NEX rods can be connected in 45° increments - ideal for illustrating key angle benchmarks:

Right angles (90°)
Straight lines (180°)
Three-quarter turns (270°)
Full rotations (360°)
Plus those useful midway points (e.g. 45°, 135°)

Students can build shapes and then annotate them, either by hand or using various online platforms. This helps reinforce not only the numerical values of angles but also how they relate to turns, direction, and shape.

3. Angle detectives

Turn your classroom into a geometric treasure map. Arm your pupils with protractors (or just their eyes!) and set them loose to discover angles in everyday objects - for example:

A right angle at the corner of a whiteboard
Acute angles in an open pair of scissors
Obtuse angles in a reclined chair back

Encourage them to photograph, sketch, or list their findings, then classify each angle and estimate or measure the degree. This makes angle recognition real and rooted in their environment.

4. Human angles

Get your class moving by making angles with their own bodies! Ask pupils to:

Stretch their arms to form an acute or obtuse angle
Sit in a position that shows a right angle at the knee
Combine with a partner to make a straight line (180°)

You could even incorporate this into a PE lesson, perhaps as some light yoga!

5. Angle art

Art and maths collide in this creative activity! Pupils use rulers to draw abstract geometric designs, then measure and label the angles within their creations. Alternatively, set specific angle requirements (for example, "use at least three 90° angles and two obtuse angles") and let their imagination run.

This combines technical skill with creativity and makes a brilliant display board.

Abstract geometric art with vibrant colours, featuring overlapping triangles and rectangles in shades of blue, red, yellow, pink, and orange.

6. "Name" that angle

Ask students to write their names using only straight lines (e.g. TIM or ZAK), then have them measure and label each internal angle.

It’s a personal, engaging way to apply angle measurement to something familiar, and it can lead to great discussions: "Which letter has the sharpest angle?" or "Can we estimate before measuring?"

7. DIY angles

Create simple angle tools using two strips of card and a split pin to act as a pivot. These homemade protractors let pupils:

Create and identify different angle types
Estimate angles before confirming with a protractor
Use the tool during other classroom activities, like the angle hunt

8. Doorway degrees

Use masking tape to mark out key angles (30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, etc.) on the floor beneath a classroom door. As the door opens and closes, pupils can observe how the angle changes - turning movement into measurement. This is a great way to build fluency with estimating and recognising different angles.

9. Learning by Questions

LbQ offers a range of interactive resources specifically designed to challenge and support pupils in mastering angles. Use it as a follow-up to your practical work, reinforcing formal vocabulary, reasoning, and calculation through engaging, self-paced digital practice. It’s especially useful for targeted interventions or whole-class consolidation. If you’re interested in trialling more of the resources offered by Learning by Questions, you can trial Wayfinder with no obligation to purchase.

Take a look at this online resource for year 3: Identify, and Compare Right Angles, Acute Angles and Obtuse Angles.

Angles are everywhere - in the classroom, in our bodies, and in the things we build. By making learning active and creative, we help students truly see and understand angles in the world around them. Whether through masking tape, K’NEX, or creative art, these ideas can help unlock angle confidence for every child.