Pentagon Shape for Kids: Sides, Corners and How to Draw It
A pentagon is a flat shape with 5 straight sides and 5 corners. It has 5 straight sides and 5 corners. Below you will find its properties, how to draw it, where to spot it in real life, and a quick quiz.
A bright pentagon for little learners to explore!
Pentagon at a Glance
| Sides | 5 straight sides |
|---|---|
| Corners (vertices) | 5 |
| Angles | Each angle is 108 degrees in a regular pentagon (540 degrees in total) |
| Lines of symmetry | 5 (in a regular pentagon) |
| Flat or solid | Flat (2D) |
📐 What Makes a Pentagon Special?
A pentagon has 5 straight sides and 5 corners. 'Penta' means five. In a regular pentagon, all the sides are the same length and every inside corner measures 108 degrees. If you join each corner of a pentagon to the corners that are not next to it, you draw a five-pointed star inside it.
🌟 Fun Facts about Pentagon
- "Penta" means five, so a pentagon always has exactly 5 sides.
- A famous government building in the USA is shaped like a giant pentagon.
- Home plate in baseball is shaped like a pentagon!
- A regular pentagon has all 5 sides the same length.
How to Draw a Pentagon
- Draw a point at the top.
- Draw two slanted lines going down and out from the point.
- Draw two short lines going down and slightly in.
- Join them with a straight line across the bottom.
🔎 Where Can You Find a Pentagon?
You can spot the pentagon shape in everyday life, like a home plate in baseball, a school crossing sign, and the U.S. Pentagon building. Try going on a shape hunt around your house or classroom — how many pentagons can you find today?
Common Mix-Ups
A pentagon looks like a simple drawing of a house. Count carefully: a house shape with a pointed roof on a square has 5 sides, so it is a pentagon.
Quick Quiz: The Pentagon
Answer each question, then tap it to check.
How many sides does a pentagon have?
Five.
What does penta mean?
Five.
How many corners does a pentagon have?
Five.
Printable Practice
Practice on paper with the Shapes Tracing and Coloring worksheet and the Shapes Activity worksheet, or play the Shapes Match game.
🏫 Classroom Activity: Shape Hunt & Matching
Send children on a hunt for pentagon shapes — a crossing sign, home plate on a diagram, a picture of the Pentagon building — and gather the finds on a table. Then play a matching game: draw several shapes on cards and have kids sort out only the pentagons.
🏠 Homeschool Activity
Draw a square and add a triangle "roof" on top to build a simple house-shaped pentagon, then count all 5 sides together. It's an easy trick that turns two familiar shapes into a new one.
🔬 STEM Connection
Point out that home plate in baseball is a pentagon — ask your child why its shape (a square with a pointed back) helps umpires and players judge exactly where a pitch crosses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sides does a pentagon have?
A pentagon has 5 straight sides.
How many corners does a pentagon have?
A pentagon has 5 corners.
How many lines of symmetry does a pentagon have?
5 (in a regular pentagon).
How do you draw a pentagon?
Draw a point at the top. Draw two slanted lines going down and out from the point. Draw two short lines going down and slightly in. Join them with a straight line across the bottom.
What is a common mistake when learning the pentagon?
A pentagon looks like a simple drawing of a house. Count carefully: a house shape with a pointed roof on a square has 5 sides, so it is a pentagon.
Summary
A pentagon is a flat shape with 5 straight sides and 5 corners. Remember: 5 straight sides, 5 corners. Next, learn about the hexagon, or see all shapes.