Perceptually rich concrete manipulatives benefit mathematics learning. Because students should be challenged to consider connections between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) perspectives of conics (NCTM 2000), this article describes hands-on teaching techniques that promote this type of student reasoning. This article aims to (1) share ideas for hands-on activities related to conics; and (2) discuss ways in which hands-on activities can support students' abilities to make connections between two dimensions and three dimensions, in the particular case of conic sections.