Tot School Tuesday - Sorting

It's Tot School Tuesday, and today I'll be talking about sorting activities. These are some of the first activities I introduced to Zeke when he was around 18 months old, and he still enjoys them at 3 years old!

WHAT IS SORTING? 

Sorting is classifying objects based on their attributes. The most common categories of sorting for toddlers and preschooler are sorting by color, shape, and size. 

WHY IS SORTING IMPORTANT?

When your child sorts they are actually working on beginning math skills. Learning to sort objects is important because your child is comparing similarities and differences in the attributes of objects and grouping like objects together.  

This is also a great visual discrimination exercise! Visual discrimination skills are important skills to have when your child begins learning math and reading. It's important for your child to be able to decide which objects belong in sets. 

WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD SORT?

You can literally sort anything! Household objects are great for sorting activities because it brings real-life into play. Sorting laundry, utensils, or canned goods are all easy ways to work on this skill.

I'm also going to list some ideas for each of the three top sorting categories I mentioned above - color, shape, and size.

SORTING BY COLOR

I provided an empty popsicle mold and craft sticks for Zeke to sort.

This is the first sorting activity Zeke did, and I introduced two colors at a time for him to sort. It did take a few tries before he understood what to do, but it wasn't long before he was sorting the six main colors.

Zeke sorted buttons onto these colored pumpkins available in my Etsy shop.

A few ideas for sorting by color:

• counting bears
• linking cubes
• crayons or markers
• pom-poms
• craft sticks
• toy cars
• buttons

I always provided the same-colored bowls or cups for Zeke to sort items into. You could also use colored paper, felt, or foam for sorting mats. Once they master sorting by color, you can provide a sectioned tray for your child to use.

Zeke sorted bugs into colored paper cups.

SORTING BY SIZE

This is an activity I introduced to Zeke once he was 2 years old. Sorting by size takes a little more critical thinking, but it's a great early math activity! I started out with two sizes - big and small. Now Zeke sorts three or more sizes at a time. This is also a great opportunity to learn some vocabulary - small, medium, large.

Zeke sorted dinosaurs by large and small.

A few ideas for sorting by size:

• plastic animals
• pom-poms
• craft sticks
• rocks
• buttons
• fruit 
• blocks

I usually provide a sectioned tray for Zeke to sort by size. I always put one small object in one section and one large object in another. He could usually figure out what to do without any direction from me.

I used this dividing tray for sorting buttons into three sizes.

SORTING BY SHAPE

We didn't start sorting by shape until Zeke was 2 1/2 years old. I did the same thing that I did with colors - I started with two shapes and gradually added more. This is how Zeke learned all of his shape names.

Contact paper and magformers made a fun activity!

A few ideas for sorting shapes:

• Magformer Magnetic blocks (triangle, square, hexagon)
• buttons 
• legos (rectangle, square)
• foam stickers
• felt pieces cut into shapes
• pattern blocks
• plastic gems
• pieces from a shape-sorter

I made this sorting box from an old box and buttons.

Remember to start out with just two or three categories so your child doesn't get overwhelmed. You can eventually add in more and it will be a fun challenge. Zeke can now sort things by type, like coins or different types of animals. What's the neatest thing your child has sorted?