The Mom I Want to Be

One of the best activities you can offer your toddler or preschooler is the opportunity to sort items into categories. Sorting encourages analytical thinking, and creativity, and is a basic math skill. All you need is some items to sort, a box to hold them, and a muffin tin to get started.

 

A shape sorting treasure box can be used by your toddler while other kids are working on homework, or while you are doing another activity. Keep the box out of reach, and only take it out when it is time to do a sorting activity, so the items are interesting to examine and sort. Add to the box as you find new items.

 

Big box or canister to hold treasures: Pick a box that is large enough to hold about 100 smallish items. A plastic bin with a lid will work, or you can use a cardboard box. You can let your child “decorate” a plain box with stickers, crayons, or markers, if you would like.

 

Treasures to sort: Accumulate about 100 small items. If you child is very young, or prone to putting things in his mouth, make sure the items are not choking hazards. Whenever you find a small item that you are not sure what to do with, add it to the box. Choose a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, using the list below as a starting point. Think about the ways your child can sort the items, and choose accordingly. The greater the variety, the more fun the project will be.

 

Items for sorting:

– Plastic mini animals

– Blocks

– Old keys

– Rocks

– Shells

– Small toys

– Leaves

– Dry beans (do not use if your child will eat them)

– Wrapped candy

– Leftover game pieces

– Dominoes

– Dice

– Playing card

– Beanbags

– Crayons

– Play food

– Kitchen items

 

Muffin tin for sorting: An inexpensive muffin tin works for sorting small items. If your items are larger, use a set of inexpensive plastic bowls instead.

 

Place your muffin tin or bowls on the table, and give your child the box. Pick the way you would like the items sorted, and take them out one by one, and sort them into categories. You may need to do the activity together a time or two, but most kids will pick it up pretty quickly. Begin with the easiest sorting-sorting items by color, and move on to more complex or intuitive things, like texture, use, or size.

 

Some suggested ways to sort items:

Sort by:

 Color

 Shape

 Size

 Living/Non living things

 Texture

 Hard/Soft

 Metal/plastic/fabric

 How items are used

 Beginning sounds