Sorting & Sets

Children need to learn how to classify objects and put them into sets and groups according to some attribute or characteristic, such as colour, shape, etc.

Let the child sort spoons, forks, and knives into a silverware tray.

Give the child a box with two or three of several different things to sort. You might use balloons, pencils, bandaids, toy, cars, etc.

Ask the child to sort playing cards by suit.

Make a sorting box from a shoe box. Put a cardboard divider down the middle, then let the child sort picture cards of living and non-living things, animals and people, big and little objects, different-coloured objects, etc. Coordinate this activity with skills you are working on in other areas of the curriculum.

Make a folder game with three or four different types of fruit trees, Let children put cut-outs of the fruits on the appropriate tree.

 

Other similar games can be made where the child sort furniture into the appropriate room, clothing to the corresponding season, foods into the four food groups, etc.

Ask the child to find all sets in the room that he could eat, set of books, a set of chairs, a set of blocks, etc. Go outside for a walk and look for sets on the playground and in nature.

Give the child a bow with one of the first item, two of the second item, three of the third item, etc. Ask the child to make sets and count the objects in each set.

You can use Apple to Zebra’s Whale felt chart to create sorting exercises using the felt yellow and red fish. Let the child separate the two different sets of fish while introducing how to count each set.