Sorting Activities

Some math concepts can be tricky for young children to grasp, but sorting or matching pairs can be taught relatively easily. Here are a few activities you can do to support this skill at home:

  • Help your child sort a set of toys, such as cars, dolls, or LEGOs, into pairs. Start with just a few toys (<10). If your child picks two toys that do not match, point to them and ask if they look the same or different. Encourage your child to find a toy that looks the same as the first toy. As your child starts to grasp the concept, have her sort another type of toy into matching pairs. Extend the activity by counting the pairs.

Snack time is another great opportunity for identifying matches. Use fruit, colored cereal, or trail mix to find pairs of matching food items (i.e., two pieces of pineapple, two red cereal loops, or two pretzel sticks). This activity makes snack time fun, healthy, and educational!