Have you been following along with our Getting Ready for Kindergarten Series? Today, I’m sharing some super simple sorting activities that get kids learning how to sort and match at home.
I could create lots of printables, but I believe learning about sorting and matching works best when kids can touch and manipulative real objects.
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Getting kids to sort and match can be easy-peasy at home. Often times, it can be integrated right into your daily routine. Bonus!
I love that sorting and matching naturally integrate vocabulary. We usually sort things by their characteristics like color, shape, size, or texture. We can use words like dull, glossy, bumpy, smooth, similar, or argile, just to name a few.
While sorting and matching with your child, you can simply ask, “Why did I/you put these together?”
Simple Sorting Activities for Kids
1. The laundry. This one is super simple. Every one has laundry. {If you don’t please email me and tell me how I can get rid of mine!} A super easy place to start with is socks. Kids can match and sort them, while reviewing colors, patterns, and fine motor skills at the same time! There’s also this fun sock sorting/matching game.
2. Put away the dishes. This is another way to get kids helping with chores and doing some sorting/matching. I like to start with the flatware. Even young children can sort the spoons, forks, and butter knives {no sharp knives!} while putting them away in your kitchen drawer.
3. Play with toys. If your child plays with any kind of toy that has lots of pieces, like LEGO bricks, Shopkins, or cars, play and sort them together.
One thing my husband did from a very early age with my kids was, “Let’s have a car show. All the yellow cars over here. All the red cars over here.” Sometimes it was, “All the construction vehicles over here and all the convertibles over here.” I love how playful he made it for them while naturally using that vocabulary.
4. Buttons. Often times, when I buy a blouse or pants, an extra button comes with it. I never throw them away. I keep them mostly for sorting. Buttons are fantastic because there are so many different ways they can be sorted. You can also buy plastic buttons just for sorting. My younger preschoolers and I have always sorted and matched with the bigger, plastic buttons.
5. Magnetic letters. Do you have magnetic letters on your fridge? Maybe they’re tucked away in a plastic baggie. Get out and sort them! Sort by the way the letters look or if you have an upper/lowercase set, match uppercase and lowercase letters to one another. By the way, this activity is a 2-for-1 because you’re also working on letters at the same time.
I told you this would be super simple! Sorting and matching can be fun to learn through play and exploration!
Check out all the posts in our Kindergarten Prep Series
Enjoy!
~Becky
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