Stay At Home Educator

intentional teaching for purposeful learning

  • About
    • Copyright / Disclosure / Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Preschool Lesson Plans
  • Literacy
  • STEAM
  • Development
  • Thematic Activities
  • Play Ideas
  • Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My Account

Sorting Lesson Plans for Preschoolers

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I may earn a small sum if you click through and make a purchase.

September 15, 2022 by Lauren Vaughan

a young boy sorting pegs by color after his preschool lesson on sorting and comparing

With these sorting lesson plans for preschoolers, teaching children to compare and sort will be a breeze! You’ll have your preschoolers comparing, ordering, and sorting before you know it. With easy to prep materials and a scope and sequence for the whole unit, this is one math skill that will be effortless to plan for.

Preschool Sorting Activities

Learning to sort, classify, and compare, these sorting lesson plans for preschoolers are full of practice opportunities and activities for preschoolers.
This post will give you a detailed look at the sorting and comparing unit in the daily mathematics lessons for preschoolers.

The challenging part about teaching young children is there is such a large range of abilities among preschool children. While they all learn and grow at different times, this can certainly make my job as a teacher a little more complicated.

So, when I sit down and do my lesson planning, I am challenged to develop appropriate activities that will the needs of all of my learners. That’s why I created a preschool math curriculum so that I can ensure that the lessons, activities, and centers are designed to develop the math skills of every. single. learner.

I poured my heart into designing my preschool math curriculum. I knew it needed to spiral and review key concepts multiple times throughout the year, gradually increasing in difficulty. This approach is ideal because it covers math topics throughout the entire year. This allows children more time for mastery and an opportunity to increase the rigor of each lesson.

With that being said, teaching sorting to preschoolers is much more than just grouping colors or sizes. It invites children to observe, and classify. Preschool classification activities that promote critical thinking encourage children to think of their own sorting rules and find ways to re-sort in a new way.

  • Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Related Reading

The Ultimate Guide to Comparing and Sorting for Preschoolers

FAQ About Sorting with Preschoolers

How do you explain sorting to preschoolers?

Once children understand what differences and similarities are, they are able to comprehend how to put things into like groups. Sorting may begin with sorting items that are big/small, sorting by color, or by shape.

Why is sorting important for preschoolers?

Sorting and grouping things together is an important skill. It requires logical thinking and problem-solving, especially as the sorting attributes get more complicated (such as sorting with two or more attributes). Sorting also teaches your toddler to notice similarities and differences, learn to classify and categorize and develop early academic skills in literacy and mathematics.

How do you teach sorting to preschoolers?

Preschoolers learn to sort by just one attribute at a time. A great way to encourage children to learn to sort is by sorting first by color. Use color sorting mats and encourage your students to group by color. Provide children with rainbow buttons, pom poms, or geometric shapes. Encourage children to find their own sorting rules… Ask questions like, “How did you sort your items? What attribute is in this group? Why are the red and blue animals together? Oh, they all have tails?” Sorting is lots of fun when the options are endless!

shapes being sorted by color through the use of a preschool lesson plan on comparing and sorting
Colorful pegs are sorted in bowls by color.

Related Reading

Colors and Shapes Sorting Activities for Preschoolers
  • Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Comparing and Sorting Hands-On Supplies

This curriculum is designed to be low-prep and utilize the same supplies during each math unit. Buy it once, and use them over and over again for different learning purposes! Take a look at some of the resources we use for each unit. These items are staples for any early childhood math curriculum.

All About Sorting Lesson Plans

The sorting lessons for preschoolers are designed for up to a five-day-week program, but activities within a week can be removed and skipped for two or three-day-week programs. There are lots of sorting and classifying activities that encourage fine motor skill development and of course, learning to sort objects of all shapes, colors, sizes, and attributes!

Discovery Activities/Math Photo Cards

The discovery activities are so much fun! Each week contains a real photograph or illustration for the children to interact with. The photo relates to the concept and encourages oral language and math vocabulary development. Plus, the vibrant photos expose children to different places, animals, and cultures. It’s easy to see that math really is everywhere in our daily lives!

The math photo card example below shows glass jars filled with different items and a variation of the color blue. This colorful photo offers a chance for young learners to see how we sort and compare even with our own classroom items. Each photo card includes mathematical points, teaching tips, and engaging questions to encourage your children to think about each photo through a mathematical lens.

math photo cards are included in the sorting lesson plans for preschoolers and help develop the awareness of sorting in the real world.
These math photo cards helps children see how math takes place in the world around us.

Daily Dip

The daily dip is a review activity to reinforce previously taught skills. You will notice valuable teaching tips throughout the review lessons. These tips offer insight to help execute specific strategies in
the lessons. This section is optional depending on time and student needs but is certainly a valuable component of each day.

The photo below examples of the first week of the comparing and sorting unit.

components of the sorting lesson plans for preschool.
Sample of three days of the daily dip and teach and engage components of the curriculum.

Teach and Engage

The teach and engage section is a brand new daily lesson for your students packed with new learning. This component of the curriculum includes lots of modeling and student interaction. Each lesson includes a bonus section that offers tips on how to make the lesson more challenging and provides extensions for children who are ready for more difficulty.

  • Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Sorting Centers for Preschoolers

Sorting centers are invaluable in preschool. We have included lots of fun sorting activities that allow for children to independently practice with engaging manipulatives. Remember independent centers should always be supervised in preschool and kindergarten.

Attribute Sorting Mats

These attribute mats are a great way to help your preschoolers practice sorting by size, color, and shape. Using attribute blocks, this hands-on center will challenge your preschoolers to describe and compare.

attribute shapes to be sorted on sorting mats after a preschool lesson on sorting and comparing
Sorting Center 1-1 – This printable center teaches preschoolers how to sort by various attributes.

Color/Shape Concentration

This game has two levels of difficulty – perfect for differentiating for your students. Children can match shapes regardless of color OR match both shape and color. Lay the cards out face down and invite students to take turns choosing a card and use their memory to remember where the match is. Or children can match real attribute buttons to each card.

attribute buttons are used in sorting lesson plans for preschoolers as they learn to sort by shape and color.
Sorting Center 1-2 – This center focuses on matching shapes and colors and developing visual discrimination skills.

Everyday Shapes Clip Cards

This center is print and play! Invite children to identify the solid shape first then clip the shapes the everyday shapes that match the large shape. To make it self-correcting, place a dot on the back of the card for each correct answer.

sorting lesson plans for preschoolers include sorting and matching to everyday real-life shapes.
Sorting Center 1-3 – This center focuses on identifying similarities and differences between shapes and connecting shapes in the real world.

Roll and Cover Color Sorting

This fun color sorting activity invites children to roll a color die and find a matching colored item. Taking turns, play continues until all the objects are covered up with a colored game marker. This is a cooperative game and encourages children to share and build social skills at the same time.

In this sorting lesson plan for preschool, children are matching colors to objects and practicing their counting skills at the same time.
Sorting Center 1-4 – This center focuses on color matching and recognition in a fun and hands-on way.

Sorting Animals

This game is designed to help children sort in a more challenging way. Sorting by animals that have a tail, have two or four legs, even animals that live on land and those that do not. To begin, start with just a few animals and talk through what we notice about each animal. Then, help students to sort. This center is a great way to practice sorting in new ways and help children think of sorting beyond the standard size, shape, and color.

sorting lesson plans for preschoolers that help to develop classification skills for sorting beyond just size, shape, and color.
Sorting Center 1-5 – This center helps children identify similarities and differences among animals. This helps them to sort by different attributes and challenges their sorting skills.

Shapes and Colors

In this sorting center, children are encouraged to sort in three ways, one being how to combine the two attributes (red and circles) to make a new sorting category. This center helps children come up with their own sorting rules and encourages them to classify the objects in different ways.

a sorting center found in the sorting preschool lesson plans that helps students classify and sort in multiple ways.
Sorting Center 1-6 – This center focuses on sorting by two attributes and discovering different ways to sort.

Sorting Shapes Board Game

This sorting board game is an enaging and cooperative way to practice sorting! Students will roll a die and use game markers to move along the game board, collecting the shape they land on as they go. Once they reach the finish line, they count all the collected shapes. Great for building shape and counting skills!

sorting lesson plans for preschoolers includes a sorting shapes board game for practice identifying and sorting shapes.
Sorting Center 1-7 – This cooperative game encourages children to work together to collect shapes and sort them by shape on their sorting mats.

Sorting Size Jars

This sorting activity for preschoolers is great for helping children learn and compare sizes and the terms, small, medium, and large. If you have real jars, students can also practice filling those up and sorting the shapes by size ad labeling the jar to match.

Comparing and sorting by size and shape are essential math skills. This center is available in the sorting lesson plans for preschool unit.
Sorting Center 1-8 – This center invite children to sort a pile of shapes by size – small, medium, or large.

Math to Literacy Connections

We have also included eight optional literacy activities that infuse math picture books. Children learn through colorful illustrations and storytelling. These eight picture books bring sorting to life and build upon other math skills (counting, colors, patterns) as well.

Grab these fantastic books about sorting here!

The Button Box by Margarette S. Reid
A House for Birdie by Stuart J. Murphy
Five Creatures by Emily Jenkin
The Crayola Sorting Book by Jodie Shepherd
Sort it Out by Barbara Mariconda
A Pair of Socks by Great Source
Sorting at the Market by Tracey Steffora
Three Little Firefighters by Stuart J. Murphy

Get Your Sorting Lesson Plans for Preschoolers Here

The daily lessons in comparing and sorting are completed and ready to use! Filled with daily lesson plans, centers, activities, and even literacy connections, this sorting unit is all you’ll need for your preschool lessons.

  • Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    Daily Lessons in Sorting Preschool Math Unit
    $16.00
    Add to cart

Looking for a Preschool Math Curriculum for the Whole Year?

We’ve got you covered! From sorting to graphing, counting to shapes, this preschool math curriculum is loaded with engaging activities, literacy connections, and daily photo cards to spark the joy in math.

  • *** Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics Curriculum
    *** Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics Curriculum
    Sale Product on sale
    $135.00 $99.00
    Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 7 customer ratings
    Add to cart

Related Reading

The Ultimate Guide to Comparing and Sorting for Preschoolers
Colors and Shapes Sorting Activities for Preschoolers
Lauren Vaughan

I am an educator, book enthusiast, and a stay at home momma to two precious and long-awaited littles. My degree is in Early Childhood Education and Curriculum and Instruction and I have spent the last 15 years working with young children. I feel very fortunate to have this time to watch my babies grow and I can’t wait to share my passion for learning and reading with you!

Filed Under: Geometry, Lesson Plans, Mathematics, Preschool Planning, Shapes, Sorting

About Lauren Vaughan

I am an educator, book enthusiast, and a stay at home momma to two precious and long-awaited littles. My degree is in Early Childhood Education and Curriculum and Instruction and I have spent the last 15 years working with young children. I feel very fortunate to have this time to watch my babies grow and I can’t wait to share my passion for learning and reading with you!

« Done for You Phonics Preschool Lesson Plans
Space Theme Grid Games for Counting »

Search This Site

Stay Connected

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter


PRINTABLE SHOP
PLANNING
LITERACY
MATH
DEVELOPMENT
THEMES
PLAY
Visit Sarah @ Stay At Home Educator's profile on Pinterest.
Stay At Home Educator

© Copyright 2015 Foodie Pro Theme · Genesis Framework · Customizations by Kara Carrero ·

Wordpress