Children have a natural desire to make sense of their world, as we all do. A world that often feels out of control. So, it makes perfect sense that preschoolers are naturally drawn to sorting activities. They make matches and categorize as a means to bring organization to what they know.
This article will tell you all about how preschoolers learn to sort and classify, as well as offer 15 free sorting activities.
Believe it or not, sorting skills start developing in infancy.
A baby cries or laughs, which elicits a reaction from her parents, and she immediately starts learning which are the most effective in getting what she wants. She quickly learns how to organize those responses, and she begins to make sense of her world.
Children continue sorting and classifying by organizing their understanding of language, people, and objects in their environment, such as when a baby cries mom comes running. This helps them construct an understanding of how the different parts of their environment relate to themselves and to each other.
Simply put, they are identifying similarities and differences.
It’s a process, too. And it’s this process that’s a child’s first step in the math activities of matching, sorting and classifying.
What is Sorting?
Sorting is the ability to identify similarities and difference among a set of objects, and to group and name them accordingly. This kind of organization is prominent in an assortment of disciplines, including math, science, and music.
Sorting is systematic. It’s ordering. It’s comparing and contrasting. Sorting is matching, and it’s also the very most basic form of algebra.
FAQ About Teaching Preschoolers How to Sort
To introduce sorting to preschoolers and toddlers, begin with simple tasks and only one category at a time. Teaching colors seem to be the easiest for introducing sorting. As young learners become more comfortable and confident in their ability organize objects into only one category (for example green), additional classifications can be added on top of this initial list — such as green foods, for example.
Start by teaching colors to toddlers and preschoolers, and practice matching and sorting them. I have many color teaching printables on my site. Once that is mastered, you can teach preschoolers how to sort animals (land versus water), clothing (summer versus winter), or toys (blocks versus legos).
After preschoolers master classifying by one attribute, they can begin sorting by more than one attribute, such as pulling all the red hearts out of the attribute button bin.
You don’t need special classroom manipulatives to effectively teach sorting. In fact, there are many sorting and classifying activities for preschoolers you can do right at home! Try sorting silverware, putting away laundry or sorting groceries in the pantry.
Why Learning to Sort is Important
Sorting helps young learners make observations about how things are alike and different — which are two essential early literacy and math skills.
As adults, we sort things all day every day. We sort our laundry by color before washing. We wear matching shoes that have probably been placed in pairs in the closet. We separate our silverware in a special organizer in the drawer.
One of the most important skills that children will ever learn is how to process information. Sorting can help them with this essential ability and even more than just their grades improve, they’re developing critical executive function skills which are necessary for life after school!
The Process of Learning to Sort
Naturally, when children explore their environment they notice how things are alike, and how they are different. your preschooler will notice when you get new glasses, or that you used the small plates at dinner rather than the big plates. It’s also sorting when your toddler or preschooler lines up all her ponies in a straight, clean line.
Children begin to sort their by characteristics that have meaning to them, usually starting with characteristics such as color, size, and shape, then eventually moving on to texture and sound. (Check out this STEM activity about sorting sound.) Children then begin matching objects that have the same characteristics.
Most children being by matching concrete objects first, like blocks of the same color or buttons of the same shape, because developmentally it’s easier. Then they move to matching pictures or puzzle pieces. Then the skills gradually progress in difficulty.
Once a child is matching more than two objects, they are sorting. Sorting involves separating objects into groups according to their similarities, which means they are also noticing differences.
Children Have Their Own Ideas About Sorting
Children may have their own ideas of how objects are related. Not only is that okay, but it is also encouraged. Preschoolers benefit from their own sorting activities and defining the terms of their sorting.
For example, when asked to sort attribute buttons into (undefined) groups, a preschooler might put stars and hearts together because they both have points. Or they might put circles, ovals, and hearts together because they all have “bendy parts”. As long as the preschooler can explain her choices, this is absolutely okay because there is some serious critical thinking going on there.
These are important aspects in pre-k sorting activities. Use these opportunities to talk to your preschooler to toddler, and allow them to share ideas.
In-Home Sorting Activities
Sorting activities are most beneficial when they relate to everyday life so kids can see math in their everyday world, and color sorting preschool activities are some of the easiest to do!
Here are some other easy sorting activities that you can help your toddler with in your home that require no prep at all! You can add these to any of your sorting preschool lesson plans.
- Putting away silverware
- Sorting laundry to be washed
- Putting away own laundry (sorting into appropriate drawers)
- Sorting groceries according to where they go (refrigerator, pantry, or cabinet)
- Putting away toys
- Sort mixed veggies (who says you can’t play with your food?)
- Pictures to be placed into a photo album (by event or topic)
- Sorting crayons by color or length
As children’s skills develop, so should the complexity of the sorting tasks. Be creative. You are not limited to color sorting activities!
Next time your child is helping you clean up toys, ask for all the toys with a specific attribute (such as color, or size), then objects of a certain kind, or with a specific function (such as toys that make noise, can be snuggled, stacked, or rolled). This also has the potential to be a great indirect vocabulary lesson, too!
These are fantastic learning activities that can help your preschooler practice sorting. Don’t forget about sorting activities for toddlers, too.
Use Picture Books to Teach Sorting, too!
Early Childhood Lesson Plans for Sorting
Looking for fun, hands-on activities to teach your preschoolers all about sorting?
This Comparing & Sorting Preschool Math Unit includes everything you need to teach sorting differentiation skills to your preschooler.
It gives you the all the daily lesson plans and the centers, plus literacy activities that tie into sorting. These preschool sorting activities in lesson plans include:
- matching
- comparing
- ordering
- classifying
- sorting by color
- sorting by size
- sorting by shapes
-
Sorting Preschool Math Unit$12.00
Must Know Tips for Teaching Sorting
Michigan State University Extension says that, in general, the process of sorting involves three steps:
- Children decide which characteristic to sort by.
- Children should physically sort the objects. (No worksheets here!).
- They will be able to describe their rationale for sorting.
Describing their rationale encourages children to think about other characteristics to sort by. Soon your preschooler might be sorting their attribute buttons by placing hearts and triangles in the same groups because an upside-down heart looks a little like a triangle.
15 Clever Sorting Activities for Preschoolers
To get you started, here are 15 new and clever sorting activities for preschoolers.
6 Creative Sorting Activities for Preschoolers
Color Sorting and Fine Motor Activity for Preschoolers
Rainbow Sorting and Stacking Activity
Comparing and Sorting in Preschool Math
Attribute Sorting – Teaching Similarities and Differences
Farm Sorting Activities for Preschoolers
Back to School Dominoes with Free Printable
Farm Theme Old Maid with Free Printable
Sorting Buttons File Folder Game
72 Picture Books for Preschoolers
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
Great ideas for sorting activities! I featured your post at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LivingMontessoriNow