Sorting and classifying are fundamental to early math concepts for children in their early years. Did you know that children can recognize and learn shapes before learning their names! Work together with your child to collect, sort, and classify items from around the house.  

Engaging with Your Child 

Start off by inviting your child to collect different shaped items from around the house, for example; cushions, tissue box, yogurt lid. Once you have collected a sufficient number of items, place them on the floor and work together to organize them. You can talk about the characteristics of the items to promote critical thinking “Which items do you think are the biggest...which are the smallest?”. Once the items are grouped by size, move onto grouping them by their shape, colour, and etc. Don’t forget to praise your child’s effort along the way, “I like the way piled the square shaped items”. Praising your child’s process nurtures confidence and their sense of self.