What You Need
- Items found around the house
If it’s laundry day, ask your child to help you sort clothes into different groups — light/dark colors, white/colored socks, winter/summer clothes, or each family member’s clothes. When you come home from the grocery store, ask your child to help you sort your purchases — paper products, dairy, meat, produce, canned food, frozen food, and more. You can even ask him to sort the produce and canned food into fruits and vegetables. If you have an unorganized pile of shoes by the door, ask your child to match them up. After the dishes are done, ask your child to sort the silverware into the slots in the drawer (ensure sharp utensils are already put away and are out of reach). You can also work with your child to organize his art supplies. Ask things like, “How can you sort your crayons?” and encourage him to sort them into different cups. The sorting opportunities are endless!
What Your Child Learns
Sorting common household items builds children's ability to see patterns, make connections, and form logical conclusions — all important skills for higher level, mathematical thinking. Additionally, children want and need to feel useful and valued. Contributing to everyday household chores encourages feelings of positive self worth.
