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Two-Basket Sort

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Two-Basket Sort

Description

Your toddler sorts a small mix of two clearly different objects into two baskets, an early hands-on way to notice how things are alike and different.

What to prep

  • baskets
  • sorting_objects
Cost: FreeBest time: Anytime

Play guide

  1. 1Choose two kinds of object that look and feel very different, such as blocks and balls.
  2. 2Put a small mix of them in one bowl and set two empty baskets beside it.
  3. 3Show your toddler once by placing one of each kind into its own basket.
  4. 4Hand them an object and let them decide where it goes, with no correcting.
  5. 5Tip everything back together and sort again as many times as they like.

Success signals

Your toddler drops objects into the baskets, even if not always the matching one. Over time more objects land with their own kind. They keep going after you tip the objects back together

If it's tricky

They mix the two kinds: Do not correct them; sorting accuracy comes with time and the handling still teaches. It feels too hard: Use fewer objects and make the two kinds even more different. They lose interest: Let them simply fill and dump the baskets instead