Why is Sorting Important?

Sorting is a foundational skill that other skills are built on. If you are able to group and categorise things, you will be able to identify patterns quicker and learn things faster.

Matching is a good way to start learning for babies, however there is a difference between sorting and matching. Matching is about looking for differences and if there are any, they don’t match. Sorting on the other hand is looking for similarities and then categorising them. Toddlers and preschoolers will need to be presented with more sophisticated challenges in order to refine their sorting skills.

When children later start math, they will find it easier to identify sets for differences and similarities, make matches, classify items by single/multiple attributes, recognize and create patterns, understand patterns, relations and functions, sort shapes into categories, and sort numbers (according to prime or composites, even or odd, negative, or positive etc)

Best sorting toys for babies:

• Shape sorters

• Shape puzzles

• Stacking towers

• Colour matching with bowls and balls

See a selection of our other recommended sorting & matching toys for babies

Best sorting toys for toddlers:

• 3D shape puzzles with varying sizes

• Simple jigsaw puzzles

• Stacking towers with different shapes

• Memory games

See a selection of our other recommended sorting & matching toys for toddlers

Best sorting toys for preschoolers

• Jigsaw puzzles

• Loose parts play for sorting

• Card games like Snap and Uno

• Phonics and letter matching games

• Number matching games

Things around the house you can get your little ones to help sort:

• Cutlery

• Crayons/colour pencils/markers by colour and size

• Laundry

• Coins (under supervision)

• Lego

• Building blocks

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