Sorting - the good ones go into the pod

Introduction

You only need a bowl with different things and some form of container in which the sorted things can be stored. If you want to work strictly according to Montessori you would need to provide a sortingtray, in which the child can decide what to sort into where. If the sorting with the hand is getting too easy, you can add a tool to make the exercise more interesting.

These exercises are presented on a tray so the child can take it out and back into the shelf independently. The objects are arranged according to writing direction to strengthen the muscle memory.

Sorting autumn

chestnuts, beechnuts, little cones
Sorting tray or small trays

Collect the most beautiful treasures during a walk in the woods and scatter them in the big part of the tray.

To start with preferably offer very different things.

Smaller children love to sort things into wooden boxes with lids - open, fill in, close.

Sorting autumn - advanced

acorns, hazelnuts, chestnuts
Sorting tray or small trays

Collect preferably similar things during a walk in the woods.

The more similar the things are, the more thorough they need to be examined, the more conentrated they have to work.

Sorting pompoms

Pompoms
box
colored egg carton
if wanted sugar tongs or chopsticks

Paint an egg carton with water colours or acrylic paints and let it dry. Get the pompoms and the tools ready.

You can vary the level of difficulty with the size of the pompoms and the tools you provide. If you decide not to paint the egg carton, the child can decide where to sort what which makes this exercise more according to Montessori.

Sorting pasta

boxes or trays
(colored) pasta
if wanted sugar tongs or chopsticks

Pasta can be sorted into colours or shapes. To honour the isolation of quality, it might be better to first offer natural coloured pasta in different shapes, then varied coloured pasta with the same shape. After these tasks have been mastered you can raise the level of difficulty.