Instructions

Collect a few objects in the same category but of different sizes. Sticks, leaves, shoes, or cups are often easy to find. Start by asking your little one, "Which is the smallest?" and "Which is the largest?" Next, encourage your little one to arrange the objects in size order. They may not do this correctly at first and that is okay. Praise your little one for their effort and keep trying!

The Science

In this activity, you are helping your child develop organizational schemas. They are learning that they can use visual characteristics — size or shape, for example — to group objects. Once your little one begins to grasp this simple schema, they can begin to build more complex organizational systems that will help them better make sense of a big, complex world.