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Muffin tin sorting is a simple activity that helps toddlers practice problem-solving and early math thinking by matching objects to the holes they fit into. All it takes is a muffin tin and a handful of household items your child can safely explore.
At N Family School, we love hands-on math experiences like this, since a simple household item can turn into a great lesson in size, shape, and problem-solving.
What you’ll need
A muffin tin (or a few small boxes or containers arranged on a tray if you don't have one)
An assortment of small household items or toys in a range of sizes
Safety note: Choose items too large to pose a choking hazard, and always supervise closely, since this activity involves small parts.
This activity works well starting around 12 to 18 months, once your child can pick up and place small objects with some control, all the way through the preschool years. Older children can take on more complex sorting, like grouping items by color, size, or shape.
Muffin tin sorting is a hands-on lesson in problem-solving, as your child figures out which objects fit where. It's also an early introduction to mathematical thinking, building vocabulary around size and shape as you talk through what fits, what doesn't, and why.
Set out the muffin tin along with your collection of objects. Encourage your child to place, or try to place, each item into one of the holes to see if it fits. You may need to model this a few times before they get the hang of it.
Include a good range of sizes so your child has to think through each choice rather than fitting everything the same way. As they work, talk through what you're noticing together. Does this one fit? Why do you think this one is too big?
Problem-solving experiences like this are exactly what our Lab is designed for at N Family School. Sorting objects by size and shape gives children an early, hands-on introduction to mathematical thinking, the same kind of thinking this activity builds one muffin tin at a time.
Want to see hands-on problem-solving in action? Inquire today to learn more about N Family School.
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