Shape, pattern and sorting/matching

Shapes can be flat, curved, straight, hollow or solid and they can be 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional. Shapes are all around us both at home and outside. Children should have the opportunity to explore different shapes through their play, stories and songs.

Developing an awareness of pattern helps young children to notice and understand mathematical relationships.

Sorting and matching objects helps develop children’s logical and higher order thinking skills and fine motor skills. Children will collect, organise, match and sort items in different ways. They will notice if things are similar or different and they may begin to sort by colour, size, texture and sound.

Matching allows children to look at items that have things in common. By first matching items children can then move onto matching pictures. When involved in sorting and matching children will first decide on the characteristics they are going to use then physically sort them and finally describe their reason why.

Suggestions for exploring shape, pattern and sorting/matching:

Go on a shape hunt - in your home, garden or local area. Which 2d shapes can you spot? For more challenge, which 3d shapes can you see? Can you describe them?
Encourage your child to sort and match shapes using their own criteria and share their thinking with you - I wonder why you've put these ones together? Do you think these two look alike? Why?
Ask your child to gather a selection of different materials from around your home or garden - pine cones, stones, spoons, - anything will do! Invite your child to sort the items into groups. Ask simple questions to clarify their thinking - is it the texture, size, shape, colour? Encourage them to share their ideas with you.
Ask your child to close their eyes and hand them various shapes. Can they guess what the shape is? Can they describe it? 1 curved edge? 2 flat edges? Round?
Junk modelling - save up recyclable materials (cereal boxes, cardboard tubes, milk lids etc) and let your child's imagination take over. What could you build today? Look through the materials together in advance and talk about the shapes that they can see. Can they group similar shapes together?
Make or draw shapes - using play dough, straws, clay, buttons or sticks. Talk about the properties of the shapes together. How many sides does a triangle have?
Play with shapes to explore how they fit together - using building blocks/ Lego or lollipop sticks for example.
Find patterns – help your child look for patterns in everything around them – on clothes, in pictures, while you’re out walking etc. Talk to them about the colours/shapes/sequences to help them understand about patterns. You could also explore more abstract forms of patterns, for example in their daily routine. There are lots of fun online games for exploring and identifying/continuing patterns -https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/shape-patterns
Make patterns – encourage your child to get creative with stickers, stamps or beads to make patterns; clap or beat out rhythms, building up a sequence; get the children to cross the room or garden using a series of repeated movements (eg skip, jump, stride).
Sorting and matching could be included in your daily routine - household chores such as, sorting out the laundry, pairing socks, emptying the dishwasher, tidying away toys or sorting materials for recycling would all be great opportunities for interesting conversations around matching and sorting.