Learn math outdoors with this color-sorting activity for toddlers! This outdoor math activity will allow your toddler to color-sort, get fresh air, and move. A winning combination for all! Let’s get color-sorting with this fun outdoor math activity!
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Supplies
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- Box – I upcycled a box that already had sections. A jewelry box is a good idea to use.
- Crayons or pens – Use these to color in each section of the box the same colors as the pompoms.
Pompoms
I love using pompoms are so many preschool activities!
Tongs
Using tongs helps fine motor development, which will help with handwriting and scissor skills.
How to Set Up Run, Sort, Repeat
Step 1. Grab a box and color in each section.
The box below is what I upcycled for this game. Then I took a crayon and colored in each section to show which color pompoms needed to go where.
Step 2. Mix up your pompoms.
Drop all your pompoms into one place, like a basket or box (I also include different size pompoms!). Place the tongs around the sides of the box for your children to use and pick up the pompoms.
Step 3. Explain the Rules
Explain to your preschooler that they will find assorted pom poms on one side of the yard (or room). On the other side of the yard, they will find the box to sort the pom poms. The catch? They have to use tongs to pick up the pompoms!
Step 4. Allow your preschooler to play with the tongs before you begin.
They need to understand how to use the tongs before they start. If you want to just focus on color-sorting, you can skip the tongs and use them in a different activity.
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Variations of This Outdoor Math Activity
Color Sorting Challenge Option #1
If the pompom falls, send them back to try again! – Have fun with this. If your preschooler has trouble with fine motor muscles, I won’t push it. I will only encourage this if it is playful for both of you.
Color Sorting Challenge Option #2
Add a timer!
Some children love a timer. Tell your toddler/preschooler that you are setting the timer for two minutes. Have them predict how many they think they can sort before the timer rings!
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Why Should Children Learn to Color Sort?
- Fine motor skills – Using tongs requires children to practice fine motor skills for writing and using scissors.
- Gross motor skills – Running back and forth uses gross motor development, which helps strengthen the body’s large muscles. The movement also stimulates brain development!
- Hands-on learning – What matters is that we provide fun, hands-on learning games to expose our children to big ideas, such as color sorting.
- Learning opportunities – Toddler and preschool activities should be exciting learning opportunities. It does not matter if Jenny can already tie her shoes down the road or if three-year-old Billy can count to 40. We do not have a checklist.
- New skills – My two-year-old wasn’t ready to retain color-sorting information just yet, so I mixed it in with this activity. Remember, with toddlers and preschoolers, our job is to expose them to different skills with sticky activities.
Read more on why motor development is so important for children.
RELATED: Keep our activity cards on hand and play ideas.
Activities on Demand
Want great ideas without the ads? Download these 20 hands-on learning games for kids.
This Outdoor Math Game is so Fun!
You will love this color-sorting outdoor activity that combines fine and gross motor skills to get up and move! When will you try this outdoor math activity?
Looking for More Outdoor Games?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sorting is one of the most important math activities for toddlers and preschoolers. Sorting introduces a larger concept such as classification and how objects are alike and different.
Begin teaching toddlers and preschoolers by sorting two different attributes. I like to stick to six items when my toddler is starting out. Begin to sort by two colors. Over time, think about how objects can be sorted by size, shape, texture, or multiple colors.
Children learn different skills at different times. If your child is beginning to explore sorting, introduce sorting by colors using yellow and orange.
