Category sorting activities are a powerful tool for helping students who struggle with organization. By sorting objects into groups based on their attributes, children learn how to label and organize their world. This cognitive skill is a crucial building block for language acquisition and comprehension.
Research has shown that starting category sorting activities early can lead to stronger vocabulary and comprehension skills. In this post, we’ll explore some fun and engaging category sorting activities that can help children of all abilities develop these important skills.
The Common Core Standards emphasize the importance of mastering the skill of sorting common objects, such as animals, plants, and shapes, among others. According to (CDC.gov), children begin to understand the concept of sorting as young as two years old, and by the age of four, they may have developed an understanding of the color, shape, and size attributes of objects in their environment. This developmental milestone is crucial for the child’s cognitive growth and should be given appropriate attention in their education.
I have created a series of engaging category sorting activities that are specifically designed to help students in grades K-1 develop their categorization skills. Not only do these activities meet the Common Core State Standards in ELA, but they are also aligned with the DLM Essential Elements, making them a great resource for students with disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum. By providing a fun and interactive learning experience, these sorting worksheets help students develop important cognitive and language skills that are essential for success both in and out of the classroom.
Common Core State Standards and DLM Essential Elements for Students With Disabilities
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.5 Sort common objects into categories (eg., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts of the categories represent.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.5 Sort words into categories (e.g., colors, clothing) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
Dynamic Learning Maps Essential Elements for English Language Arts:
ELA.EE.L.K.5 Demonstrate emerging understanding of word relationships: With guidance and support, sort common objects into familiar categories.
By providing a fun and interactive learning experience, these sorting worksheets help students develop important cognitive and language skills that are essential for success both in and out of the classroom.
Categorizing Common Objects Worksheets
These differentiated cut-and-paste worksheets for sorting objects and words into their correct categories, come in printable and digital formats.
You also have the option to create activity books or manipulatives for durability, multiple uses, practice, and long-term use. I’ve added extra picture symbols and words— print, cut, laminate, and velcro to create a physical interactive activity book.
Activity books are a fantastic tool for a variety of learning environments, including autism and kindergarten classrooms, as well as for students who require accommodations for their fine motor skills. Through the use of activity books, my students were able to learn more effectively. This may be due to the fact that activity books are not only fun but also provide high levels of sensory input, making them a highly motivating learning tool.
The digital format on the EASEL by TPT platform is a wonderful tool because it is a self-checking activity so your students will have immediate feedback and can self-correct. This provides another pathway for students who are highly motivated by technology and can work independently. Additionally, it is perfect for remote learning.
Category Sorting Colors
I have also created a category sorting activity for students learning their colors. These unique cut-and-paste worksheets have been differentiated in multiple ways to help scaffold the activity for your students. With three levels of support provided, from independent to the highest support level needed, these worksheets are perfect for students of all abilities.
Benefits of Category Sorting Activities
Research has shown that possessing strong sorting skills prior to entering Kindergarten can significantly enhance a child’s academic performance.T hese are some of the benefits of having good sorting skills.
- Helps students integrate new information better
- Higher information retention skills
- Stronger language skills
- Better attention and problem solving skills
- Improves executive function skills
- Stronger math skills
Educational Toys For Building Category Sorting Skills
Educational toys can play a vital role in helping children reach important cognitive milestones, encompassing crucial learning, thinking, and problem-solving skills such as labeling, sorting, and categorizing. For students with severe disabilities, these toys can be an essential pathway to mastering these core skills and building the foundations for further learning.
In addition to serving as a critical resource in autism classrooms, educational toys can also enhance learning and engagement in pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms. By meeting children at their current levels of performance and catering to their interests, these toys can foster a deeper understanding of key concepts and spark a lifelong love of learning.
Sorting Bears
These toys are great for teaching your students how to sort by color and size (bears can be bought in different sizes). Additionally, they are great for math skills (counting, sequencing/patterning), fine motor development, sensory and social skills development.
Disclosure: “As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you if you choose to buy through this link.”
Categorizing Colors & Shapes
Categorizing colors and shapes is a helpful skill for kindergarteners and students with disabilities. It can assist with the development of their cognitive abilities, such as sorting and identifying patterns. Additionally, using different shapes and colors, it allows them to express their creativity and imagination. This can also help with their communication skills as they learn how to describe and identify objects.
Sorting Pies
These sorting pies toys can be a great tool for young learners and students with disabilities to learn many categorization and classification skills. Fruity pie, for example, can help teach, sorting by color, sorting by fruits, early number skills, patterning, problem-solving, and visual processing. These skills are essential for a child’s growth and development.
Moreover, using kids tongs to sort the pieces can help develop fine motor skills, especially fine motor pincer grasp. Jumbo tweezers are perfect for children with developing hand-eye coordination. Sorting cards provide visual cues that can help support success and make the process more engaging.
Sorting Picnic Basket
This sorting picnic basket will help students learn to count, identify colors, sort, and develop fine motor skills! Your students will enjoy learning and discovering the different colors and counting each piece while practicing their sorting skills by attributes. This educational toy is a perfect way to make learning fun and engaging in your classroom.
Additional Resources and Materials
If you are looking for more activities, worksheets, and printables for supporting your students with vocabulary and comprehension check out my TPT store. All of my activities are available in PDF and digital format on the Easel by TPT platform. You can assign the work to your students and they can access it from any device. You will also be able to monitor their progress and give them timely feedback. In addition, many of the activities are self-checking and self-correcting so your students will have immediate feedback on their progress.
Lastly, I’d like to invite you to join the vortex 2 learning club and have exclusive access to the freebie library resources. You will find a growing collection of educational lessons, activities, printables, worksheets, workbooks and so much more. You will be given a password that will allow you access at any time.
