Sorting Activity for infants 15 to 18 months old

assalamu alaikum, 

This activity is for infants 15 to 18 months old insha'Allah. Alhamdulillah, infants at this stage are now able to tell the difference between different colours, sizes and shapes. This is a prime opportunity for a parent to help their infant work on these skills by providing fun, quality activities for their child insha'Allah. Insha'Allah this one qualifies (smile). Directions: Take several solid colour hijaabs (square & rectanlge), the under-piece that many sisters wear under their hijabs (circle), a few sets of black gloves (if you wear them), 4 to 5 siwaak, as many kufis as you can find at home insha'Allah, and other similar items.

• Try to vary the colours and shapes as much as possible insha'Allah.
• Tell your child that you are going to play a sorting game. Explain that sorting means putting things that are alike in the same pile/stack. Provide a circle for each category to aide in the activity (optional).
• Label each circle (i.e. hijabs, siwaak, etc.) or by colour or by shape insha'Allah.
• Talk with the infant about the attributes of the objects before you place one in the circle (i.e. "This hijab has a square shape. Let's put it in the cicle for things that are square or Where do you think we should put this?"). Read the titles of the labels to the infant as you place the object in the circle insha'Allah.
• Place one object in each catagory together but withdraw yourself from the activity once the infant has engaged in it. Once they've demonstrated they know what to do, move out of their visual range and observe. If they place an object in the incorrect circle do not intervene. Allow the infant to continue and when they are done discuss together how they have sorted the objects. Talk about why an incorrect object does not belong where it was placed and allow the infant the chance to self-correct (i.e. place the object in the correct circle/stack).
• Try encouraging the infant to sort the objects according to a different attribute when they have demonstrated that they understand the activity insha'Allah.

Have fun and enjoy insha'Allah!