Modes of Transportation for Preschoolers

— December 19, 2024

Teaching sorting to a child should be playful, interesting, and not difficult. There are many different sorting themes for preschoolers. Such as by color and size but it is important to branch out into other areas than simply by appearance and what the child can see in front of them. Using knowledge they already have fosters critical thinking and done right can bring a hint of challenge which will grow your child’s confidence. 

This free printable offers to help your child grow their confidence by challenging them to reflect back on what they know. It is one activity in a full week of train themed activities. The activities range from coloring a wooden train to learning shapes with another free printable. If your child is obsessed with trains like my 3 year old is then you can check out the week at the button below. You’ll find the transportation printable available for download at the bottom of this post.

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What are sorting activities for kids?

Sorting activities for 3-5 year old’s.

Sorting is grouping objects or things based on similar qualities. Such as grouping all the yellow vegetables together and the green vegetables separately. Another example is taking objects and grouping them based on size. Large counting bears are placed in one pile while the medium sized bears go into another and the small bears are also grouped separately. 

Taxonomy sorting.

As children grow they are able to reason for more complicated sorting themes and sorting activities. Consider when you learned about the classification of living organisms in middle school. A taxonomy is a more complicated sorting process. You no longer were simply looking at an object’s appearance but also having to consider how they eat and reproduce. As well as their habitat and how they have evolved. 

Laying a strong foundation for sorting objects beyond appearance.

Once your young child is adept at sorting activities that involve objects based on what they physically see in front of them it is time to challenge them. The only way to do this is with objects that they have a frame of reference for. Most children have an excellent knowledge of modes of transportation. Boats are seen on the water, airplanes in the air, and cars on the road.

That is why this printable is excellent for your child to use as that next step in understanding the sorting process. Does a train travel by land, sea, or air? What about a hot air balloon or a cruise ship? The purpose of the transportation is considered instead of its appearance. You can choose to print off the backgrounds or simply use construction paper.

Sorting activities are all around you.

Simple sorting activities are everywhere. In the kitchen, homeschool cabinet, clothing closet, nature, and more. When your child is first learning to sort, seek simple and cheap sorting activities. Use utensils to sort based on type. Try socks from various family members to sort based on size or leaves in the fall to sort based on color. 

As your child progresses and grows then you can begin sorting animals based on more complex characteristics such as habitats. Objects based on texture or weight. Look around you to find sorting activities for your child. 

More math activities for preschoolers.

If you’re seeking more math activities for your 3-5 year old to do at home then be sure to check out these posts. 

Apple Math is a free printable for teaching number recognition and names. The activity instructions are included to make this easy to implement with your child.

Drum Patterns include instructions for teaching patterns to a preschooler. You’ll also find a free printable to practice finishing patterns with your child. 

As well as the Train Shape Matching provides practice for your child to learn shape recognition. It’s also free and can be found at Tt is for Train.

Age appropriate sorting activities. 

Finding age appropriate sorting activities for your young child is easy and should not cost you. Begin with simple physical characteristics and move to more complicated concepts. If you enjoy this printable, please leave a comment to let others know. 

Letter of the Week

If you’re seeking a preschool curriculum for homeschool be sure to check out Letter of the Week. Activity ideas, coloring pages, book suggestions, and free printables are included. Follow the button below to explore more of what Letter of the Week has to offer. 

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