In recent months your baby has developed the urge to categorize. But playing with plastic shape sorters has its limits. Mix it up (and sort it out) with this homemade alternative.
Appropriate for:
11 months to 2 years
Skills developed:
Sorting, fine motor
What you'll need:
A muffin tin and groups of small objects, all more than 2 inches in diameter
Collect a few large groups of related objects such as large seashells, rubber balls, or toys. Show your baby how to put an object into each cup of a muffin tin. Then, after you've helped your baby fill the tin and dump it out a few times, sort the same types of objects into their own cups.
This is a game you can continue to play for years, making it more sophisticated in terms of sorting and matching – grouping items, for example, by color and shape.
Safety note: Don't use any objects that are small enough for your baby to swallow or choke on. (A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything small enough to fit through a toilet-paper roll.)