Muffin Tin Sort: illustration of a toddler doing the activity

Muffin Tin Sort

from 18 months · 5-10 min · Fine motor

Physical DevelopmentMathematics

What you need

  • muffin tin
  • large pom-poms or bottle caps

How to do it

  1. Place the muffin tin on the floor or tray.
  2. Scatter a handful of pom-poms or caps nearby.
  3. Show them placing one item in each cup.
  4. Let them keep filling until every cup has one.

Why it matters

Placing one item into one small space at a time strengthens the precise grip needed for holding a spoon steady.

What they're learning

Pincer grip
Picking up a pom-pom between finger and thumb is the same grip they'll use to pick up cereal or hold a crayon.
One-to-one placing
Matching one item to one cup is an early counting skill that shows up later in matching socks or setting a table.
Sustained focus
Working through all the cups without wandering off builds the attention span they'll need for sitting through a meal or a book.

What to look for

Watch for them going cup to cup in order rather than dumping everything into one.

A tip

Start with just 3-4 cups filled — a fully empty tin can feel overwhelming and they'll lose interest fast.

Make it easier or harder

Easier: use only 3-4 cups instead of the full tin

Harder: space the pom-poms further from the tin so they carry each one across

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Fine motor activities · Activities for 18 month olds · Activities for 2 year olds