Muffin Tray Sort

What you need

• muffin tray
• small pom-poms or buttons
• spoon or tongs

How to do it

1. Tip the pom-poms into one cup of the muffin tray.
2. Show them scooping one into a spoon and dropping it into the next cup.
3. Let them fill each cup, counting how many go in.
4. Tip them all back together and start again if they want another go.

Why it matters

Scooping and dropping small items one cup at a time builds the same precise control they'll need for pouring their own cereal.

What they're learning

spoon control

Scooping without spilling builds the steady hand they'll use for feeding themselves neatly.

sorting by cup

Filling separate cups one at a time is early sorting, a building block for later maths grouping.

focused attention

Concentrating on not spilling stretches how long they can stay on one careful task.

What to look for

Notice if they slow their hand down right before dropping the pom-pom, aiming rather than just tipping.

A tip

Dried pasta or big buttons work if you don't have pom-poms, just make sure pieces are too big to swallow.

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