Matching socks...

Every day household tasks can be a great source of learning for young children. Children love to be helpful, especially if this can be made into a game. In this activity children of different ages can begin to learn how to help with the laundry.
Ask them to help you unload the washing machine and find all the socks, ready for matching...

Activity
What do I need?
A selection of clean socks of different colours, patterns and sizes.
These could be straight from your laundry basket so your little one can help you with your chores or ones you have selected from your sock drawers
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Age 3-5

• Ask your child to sort the socks into pairs.
• Model how to fold them into pairs together

Extension activity:

• Add more complexity by asking them to order the pairs by length 
• Count how many pairs there are and calculate how many socks
• Measure the socks to see which is the longest/shortest: height and length
• Have a race: 2 baskets - who can sort the fastest? Or how many socks can be matched before the timer beeps?
• Can your child help fold the rest of the laundry? 

Age 2-3

• Lay out a selection of single socks
• Give your child a basket with the other socks in and invite them to find the matching pairs

Extension activity

• Invite your child to sort the pairs by colour
• Can they guess whose socks they are? 

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