Shape sorters come in all sorts of designs and sizes. Many of us buy them for our infants because they are brightly coloured and look like a fun activity that will keep them occupied for a while.
But there are many more benefits to these attractive toys and if you are going to invest in one you should consider some of their other functions to help you choose the right one for your child.
Firstly they develop: Fine motor skills as the shapes have to be manipulated in a child’s hands and turned around to fit into the right holes, the right way.
They can be used to teach the names of shapes to further maths knowledge. As the shapes have to be turned around to fit the holes children sub-conscientiously learn about rotation, symmetry and perspective which are other vital maths skills.
They develop hand-eye co-ordination as well as problem solving skills, as children think about which way the shape needs to be turned in order to fit into the holes.
As some shapes are easier than others to fit into the holes they can be used to develop their precision too.
So while they look very simple, they have many functions and it may be a good idea to buy more than one increasing in complexity as your child gets older – Start them on an easy one and once this is mastered invest in a harder one.
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