Hard or Soft? Rough or Smooth?

Preparation

Step 1: Gather several groups of common objects that can be sorted based on different characteristics.

Here are some examples:

• Hard/soft
  • quarter, rock, screw (hard)
  • cotton ball, soft fabric, small pillow (soft)
• Rough/smooth
  • sandpaper, rough fabric like corduroy, bumpy rock (rough)
  • piece of aluminum foil, plastic spoon, piece of silk or other smooth fabric (smooth)
• Dark/light
  • black construction paper, dark crayon, dark piece of clothing (dark)
  • white construction paper, light socks, yellow toy (light)

Step 2: Label two pieces of construction paper for each set that will be used for sorting. For example, for sorting Rough/Smooth, you might label one piece of paper Rough and glue a small piece of sandpaper on it. Label another paper Smooth and glue a piece of aluminum foil on it.

Activity

Step 1: Start by showing your child several objects that share an attribute or characteristic and then contrast them with items that have different attributes. For example, you might say:

Let’s look at some things that feel rough. Feel the sandpaper. It’s really rough. This rock is bumpy. Feel it. It also feels rough.

Now let’s touch some things that are smooth. Run your finger gently on top of the aluminum foil. Feel how smooth it is.

Step 2: Place all the rough and smooth items on a table or the floor. Ask your child to pick up an item and decide whether it is rough or smooth. Then have her sort by placing each item on the corresponding piece of paper (rough or smooth).

Step 3: Tell your child that you are going to go on a hunt in your home to find other things that are rough and smooth. As you hunt, your child might discover Daddy’s rough beard, a smooth kitchen counter, a rough doormat or a smooth window.  

Step 4: Continue with another set of contrasting objects.

Start with just one characteristic. For example, you might start with shiny. Place a few items on the table and tell your child that you are going to find the things that are shiny and place all the shiny things in a basket. Pick up items one at a time and ask, “Is this shiny?” If it is, have your child place it in the basket.  

Go with your child to her bedroom or playroom. Let her watch as you locate and pick up or point to three items that have the same characteristic (e.g., 3 soft stuffed animals, 3 shiny coins, 3 heavy pieces of furniture). Keep it a secret though. Don’t tell her which characteristic you are thinking of. Show the three items to your child, have her look at them and feel them, and see if she can accurately describe the characteristic. You might ask her,

See this stuffed bear, the pillow, and sock? How are these three items alike? They are all _____.

See if she can fill in the blank.  She may think of a description that fits the three items that is different from the one you had in mind.  If so, accept it.  It shows that she's thinking critically!