PRESCHOOL · PLAY AT HOME
Matching, memory and sorting games at home for ages 3–6
Matching, memory, sorting, counting and “what comes next” games don’t need anything from the store. Socks, a deck of cards, blocks and snacks are plenty. Here they are by age, each one ready to try in the ten minutes before dinner.
What you need: whatever’s already in the house
- A deck of playing cards, or any cards that come in pairs. You can also draw matching pictures on scraps of paper.
- A basket of clean socks, grown-up and kid sizes mixed together.
- Blocks, LEGO, toy cars, stuffed animals.
- Snacks: crackers, cereal, cut-up fruit.
- A few bowls, cups or bins to be the “homes” for sorting.
Matching and memory
Matching is finding two things that are the same. Memory is turning them face down and remembering where they are. Socks are the easiest place to start.
- Sock match: dump the laundry basket on the bed and ask your child to find two that are the same, then line up the pairs.
- Memory setup: pull a few pairs from a deck of cards (two aces, two fives), shuffle, and lay them face down.
- Take turns flipping two cards. If they match, keep them. If not, flip them back and it’s the next person’s turn.
- Think out loud before you flip: “I remember the five was right here!” Your child hears how you’re remembering.
- When the cards are gone, count how many pairs each person has.
For 3 year olds, start with 3 or 4 pairs and show them face up once before turning them over. Every so often, “forget” where a card is. Your child will be thrilled to tell you.
Sorting: every thing has a home
Sorting means splitting things into groups by a rule. Start with the most obvious rule and make it trickier over time.
- Color: red blocks in this bowl, blue blocks in that one.
- Size: big cars on one side, little cars on the other.
- Kind: animals that fly, animals that swim, animals that live on land.
- Laundry: Mom’s, Dad’s and mine.
- Switch the rule: sort the same pile by color, then ask your child to come up with another way.
Counting and “what comes next”
- Snack counting: “Here are 3 crackers. Count them for me one at a time.”
- One more, one less: “Here’s one more. How many now?” “What if you eat one?”
- Stair counting: count up on the way up, count down on the way down.
- Block patterns: line up red, blue, red, blue, and ask what comes next.
- Body patterns: clap, pat your knees, clap, pat, and let your child keep it going.
- Swap roles: let your child make a pattern to test you.
By age: start simple
| Game | Around 3 | Around 4 | 5–6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matching | Socks, two identical picture cards | Playing cards by number | Match things that go together, like an animal and its food |
| Memory | 3–4 pairs, peek first | 5–6 pairs, take turns | 8+ pairs, keep score |
| Sorting | Two piles by color | Three piles by size or kind | Invent a rule and explain it |
| Counting | Count to 3–5 | Count to 10, hand over the right amount | One more, one less, simple adding and taking away |
| Patterns | Red, blue, red, blue (AB) | Red, red, blue (AAB) | Make up a pattern for a grown-up to solve |
Ages are only a rough guide. Every child moves at their own pace. If it’s too hard, step back; if it’s too easy, add a twist. Most of all, stop while your child still wants more. Next time, they’ll come find you.
How Hao's Dad does it
Fruit Park's six mini games are the same kinds of play: Who Eats What (matching), Memory Flip (memory cards), Find It, Sort It (by color or habitat), Count It and What's Next (patterns), each with three levels. On a rainy day or in a waiting room, it's a way to pick up where today's real-world games left off.
But if I could only pick one, I'd pick the socks and the playing cards from this article.
FAQ
My child quits when they keep losing. What can I do?
Use fewer cards, or play as a team: everyone searches together and you all win when the last pair is found. Grown-ups can also flip the wrong card now and then.
My 3 year old can’t really count yet. Is that okay?
Every child moves at their own pace. Start with 1 to 3 and count often in everyday life. If you have questions about development, talk with your pediatrician or your child’s preschool teacher.
How long should we play?
A few minutes up to ten or fifteen is plenty. Ending while it’s still fun works better than playing until they’re tired.
This article is general parenting information and is not a substitute for medical or professional advice. If you have concerns about your child's development or health, talk to your pediatrician or another qualified professional.
A rainy-day backup
Fruit Park's six mini games follow the same ideas as this article: matching, memory, finding, sorting, counting and patterns.
