Playdates

Playdate focus

This is centered on what makes objects the same and different.

Storybook properties

This has shapes, colors, relationships, and counting up to 5.

Activities properties

These involve grouping things with the same property.

Comparing

Help your child understand properties better by comparing and contrasting them.

Examples

For example, talk about the size or age of a child and an adult – one is younger and the other older, and one is shorter and the other is taller. Or you could talk about a bird and a dog – one can fly and has feathers and the other has fur and cannot fly.

Same and different

Make a playful activity out of this by showing your child two objects and asking how they are the same and how they are different. Be prepared for surprising ideas and do include silly suggestions along with the more serious ones.

More examples

If you hand your child a spoon and fork, there are many things your child might say. They are the same because you eat with both of them. They are also the same because you hold both of them, they are about the same size, or they are made of the same material. They are different because one is smooth and somewhat round, while the other is pointed.