Sorting means putting things into groups or into order. Computers sort all the time — photos by date, names into alphabetical order, emails into folders. Year 1 coders sort by colour, shape, size and number.
What your child will learn
- Sort objects into groups by colour, shape, size or type
- Spot the odd one out and explain why
- Put things in order, smallest to biggest
- Know that computers sort data to help us find things
Sorting rules
Every sort needs a rule: “by colour” or “animals and not animals”. The same things can be sorted in different ways depending on the rule. Choosing a good yes/no question — “Does it have feathers?” — is the start of how computers classify things.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Sort by shape: which one goes with ⚽ and 🏀?
- 🎾
- 🟥
- 🔺
- 📦
Show answer
Answer: 🎾. Footballs, basketballs and tennis balls are all round.
2. Put the numbers in order, smallest first: 3, 1, 2
- 2, 1, 3
- 3, 2, 1
- 1, 2, 3
- 1, 3, 2
Show answer
Answer: 1, 2, 3. Smallest to biggest: 1, 2, 3.
3. True or false? We can sort toys by colour, size or shape.
Show answer
Answer: True. There are many ways to sort the same things.
Tips for grown-ups
- Sort the laundry together by colour, or cutlery by type.
- Line up family members by height.
- Play odd one out with toys.