Sorting words into groups — animals, fruits, things we ride in, things we wear — builds vocabulary and teaches children to think about what words have in common.
What your child will learn
- Know which group a word belongs to
- Spot the odd one out in a group of three
- Explain why a word does or does not belong
Thinking in groups
Grouping words is how children organise what they know. Asking “Why doesn’t it belong?” encourages them to explain their thinking, which is great for talk and later for writing.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Which one is a fruit?
- 🍌 banana
- 🚢 ship
- 🦁 lion
Show answer
Answer: 🍌 banana. The banana is in the group of fruits.
2. Which one is an animal?
- 🍌 banana
- 🎩 hat
- 🐵 monkey
Show answer
Answer: 🐵 monkey. The monkey is in the group of animals.
3. Which one is a fruit?
- 🍇 grapes
- 🚂 train
- 🧦 sock
Show answer
Answer: 🍇 grapes. The grapes are in the group of fruits.
Tips for grown-ups
- Tidy toys into groups together: animals here, cars there.
- At the shops, name everything in the fruit section.
- Play odd one out with three objects on the table.