As adults, we can spend a lot of our time sifting and sorting information. Children need to learn the different ways in which information can be categorised, so that they can begin making sense of the world around them.

This unit is a fun way for children to start thinking about the different ways that a set of objects can be put into different groups according to different criteria. In the first series of activities, the task is to sort different forms of transport in different ways: those that fly, those that go in the water, those that have engines, public and private forms of transport.

In the second, more challenging series of activities, they are presented with pictures of animals sorted into two or three groups according to different criteria. You can use clues to work out how the animals are sorted, for example those with and those without legs, those that fly and those that don't, those that lay eggs and those that have live babies.

The sorting activities help children to understand the different properties of the objects they are sorting.

You can make up similar games at home using small collections of everyday objects. Together work out how many different ways you can sort them. You can sort them into two groups for your child to guess how you have sorted them, or your child can sort them into two groups for you to guess how they have sorted them.