While you’re sorting laundry…

and Silly Variations

Do you have a pile of socks to be folded and a little one begging for your time and attention? Why not turn the laundry task into a game your child will love?

This “Silly Socks Game” gives your child practice in sorting and categorizing socks according to a variety of criteria (skills scientists use everyday). It also works to expand your child’s vocabulary and strengthen skills related to observation and focus. In addition, it encourages your child to explain his or her reasoning skills while offering practice performing as a team member (more skills scientists rely on). And, as an added benefit, your socks will get sorted, matched and folded in the process—Yippee!  

You’ll need:
• Preschool child eager for attention
• One pile of clean socks (of assorted sizes and colours) eager to be sorted

To do:

Use one sock as a hand puppet. Have the puppet invite your child to help you sort the socks. (Don’t worry that your instant sock puppet has no eyes or other facial features. Your child will respond to the silly playfulness of a talking sock.)

Have your puppet ask your child how to sort the socks. Guide your child to tell the puppet that the first step is to sort them according to light and dark socks. Have your child help the puppet with this step.

Then have the puppet choose one large dark sock and one small dark sock and try and pair these together. Have the puppet say something like, “I understand. One dark sock plus one dark sock makes a pair of socks.”

Have your child explain to the puppet why these two socks would not make a good pair. (Yes, they are both dark, but they are not the same size.)

Next, have the puppet choose two socks of the same size, but one light and one dark.

Again, have your child explain to the puppet why these two socks would not make a good pair. (Yes, they are both the same size, but one is light and one is dark.)

Next, have the puppet choose two dark socks of the same size, but one is one dark colour, such as black, and the other is a different dark colour, such as navy blue.

Again, have your child explain to the puppet why these two socks would not make a good pair. (Yes, they are both dark and the same size, but they are two different colours.)

Finally, have the puppet ask the child to show and tell how he or she would sort the socks into pairs. Then, have your sock puppet help your child finish the job of sorting and folding socks.

Variation 1: Mismatched Socks

Have your sock puppet inform you child that he likes pairs of mismatched silly socks—the sillier the better. Then, have the puppet choose two very different socks and then ask your child to tell why they are a silly pair.

For example, your puppet might say, “Hey! Let’s look at these two socks. They look silly together, but I’m not sure why. Do you know why?”

Then you can guide your child to notice all the many differences between the two:
One sock is light blue and the other is dark green.
One sock is new and the other has a hole in the toe.
One sock has pink polka dots and the other is all one colour.
This sock fits the baby and this sock fits Daddy.

Tip: Use questions to tease as much learning as you can from the game by encouraging your child to use reasoning and very specific language in his or her descriptions. So for example, if your child says, “One sock is big and one is little”, you can say, “Really, how can you tell?” or “ What do you mean?”

In response, your child might show you how he or she measures the difference by placing one sock on top of another, or he or she may say that the one sock is for the baby while the other is for the adult. In any event, you’ll gain a fascinating peek into your child’s reasoning process.

Variation 2: Sock Array

Try this sock sorting “process of elimination” game. Place 6 different socks in an array on the floor or table. Play a guessing game in which you (or your sock puppet) describe a particular sock for your child to find. Begin with broad clues that apply to every sock, for example, “I’m thinking of a sock that is soft,” or “I’m thinking of a sock that has a hole for your foot to slide into.” Then make the clues more specific, such as “I’m thinking of a sock that would fit your Dad.” Have your child remove all socks that do not fit each criterion to discover the sock you were thinking of. Criteria may include colour, size, pattern, texture (amount of “fuzziness”) age (old or new), etc.
With practice, your child should be able to pose clues for you.

Silly Socks Sorting Game download
2 A4 sheets to download and print out (PDF file approx 750KB)

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