🎃Pumpkin and Squash to Montessori 3 Part 🔖Cards Matching Activity
11/02/2016
With the abundance of pumpkins and squashes in the Fall, we decided to learn more about them. I am using traditional Montessori 3-Part cards from Montessori Print Shop (free download here), and a variety of different pumpkins and squashes.
There are various levels of difficulties with matching cards, so this activity can be enjoyed by children as young as one-year-old to reading preschoolers who will be able to enjoy all stages of matching.
Matching Stages for Montessori 3-Part-Cards in a Nutshell:
- Stage 1: matching identical pictures (can start even before child's first birthday, beginning to introduce three cards at a time, then gradually increasing the number of cards);
- Stage 2: matching similar object to a picture (a little more challenging since the images are similar, but not exact to the model; best introduced around one year and older);
- Stage 3: when the child is familiar with the images, you can show the picture, then an object and ask the toddler to name the object and then match it to the appropriate card;
- Stage 4: a non-reading toddler, in addition, can try to visually match the labels;
- Stage 5: a reading toddler - can read and match the labels in addition to images.
As such, matching cards and objects is a fun activity which can be enjoyed by a toddler as young as one year old (who will be simply matching identical pictures), to a child who can read and match the labels.
First, Adrian matched actual pumpkins to pictures and then pictures to pictures.
Julia, on the other hand, would read and match the labels.
Children enjoyed this activity since they could work together while learning about pumpkins.
See here Adrian matching animals to pictures at 15 months, and also get links to other matching activities. Also, see here Adrian matching labels as well as real African animals on an African Safari ride.
For more on Autumn-themed activities, read here a roundup of all our activities we have done during the month of 🍂September and 🎃October: over 20 of them! arranged by the area of study in a post "🍂Fall & 🎃Halloween Inspired Homeschooling 101 Unit Study."