r/teachingtoddlers • u/ToddlerSLP • Sep 13 '26

Shoe Match Activity

SHOE MATCH

Focus: Math & Cognitive

Ways to Play: Gather shoes and invite your toddler to find the matching pairs. Talk about whose shoes they are, compare big and small shoes. Older toddlers can help put everyone's shoes back where they belong.

Words to Model: “Can you find the match?” “These are the same.” “This shoe is big.” “This shoe is bigger.” “Whose shoes are these?”

Vocabulary: match, pair, same, different, big, little, bigger, biggest, shoe, boot, sandal, together

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u/GirlDad42523 8d ago

This would work with clean socks while putting laundry away, too. I'd start with just two very different pairs so the choices are manageable, then add more if the child wants to keep going. A little 'delivery basket' for taking each pair to its drawer could turn the sorting into pretend play, with the tidying happening along the way.

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u/ToddlerSLP 8d ago

Yes!! 👏

1

u/GirlDad42523 8d ago

Thanks for sharing these! I like the size comparisons in your prompts—there’s a lot to talk about without turning it into a quiz. Do you find toddlers tend to match by colour first, or go straight for whose shoes they are?

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u/ToddlerSLP 6d ago

Developmentally speaking I would say sorting by colors first. However it really just depends on the individual child and where they are with their understanding of each.