sorting shapes - when?

[lottytheladybird]

Hello!

My 16.5 month old DS has just worked out which shape goes in which slot in his shape sorter. I was just wondering at what age other toddlers reached this stage of development, so that I can judge if 16.5 months is early, about right or late for this. I'm not worried about my DS's development in any way. I'm just interested.

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say!

My 12.5 month old put 2 shapes through the correct holes today for the first time. He has been pushing them through the holes if I put them halfway in for a couple of weeks, today is the first time he has picked them up and did it himself with no help. He can name 2 shapes, and point to a third, but not say the name. I don't think he has any concept of colour yet.

I think 15-18months is typical?

Think it depends what you count as 'sorting'. My DS could post shapes into his shape sorter before he was 12mo but he's 15mo today and I don't think he's reliably accurately 'sorting'. Occasionally I've seen him look at the shapes and the holes and make some sort of decision, but much more often he tries the hole nearest first and then other holes if that one doesn't work.

Sorry- not much use as I have no idea when they are 'supposed' to do it. Development of mathematical concepts like that rarely seem to be mentioned on development chart type things do they?

I remember wondering about this with DD1. She can obviously do it now (she's 4) but I can't recall when exactly it happened. Late would be my guess, as she just used to try to take the lid off and shove them all in and get unbelievably mad if you tried to get her to post them through the right holes . Think she's one of life's shortcut-takers!

mine loves his shape sorter that he used to ignore, he's just 2 and I think he suddenly took an interest in it at 18m and could reliably sort all the shapes within a few weeks, he can sit happily for 10mins+ with one now, getting them all correct and being well chuffed with himself! :)

I've no idea when they're supposed to be able to do things like this but I'd imagine that around the 18 month mark may be a time they'd seem capable (along with a basic understanding of the colour and shape they're matching).

DS just turned 2 and he's been able to do this for at least 6 months I think. I didn't make note of when he first did it but it was a good while ago now. He knew 8 colours at 18 months and he was using the shape sorter himself around the same time (so prob matching colours rather than shapes). He is just starting to name shapes - he knows 5 so far.

I think it depends on what you teach them too. I was teaching him colours quite early on, but never thought to do shapes with him until more recently. Had I taught them earlier, he might have known them earlier. And had I not taught colours he wouldn't know the majority now.

At my daughter's first birthday one of the little boys who was 1 week older than her did her brand new shape sorter first time, perfectly - it took her about a year to get that good.

DD2 is 18 months and still can't do them.