Babies typically start fitting shapes around 30 months old, although they may begin sorting based on simple attributes earlier.
Understanding Shape Sorting Development
While your child might start recognizing differences between objects much earlier, actually fitting shapes together requires a more developed understanding of geometry and spatial relationships.
Developmental Stages
- 19-24 Months: Children may begin sorting based on simple attributes like color or size. They are starting to notice differences between objects.
- 30 Months: This is when children typically start to understand geometric shapes and begin to sort basic shapes like squares, circles, and triangles.
How to Encourage Shape Sorting
- Provide Shape Toys: Offer toys with basic shapes that fit into matching slots or containers.
- Practice Sorting: Encourage your child to sort objects by shape during playtime.
- Use Shape Language: Name the shapes while playing with them (e.g., "This is a circle" or "Put the square in the square hole").
- Be Patient: Children develop at their own pace, so allow for some trial and error, and be supportive.
Key Takeaway
Babies progress in their ability to sort and fit shapes. They start sorting objects by simple attributes between 19 and 24 months old. However, they generally begin fitting basic geometric shapes into corresponding spaces by the age of 30 months.
