Fall Sort and Paint

Try Fall Sort and Paint – a two for one toddler activity!

What’s better than a two-in-one toddler activity? Lots of things, I know. Baby giggles, sunsets in Hawaii, going to Target alone – but for the purpose of today, let’s just appease me and say “There is nothing better than a two part toddler activity.” And that’s the beauty behind this fall sort and paint activity.

Fall sort and paint was the perfect two part activity for my toddler and me. It definitely helped us make it to nap time!

Setting up the Fall  sort and paint was so simple!

Materials for the sorting project:
(this post contains affiliate links)

• Outside items
• Tray – mine is this super cute one
• Bowls
• Plastic tongs (we cannot live with them)

The first part of this activity was a fun little fall sort. I collected nature-type items from outside to have my toddler sort post nap time. I made sure to grab four types of items – one per bowl.

I set the items in the tray, put the tongs with them, the bowls on the outside and waited for my son to get up from his nap. The second he saw this set-up, he knew exactly what was going down.

Using the tongs is great for his fine motor skills and sorting is such a key math concept that I loved everything he was “getting” from this activity.

After he finished, I set everything aside because I knew we’d use them again. Actually, we used them two more times.  Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Now for the painting part of this activity.

The next day, we sorted again because it was fun the day before, and why not!? It was still awesome and  loved it all over again. BUT now, it was time for step 2: Painting our sorted items.

I pulled out our handy jars of paint  (this is my favorite paint – affiliate link), which I keep stored in baby food jars.

I lined the inside of a rimmed cookie sheet with butcher paper. That way nothing could roll away and I’m so glad I did that. I set the bowls of sorted goodies next to my son and off he went.

For a kid who is rarely jazzed about art projects, he LOVED this. Man, did he ever love this. He painted for close to 10 minutes which is HUGE for him. He loved the textures and the challenge of painting on leaves, rocks and pine cones.

This fall sort and paint was a perfect two part activity for us. The sorting was a great connection between nature and math, and the painting was a great way to connect art with all three.

Try this fall sort and paint with your toddler!