Picture Pairs *

As your toddler begins to recognize the similarities and differences between the three-dimensional world and two-dimensional representations, such as pictures, play a game of Picture Pairs and see if he can match up 3-D and 2-D!

Learning Skills:

•Classification and matching

•Real vs. representation

•Visual discrimination

Materials:

•Pictures from magazines that represent things found around the house, such as toothpaste, toddler food, hat, toy, shoes, watch, and so on.

•Real items to match to pictures

What to do:

1. Find pictures that represent items found in your home, as suggested above.

2. Collect real items to match the pictures.

3. Set out the real items in a row on the floor or at the table.

4. Seat your toddler next to you, facing the items.

5. Hold up a picture of one of the items and ask your toddler to find the matching real item.

6. Repeat until your toddler matches all the items.

Safety:  Be sure all items are safe for your toddler to handle, and give him lots of praise, encouragement, and help so he doesn’t become frustrated.