Concentration
Toddlers observe how to determine whether two vehicle picture cards match.
[Invite several toddlers to join you at a table to play a matching game with picture cards. Display cards as described below.]
Our cards have pictures of a car, a truck, a school bus, and a bicycle. Some of the cards are the same.
Here are two cards that are the same. Both cards show the same truck. The two cards match because they show the same truck.
Here are two more cards. One card shows a picture of a car. The other card shows a picture of a bicycle. A car and a bicycle are different things. Our two cards do not match. They do not show the same thing. Cards that match show the same thing.
We are going to play a matching game with our cards!
[Separate the pairs of matching cards into two piles. Each pile will have one of each type of card, such as one car, truck, school bus, and bicycle. Shuffle each pile so they are in random order. Place the piles face up in front of the toddlers.]
Here are two piles of picture cards. Please watch me pick a card from each pile. I wonder what cards I will find! If the two cards are the same, they will be a match! If the two cards are different, they are not a match.
[Pick up one card from each pile. Name (or ask toddlers to name) the vehicle shown on each card. Display the two cards, side by side.]
We are looking at two cards. Are the cards the same, or are the cards different?
[Describe how the two cards are the same or different. Examples: “This card has a picture of a bus. This other card also has a picture of a bus. The two cards show the same thing. They both show a bus. The cards match!” “This card has a picture of a bus. This other card has a picture of a bicycle. A bus and a bicycle are different things. These cards do not match!”]
[Continue to pick up one card from each pile, one at a time. Name (or ask toddlers to name) what is in the picture of each card when you pull it from a pile. Follow the procedures suggested above for helping toddlers understand whether two cards match.
Keep all pairs of cards you include in the game face up elsewhere on the table so you can look at pairs of cards at the end of the game.]
We looked at different picture cards to figure out whether they showed the same thing or different things. Cards that are the same are called a match. Let’s look at our cards again.
[Point to each pair of cards and say whether they match. Emphasize whether the two cards are the same or different.]
Concentration Toddlers determine whether pairs of vehicle picture cards are the same or different as part of a caregiver-guided game of matching.
*2 sets of 4 different vehicle picture cards as shown
*Printables provided
Invite two toddlers to join you at a table to play a matching game. Use the suggested procedures in Option 1 to describe or review how to determine whether two cards are the same or different. Emphasize the concepts of same, different, and match.
Invite the two toddlers to play a matching game with the picture cards. Separate the eight cards into two piles. Each pile will have one car, truck, school bus, and bicycle card. Shuffle each pile so they are in random order, then place one pile face up in front of each toddler. Invite each toddler to pick up one card from his/her respective pile. Encourage the toddlers to look at their card and name the item shown on his/her card, and then compare their two cards by placing the cards next to each other.
Support the toddlers in determining whether the two cards match. Example: “Julia said her card shows a truck. Juan also said his card shows a truck. Both cards show the same thing. The cards are a match because they both show a truck!”
Invite the toddlers to place their cards face up together on the table and draw another card from their respective piles. Provide verbal support if a toddler appears uncertain about how to proceed or whether two cards show the same or different items.
Conclude the session by recognizing toddlers’ efforts, especially their concentration. Example: “You looked carefully at the cards. You figured out whether the cards were the same or different. Does a match mean the pictures are the same or different?”
Concentration
Toddlers independently determine whether pairs of picture cards are the same or different as part of a game of matching.
*2 sets of 6 different vehicle picture cards as shown (see Be Prepared)
*Printables provided
Be Prepared: Separate the 12 cards into two piles. Each pile will have one car, truck, school bus, bicycle, tractor, and airplane card. Shuffle each pile so they are in random order, then place one pile face up in front of each toddler.
Invite two toddlers to join you at a table to play a matching game. If appropriate, provide a review of the picture cards and the concepts of same, different, and match, using suggested procedures in Option 1. Encourage the toddlers to independently play a game of matching. Stay at or near the table to watch their efforts and provide support, if needed.
Pay attention to the extent to which toddlers seem to understand that matching cards are the same. Emphasize the concepts of same and different when toddlers look at cards. Understanding the concept of match requires knowledge of same and different.
Some toddlers may prefer to move at a different pace, faster or slower, during Option 2 or 3. This is an opportunity to strengthen toddlers’ awareness of how a peer wishes to move forward. Gently coach toddlers on using a pace that accommodates both. Also, remind toddlers that we are not trying to play the game as quickly as we can. The game is not a race. It also may be helpful to explain that toddlers who play the game are not competing. There are no winners or losers in this activity.
The activity is focused on concentration skills. It is fine to also provide information about the pictured items, as suggested in an Enrichment tip, but be mindful of keeping the activity directly related to the concepts of different, same, and match.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: four unmatched *vehicle picture cards, four toy vehicles that are similar to the picture cards
Be Prepared: Display the four picture cards on a low table. Place the matching toy vehicles within clear view in a nearby area in the room. You may wish to place them where they would typically be found, such as the block area.
Invite 1–2 toddlers to the table to look at and name what is shown on the cards. Explain that there are toys in the room that match what is shown on the cards. Encourage a toddler(s) to walk around the room to find the toy vehicles that match each card. Example: “Callie, you are holding a picture card that shows a truck. Where can you find a toy truck in our room? Let’s walk around and see if we can find a toy truck!”
*Printables provided
Materials Needed: set of *vehicle picture cards, toy vehicles that are similar to vehicles pictured on the cards
Be Prepared: Display several vehicle picture cards on a low table. Place the matching toy vehicles within clear view in a nearby area.
Invite toddlers and older children to go on a scavenger hunt to find the toy vehicles that match the picture cards. You may wish to pair one toddler with one older child to hunt for the matching vehicle. Invite the pairs of children to take turns selecting and naming the vehicle pictured, and then hunting for the corresponding toy vehicle. Babies may enjoy holding an age-appropriate matching vehicle. Remind children that everyone gets a turn to hunt for a vehicle.
*Printables provided
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