Natural Sorting Set

Forget the plastic—why not bring a touch of the tropics to your classroom?  This Natural Sorting Set gives early learners a hands-on way to explore size, sorting, and counting, all while connecting with the wonders of nature. No need to go foraging in the wild for these tactile delights; this carefully curated set of stones, shells, cones, bowls, and tweezers will have learners fully engaged in sorting, counting, sensory play, and fine motor fun (a.k.a. a perfect “finger gym” session). 

Whether it’s for sorting activities or building a miniature landscape surrounded by tiny pieces of stones, cones, wooden slices or shells, this set of natural resources offers endless versatility, making them an essential addition to your EYFS setting.

This sorting set is perfect for developing early mathematical skills without the pressure of numbers, they encourage learners to explore concepts like size and volume.  

The bowls of this set serve as sorting tools. Using the wooden tweezers, learners will love using them to move objects in and out of these bowls, building their fine motor skills along the way. Who knew maths could be this naturally fun?  And don’t worry about them toppling over—sometimes they do, but that’s half the excitement!

So, whether counting, creating landscapes in a small world tray play, or exploring textures on a landscape tuff spot set, this set offers endless opportunities for creative and educational play. And when the play is done, why not store them in wicker baskets when not in use? These baskets make for easy and attractive storage, while also keeping the natural resources organised and ready for the next adventure.

Features

• Variety of Cones, Stones, and Wooden Slices: This set includes a range of natural items that add texture, weight, and shape variety. From smooth stones to barked wooden slices, each piece adds a new sensory experience, perfect for sorting or arranging in endless patterns.
• Bowls for Sorting and Displaying: Beautiful, rustic wooden bowls are included to hold sorted treasures, making them easy to set up for activities. Whether grouping by colour, size, or type, these bowls provide a natural and organised way to display items.
• Sturdy Tweezers for Fine Motor Development: This set includes tweezers, to help develop those tiny yet mighty fine motor muscles! Learners can use them to pick up and place items with precision, adding a layer of dexterity to their play.
• Shells for Textured Exploration: With smooth, bumpy, and ridged textures, these shells add another layer to sensory discovery. They’re ideal for transient art projects, allowing learners to arrange them in patterns or explore their different textures and colours.
• Compact Size for Easy Storage: Once the fun is done, this collection stores perfectly in wicker baskets when not in use. Compact and organised, they’re always ready for the next session, whether on a tuff spot tray, or small world area.

Benefits

• Encourages Sensory Play: Learners are immersed in a world of textures, weights, and shapes, giving them hands-on experience with natural materials, building tactile awareness and connecting with nature.
• Enhances Sorting and Counting Skills: This set offers countless ways to group, count, and compare items. Whether by colour, shape, or texture, learners will practice sorting skills that support early math concepts, all in a natural, engaging way.
• Boosts Fine Motor Skills: With the included tweezers, learners develop hand-eye coordination and precision. Picking up small objects is perfect for strengthening fine motor muscles, which are essential for tasks like writing and drawing.
• Encourages Imagination and Transient Art: Ideal for transient art, this set lets learners create designs and pictures with natural items that they can rearrange as they like. It’s a great way to encourage open-ended, imaginative play that changes every day!
• Supports Small World and Role Play Learning: The landscape tuff spot set and small world tray play become magical scenes where learners build stories around the objects. Whether creating a “wildlife sanctuary” or a “forest floor,” they can use this set to inspire storytelling and role play.