I bought these little drawers for an alphabet activity (which I've yet to set up - stay tuned though!), and in the interim they have served as the perfect foil for Eden's sorting exploits. I have a big container of beautiful shells which we both love to touch, look at and talk about, and which Eden loves to sort into these drawers.
It's the perfect Mummy's-cooking-dinner activity! She sits at the bench and chats to me about the shells as I flit around our kitchen and shoot questions at her: what colour is that one? How does it feel (smooth/rough)? Is it plain or patterned? Can you hear the ocean in it?
It's interesting to me to watch her put the shells into the drawers according to some sorting system that "you no understand Mummy, it's very very tricky". We've also tried this activity with various types of pasta, with a bag of buttons, with little bells and wooden teddy cut-outs, but shells are the biggest hit. I think that's because there is no obvious way to categorise them, so there are no rights or wrongs.
If you don't have little drawers to hand, try containers, boxes, little bowls, platters or even glass jars with screw top lids for older toddlers - they'll love opening and closing the jars, but just make sure the jars are on the floor so they won't break if they're mishandled.
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