Looking for a fun learning center that will help your students think about community workers? Try these free sorting mats!
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Recently I released a community helpers theme pack. Included in that pack is a giant set of community helper sorting mats. Today I’m sharing a free sample!
Your download comes with four sorting mats and six pictures for each mat.
How to assemble
1. Print the mats and cards.
2. Laminate. (This is our favorite home laminator!)
3. Cut apart the cards.
4. If desired, attach clear Velcro dots to the mats and cards. Attach the cards to each mat for storage.
5. To play, take out two or more mats. Remove the cards and mix them up. Have your child name the pictures and determine where the pictures belong.
My Three has learned a lot about community helpers in the last month, as we’ve spent many hours reading over a hundred books about community helpers! All that reading has really helped him expand his vocabulary.
These mats provided an opportunity to use that knowledge.
He could identify most, but not all, of the pictures by himself.
Doing these sorting mats together is such a great activity for him! He has to identify the pictures, think about how the objects are used, and determine which community helpers would use them.
There was lots of critical thinking going on!
Your download comes with four mats: firefighter, police officer, baker, and mail carrier. My Community Helpers theme pack comes with a total of 24 mats and card sets! I pulled out some from the theme pack, as he kept requesting more of them.
I chose mats that were easy to contrast: farmer and nurse, for example.
Hairdresser and grocer was another easy contrast.
We finished with artist and garbage collector.
These sorting mats are wonderful for at-home learning or for a center activity in a preschool classroom. Download the sample set below. If you’re doing a full community helpers theme, I recommend buying the full pack! These sorting mats are just one piece of a GIANT set of resources for preschool and kindergarten. You can learn more about the pack here.
© 2015 – 2018, Anna G. All rights reserved.
Rebecca Smith says
These are so cool! Thanks for sharing.
Anna Geiger says
You’re welcome, Rebecca!
Carla Martins says
Thank you for this great activity.
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Carla!
jane says
Thanks for sharing
really helpful
Anna Geiger says
I hope you get a chance to use them, Jane!
Amber says
I love everything you create!
Anna Geiger says
Thank you so much, Amber!
Erlyne says
Love these mats!!! So great for vocabulary development. :o)
Anna Geiger says
Thank you, Erlyne!
Cindi says
This was perfect! Thank you so much!!
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Cindi!
Doreen says
Wow! What a great activity Thank you
Anna Geiger says
You’re welcome, Doreen! My son really loves these. They’re such a great vocabulary builder!
Maricor says
Thank you so much.
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Maricor!
Darlene Neely says
Thank you so much for sharing. These are perfect!
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Darlene!
erin says
Hello,
These mats look wonderful. Do you sell the mats separate from the whole bundle? I’m on a tight budget. Thanks.
Anna Geiger says
No – just part of the set.
Darla Minor says
So are the mats free I don’t see a link for them
Anna G says
Yes – click on the green box that says “to get your free printable click here.”