Object-to-Picture Matching | Practical Life Lesson

This Montessori practical life lesson is designed for 3-6-year-old children to guide them about matching an object with its corresponding picture card.

“What a wonderful new step to have taken! He was aware of being in a world of things, and now each of these is indicated by a special word” — Maria Montessori.

Purpose of Object-to-Picture Matching Activity

This activity helps the child to classify objects grouped by similar traits and increase their short-term memory. It allows them to connect real-life objects with their pictures such as fruits, vegetables, plants, etc.

Benefits of Object to Picture Matching Activity

It helps the child to improve their concentration and cognitive skills.
It enables them to find similarities and differences between real objects and their pictures.
It helps in visual discrimination and order.
It helps to boost problem-solving skills.
It helps to enrich the vocabulary of the child.

Materials Required for an Object-to-Picture Matching Activity

A few objects that are available at home.
Matching picture cards to match the objects.

Control of Error

Each object corresponds to the picture and is not easy to miss.

How to Introduce the Object-to-Picture Matching Activity to the Child?

First, prepare a set of objects easily available at home such as fruits, vegetables, miniature animals, utensils, etc., and keep it in a basket.
Second, either use preprinted cards or print pictures of collected objects on paper. Cut them in a square border just like the pre-printed cards.
Now, invite the child to the table along with the basket and picture cards.
Tell the child today! We will match the object with its picture.
Pick the first picture, let us say, cow. Ask the child to find the cow in the basket and place it on the picture card, as shown in the video.
Repeat the activity with the other pictures and objects.
Invite the child to try on their own.

Matching objects to pictures helps toddlers make a connection between what they hold in their hands and what they see in the picture.

Note: This activity is about exploration, not perfection. The focus should always be on the process and not on the outcome.

Variations of the Object-to-Picture Matching

There are so many possibilities when it comes to object-to-picture matching. Here are some of them:

Kitchen tools: utensils, knives, boards, etc.
Food: fruits, vegetables, etc.
Nature objects: plants, leaves, flowers, etc.
Household objects: cleaning objects, furniture, etc.
Animals: farm, wild, house pets, etc.

The list is endless. Introduce this activity with objects that interest them most. Happy learning.

Invite the child to repeat this activity by providing objects, sounds, and words of interest and asking them to match with their pictures, as shown in the video. Let the child boost confidence and improve their working memory with this fun and creative activity.

Objects to Pictures Matching