Putting toys, cups, or socks into a container, taking them out, and putting them back in again, is not only fun for your baby, but helps her to develop her understanding of how things work, and problem solving.

By the age of 1 year (sometimes before) your baby will be big time into sorting objects and playing games of in & out. To help her along you can:

• Offer many varieties of in & out toys - even homemade play items like pots and plastic cups work.
• When your baby places an object inside a container tell her so. You verbally saying “in” or “out” helps her to grasp this skill.
• Make in & out part of the everyday. Basic chores like folding laundry out of a basket and toy clean-up are great opportunities to practice in & out.

Two nice in & out toy options include:

Wooden Triangle Sorter from Blueberry Forest Toys

Plan Toy Shape and Sort from Amazon

Does your baby love to sort items in & out of containers?