Parent resource · Thinking through play
Playful Ways to Build Preschool Thinking Skills
Seven simple activities for noticing patterns, comparing ideas, solving problems, and enjoying learning together.
You do not need a stack of worksheets to give your child opportunities to think. Everyday play can invite children to notice relationships, compare quantities, explain ideas, and try different solutions. These activities fit naturally with Montessori’s emphasis on hands-on exploration. They are general learning activities—not official CogAT questions or a test-preparation program.
1. Find another way to sort
You need: A small collection of large, age-appropriate blocks or other safe objects.
How to play: Invite your child to put objects into groups by color, shape, or size. Then ask, “Can you find a different way to group them?”
What it practices: Classification, noticing attributes, and flexible thinking.
Make it easier: Offer two clearly different groups.
Extend it: Ask whether one object could belong in more than one group. There may be several reasonable answers. Let your child explain their rule.
2. Build a repeating pattern
You need: Blocks, large construction pieces, or drawings in two colors.
How to play: Make a short pattern, such as red-blue-red-blue. Invite your child to continue it. Take turns inventing patterns.
What it practices: Recognizing sequence and predicting what comes next.
Make it easier: Use two objects and repeat them slowly together.
Extend it: Try a different structure, such as red-red-blue. If your child changes the pattern, ask about their idea rather than immediately correcting it.
3. Compare two collections
You need: Two small groups of safe objects.
How to play: Ask which group has more, fewer, or the same number. Explore ways to check, such as counting or matching objects one to one.
What it practices: Quantity comparison and early number relationships.
Make it easier: Use noticeably different amounts.
Extend it: Spread one group out and ask whether the number changed. Discuss how to find out—not how to guess quickly.
4. Tell a story in order
You need: A familiar picture book or a shared everyday experience.
How to play: Talk about what happened first, next, and last. You can also describe a routine, such as getting ready to go outside.
What it practices: Sequencing, recall, vocabulary, and organizing ideas.
Make it easier: Retell the story together with pictures.
Extend it: Ask why a character made a choice or what might happen next. Accept your child’s wording. This is not a memory examination.
5. Build, test, and change
You need: Age-appropriate building blocks.
How to play: Invite your child to build a bridge, tower, or home for a toy. Ask, “What could make it stronger?” or “What happened when you added that piece?”
What it practices: Spatial thinking, planning, and revising an approach.
Make it easier: Build together and describe what you are trying.
Extend it: Add a simple challenge, such as making room for a larger toy. A structure falling down can be part of the investigation.
6. Explore a puzzle together
You need: A puzzle suited to your child’s current interests and experience.
How to play: Allow time to observe and experiment. If help is needed, offer a small hint rather than completing it.
What it practices: Visual discrimination, spatial relationships, and persistence.
Make it easier: Reduce the number of pieces or start part of it together.
Extend it: Ask your child to explain what helped them choose a piece. Finishing independently is not the only successful outcome.
7. Explain a connection
You need: Two familiar objects or pictures.
How to play: Ask how they are alike and different. A spoon and a cup may both be used at mealtimes, but they do different jobs.
What it practices: Comparing ideas, describing relationships, and explaining reasoning.
Make it easier: Choose familiar objects with an obvious connection.
Extend it: Invite more than one explanation. Listen for your child’s reasoning instead of looking for one predetermined answer.
Keep play supportive
- Ask one question, then allow time to think.
- Notice strategies: “You tried turning it another way.”
- Avoid comparing siblings or children.
- Offer help when frustration becomes too much.
- Let your child lead sometimes.
- End while the experience is still enjoyable.
Choose safe materials. Small objects can present a choking risk, especially for children who mouth objects or have younger siblings nearby. Use materials appropriate for your child and supervise as needed.
Will these activities improve CogAT scores?
These activities offer opportunities to practice broad thinking skills. They have not been presented here as a validated way to improve CogAT scores.
If you are exploring District 186 gifted screening, consult the district’s official instructions and our Iles School and CogAT parent guide.
How this connects to Montessori
Montessori classrooms give children repeated opportunities to compare, organize, investigate, and work toward increasing independence. Home activities do not need to reproduce classroom lessons. Shared curiosity and conversation are valuable on their own.
Read about Montessori and kindergarten readiness, meet our school and team, or explore our Montessori learning benchmark guide.
Please note: These are general educational activities, not official CogAT items or a validated test-preparation course. Choose materials and activities suited to your child’s development and safety needs.