Same And Different
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
Same and different, with real photographs to sort. Classification rests on relations: before a child can say two things belong together they have to find the characteristic the two share, and this set is where that habit is built on pairs simple enough to argue about. It is the groundwork under every later sorting material, from the vertebrate classes to the six kingdoms. Durable plastic with rounded corners. In English.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
The Same and Different cards address the young child's innate drive to classify and organize their world through concrete visual experiences. These photographic sorting cards provide isolated concepts that allow children to focus on specific attributes of real objects, building the discrimination skills essential for later mathematical thinking.
- Visual discrimination between similar and different objects
- Logical reasoning through systematic comparison
- Vocabulary development for descriptive attributes
- Foundation for mathematical set theory and grouping
Read More
By presenting familiar objects in systematic categories, the cards meet the child's need for order while developing logical reasoning. The laminated format ensures repeated use as children refine their ability to perceive subtle similarities and differences. This sorting work prepares the foundation for understanding sets, patterns, and relationships - fundamental concepts in mathematics. The photographic images connect abstract thinking to concrete reality, honoring the child's need to work with materials that reflect their everyday experiences while building cognitive frameworks for more complex classification work.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the Same and Different cards in a basket on the shelf at child's eye level. Prepare a work mat or table space for sorting activities.
- 1
Invite the child to bring the basket to a work mat. Select one category of cards to begin
Start with categories containing familiar objects from the child's environment - 2
Lay out 4-6 cards from one category. Ask the child to look carefully at each image
Use minimal language initially - let the child discover relationships independently - 3
Model finding two cards that are the 'same' and place them together
Point to specific features that make them identical - 4
Continue sorting remaining cards into 'same' and 'different' groups
Encourage the child to verbalize their reasoning - 5
Once sorted, review each group with the child, discussing their choices
Accept the child's logic even if different from adult reasoning
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
Same And Different
