Apple Color Sorting Activity

One of the first themes that we explore in preschool is apples! Apples usually mean that fall is just around the corner – one of my favorite times of the year! My preschoolers learn with apples in different ways, but in my classroom I always try to keep the activities simple. The Apple Color Sorting Tree is a super simple math activity to set up and you probably already have most the supplies needed at home! It can be used as a busy bag at home or an independent learning center in the classroom.

Apple Color Sorting

This activity is so simple to create! You need an apple tree, different colored apples, and colored cups to match the apple colors.

applesauce pouch tops
poster board
crayons or markers
cups

I drew a big apple tree on a piece of poster board with crayons. I made the leafy part of the tree big enough to fit a bunch of pouch top apples. Make sure the pouch tops are washed and dried completely before using them in this activity. (I throw them in the dishwasher in the silverware basket area.)

Add red, green, and yellow pouch top apples to the apple tree. Now the apples can be picked from the apple tree and sorted by color into the matching colored cups!

Little learners will practice using visual discrimination skills during this activity. Their fine motor muscles will be used while pinching and picking up the apples from the tree. And simple math skills like counting and more or less can be discussed during play.

With activities like sorting colored apples, materials can be easily traded out for what you have on hand. If you haven’t collected pouch tops over time, use pom poms or cut circles out of construction paper to use as apples instead!