According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word classify is defined as: to organize (a group of people or things) into classes or categories based on shared qualities or characteristics. This essay will describe how sorting and classification of objects relates to the fundamental concepts of mathematics and how this process contributes to the learning and holistic development of the grade R child. According to Piaget, classification, in its early stages, can be observed in a child. believing that a cabbage and a ball belong together because they have the same shape, or thinking that a stop sign and a strawberry should be in the same category because of their color. As the child develops, he slowly learns more complex ways of classifying objects. They begin to realize that objects do not have to look the same to be classified together. For example, a piece of bread and an apple could be grouped together because they are two things you can eat. Even though they don't look the same, they belong to the same category. Learning to categorize can have very practical implications, such as the child being able to sort their Legos from their blocks or keep their clothes sorted in their closet. The child is already developing holistically. Classifying also helps develop math concepts that the child will use for the rest of their life. Mathematics is essentially the study of patterns and relationships using numbers and symbols. Classification in mathematics begins with the ideas of creating, describing, and comparing sets. By learning to follow the established rules for classifying objects according to their different attributes, learners begin to understand the basics of some fundamental mathematical concepts. This process develops...... middle of paper...... time. Finally, the first step in data processing is being able to sort your data into categories. Knowing how to sort and classify is obviously crucial to this process. Once the data is sorted according to its different attributes, it is then easy to represent it in a graph or table. Another quote from Dr. Jean M. Shaw is: “Sorting and classifying objects not only teaches children about attributes and relationships, but also promotes logical thinking and the application of rules. Sorting and classifying exercises can also provide children with models for organizing things in the real world, like putting away blocks or setting the table for dinner. This quote explains how sorting and classifying objects in the classroom can contribute to holistic development and how students can use what they have learned through mathematics in other aspects of their daily lives..