Living and Nonliving Sorting Cards
Living and nonliving cards are pictures with labels and two title cards, for a child of about 3.5 to 6 to sort. The one US set we found on October 5, 2026 cost $11.99 printed, at Alison's Montessori. Real objects from the house and garden come first, and magazine pictures fill the gaps.
The first lesson with it is Living and Nonliving: A First Sort. Not sure your child is ready for it? Two minutes of questions place your child on the sequence.
| Area | Cultural |
|---|---|
| Used in | |
| From age | 3.5 to 6 years |
| Make it | Easy to make at home |
| Buy it | About $12 to $12 (noted ) |
What the living and nonliving sorting cards are for
The child sorts each card under living or nonliving by asking a few questions: does it grow, and does it need food and water? The pictures cover things that can't come to the table: a whale, a cloud, a mountain.
The sort comes from later Montessori albums. Montessori's 1912 book roots it in the daily care of plants and animals.
| Part | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Title cards | Living and nonliving |
| Picture cards | Alison's set has 32 pictures, each also with a label |
| Real objects | A plant, a shell, a stone, a spoon, added at home |
The lessons that use the living and nonliving sorting cards
Living and Nonliving: A First Sort
3.5 to 6 yearsSorting real objects and pictures under two labels, living and nonliving, by asking whether each one grows and needs food and water.
Buying one: 1 listings checked October 5, 2026
| Seller and set | Made of | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Alison's MontessoriClassification of Living and Non-living, Printed (SC360)32 picture-and-label cards, 32 labels, 32 pictures and 28 title cards. Printed; lamination costs $20 or $30 more. Made in USA. | 80 lb card stock | $11.99 |
- Alison's $11.99 printed set was the only standalone set we found in the US.
- Montessori Services' standalone living and nonliving pages no longer loaded; the cards are in its $359.95 bundle of 18 classification sets, which isn't in the table.
- Start with real objects. Add cards for the things you can't bring inside.
- Laminate printed cards, or slip them into card sleeves, if a younger sibling is around.
Making the living and nonliving sorting cards at home
What to gather
- White card stock and a marker
- Old magazines or printed photos
- Scissors and glue
- Clear contact paper, if you want the cards to last
| Piece | Size and marking | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Title cards | About 6 by 15 cm: living, nonliving | 2 |
| Picture cards | About 8 by 8 cm | 10 to 20 |
- 1Write the two title cards.
- 2Cut out clear pictures, half of living things and half not, and glue one per card.
- 3Write the name under each picture.
- 4Mark the answer on the back with a small dot, as a control.
- 5Cover with contact paper.
Keeping a full set on the shelf
- Store the cards in an envelope or box with the title cards on top.
- Swap in new pictures when the child knows the set by heart.
Questions parents ask about the living and nonliving sorting cards
What pictures go in a living and nonliving sort?
Clear photos of everyday things: animals, plants, people, a tree, a flower; and a rock, a car, a spoon, a cloud, a house. Add a few tricky ones later, like a seed or a shell.
Can I make living and nonliving cards?
Yes, in half an hour from magazine pictures on card. Mark the answer on the back so the child can check.
Cards or real objects?
Real objects first. Cards add things too big or far away to bring to the table.
Before the living and nonliving sorting cards, make sure the work before it is solid. The caring for plants lesson lists the signs that a child is ready to move on.