{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/shared-family-05","type":"mechanic","id":"shared-family-05","lang":"en","title":"Sorting and classification","summary":"Players distribute objects into groups by selecting or inferring a classification rule.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-05/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-05.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-05.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Children’s games","Perception, attention and information","Educational games"],"sourceIds":["source-95d2f8a833d53db8"],"sources":[{"id":"source-95d2f8a833d53db8","title":"A Little to the Left","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629520/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Sort by one property"},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants\n\n<a id=\"family-05-branch-1\"></a>\n\n- Sort by one property <a id=\"family-05-variant-1\"></a>\n- Sort by several properties <a id=\"family-05-variant-2\"></a>\n- Find an outlier <a id=\"family-05-variant-3\"></a>\n- Find a shared category <a id=\"family-05-variant-4\"></a>\n- Place objects at category intersections <a id=\"family-05-variant-5\"></a>\n- Build nested categories <a id=\"family-05-variant-6\"></a>\n- Change sorting rules <a id=\"family-05-variant-7\"></a>\n- Invent a rule <a id=\"family-05-variant-8\"></a>\n- Accept several justified classifications <a id=\"family-05-variant-9\"></a>\n- Resort after a property changes <a id=\"family-05-variant-10\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"Sort shapes by color, shape and then both properties."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"An action map for children’s digital, board, active and mixed games. An instructional goal is optional: children can invent stories, explore toys, compete or enjoy play itself. Select age suitability, reading demands, controls and pace separately; different implementations can suit different ages. Learning tasks and instructional support have their own reference."},{"id":"context-education","title":"Context: Educational games","body":"A mechanic map for games with explicit learning goals, from first encounters with a topic to professional practice. It covers children, teenagers and adults; choose subject, difficulty, context and controls for the learner. Player actions, subject content, instructional support and assessment are distinct layers. Scores and game completion alone do not establish mastery or skill transfer."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"children","id":"family-05","title":"Children’s games","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/children/#family-05","categoryIds":["perception"]},{"catalogId":"education","id":"family-05","title":"Educational games","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/education/#family-05","categoryIds":["perception"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Sorting and classification","description":"Players distribute objects into groups by selecting or inferring a classification rule.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/adventure-little-to-left-03.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"A Little to the Left","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629520/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1629520/ss_fd61e2eff377c9ecae9ea5ade13876d88eef9e47.1920x1080.jpg?t=1791454263","credit":"Max Inferno / Secret Mode","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Container shapes and heights suggest an order","alt":"Container shapes and heights suggest an order","markers":[{"x":52,"y":63,"label":"Object properties suggest a sorting criterion"}]},"tips":["Keep the sorting criterion consistent within a task."],"examples":[{"title":"A Little to the Left","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629520/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support specific examples, not the entire classification.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/children"}}