Use plastic Easter eggs for this mix and match activity. Open different colored plastic eggs and put them back together with two different colored shells. On white paper, draw an egg and color it in with one of the egg color combinations. Repeat the process until you have colored drawings of all the egg combinations you created. Place the eggs into a basket and randomly select one drawing to hold up. The first child to find the matching colored egg in the basket wins.
You can create a mix and match activity using beads. Craft stores offer a variety of beads to select from. Gather three or more varieties of beads to make necklaces or bracelets. Assign children to make three pieces of jewelry with different patterns. For example, one design might use the same beads, the second design require a consistent pattern such as two red beads followed by one black bead, and the third design allows children to mix and match different beads as they desire. Make sure the beads are large enough for the children to handle easily and are not a choking hazard.
Create a mix and match activity out of a snowman with winter gear. Cut out a large snowman shape using white felt and hang it up on the wall. Add features such as the eyes, nose, mouth and arms. Use three or more different colors of felt to cut out shapes for winter gear, such as gloves, scarves and hats. Apply velcro or two-sided tape to the back of each cutout and have children take turns dressing the snowman. Choose between dressing up the snowman in the same color winter gear or mismatch the winter gear. Have the children talk about the colors and shapes they are using to dress the snowman.
Musical instruments offer a variety of ways to play mix and match. Children can listen to the pattern of a musical beat and try to match it using different instruments. You can also mix up the music by having each child play a different instrument, such as drums, maracas or a tambourine, and all play the same musical beat at the same time. Children will hear and learn about the different types of sounds each instrument makes and how all the instruments sound when played together.