Meet at a library.
Let your child choose a certain number of books to check out to take home to read. Children learn to like books at an early age. They also develop an interest in libraries and the service they offer.
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-Chicka Chicka 1 2 3, by Bill Martin, Jr., Michael Sampson, and Lois Ehlert
-Five Little Ducks, by Raffi
-I Spy Little Numbers, by James Marzollo
-Mouse Count, by Ellen Stoll Walsh
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Counting Fun Necklaces (12+ months)
Materials: Froot Loops™ or Cheerios™ cereal and a piece of yarn.
Description: Pour Froot Loops™ into plastic cups for each child and ask him or her to reach into the cup and grab a handful. Tape the end of the yarn, and string the Froot Loops™ onto the piece of yarn as the child counts them out loud. How many Froot Loops™ will fit onto the piece of yarn?
*For babies, pour Cheerios™ in different-sized containers and let them pick them out and eat them. You can put 2 in one container 10 in another so they can search for them, as well as learn the difference between having some or none.
Friendship Chain (3+ years)
Materials: Construction paper, scissors, tape or glue, ruler, and crayons.
Directions: Use a ruler and measure out 4 rolls to cut into strips for loops. Let the children color them; write their name on each one. Cut on the lines, roll in a loop, and link with the
other loops to create a chain. Tape or glue together, and once finished count to see how many loops there are. |
Beanbag Toss (2+ years)
Materials: Ten shoeboxes, marker, (bean bags, balls, or rolled socks).
Description: Number each shoe box 1 through 10, writing the number inside the box. The children then toss a beanbag into one of the squares and call out the number they land on. You can also have them draw a number from a bag and then have them try to land on the number they drew. |
Cheese and crackers
Ingredients: Aerosol cheese and crackers
Directions: Make numbers out of aerosol cheese when spreading it onto the crackers.
Smores Crackers
Ingredients: Graham crackers, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips.
Directions: Lay the graham crackers out on a cookie sheet. Have each child count out 10 marshmallows and 10 chocolate chips and put them on top of the cracker. Stick pan in the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Eat when cooled.
Serve finger foods that are easy to count:
Cheerios™
Goldfish™
Pretzels |
Tissue Box Towers (6+ months)
Materials: Empty tissue boxes.
Description: Use the tissue boxes as blocks. Build towers by stacking them as high as you can, and having child count them as they are being stacked. How many can you stack?
*Counting is optional. Babies enjoy watching them be stacked and knocking them over.
How Many? (3+ years)
Materials: Blocks (any kind will work) and at least one toy.
Description: Have your child make a circle around a toy with blocks and have them count how many blocks it will take to make the circle. Use different-sized toys (ex: a stuffed animal, a ball, a car, etc.) and let them guess beforehand how many blocks it may take. Pass the toys around so each child can try to guess how big the circle will be.
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