Count, Group and Compare with Your Preschooler
Note to parents and caregivers: The most important thing to remember when doing these activities with your child is to have fun! You want them to have fun with numbers and sorting, thinking, and asking questions. If your child resists a lot, let it go. Don’t allow it to become a situation where you or your child is frustrated.
Keep things open-ended. Ask instead of tell. (“Where might this go?” “Who wears these socks?” “Why did you do this?”)
Ask, “What do you see?” Say, “This is what I see.” Be astounded! Be playful! Avoid power struggles over answers. Keep it open-ended. Listen to what your child says and repeat it, mirroring their faces and echoing their words and ideas.
*Plan-Do-Review is a concept used throughout almost all activities. Children are asked to come up with their own PLAN for the activity they are about to do. This can be as broad or as narrow as needed, depending on age/ability. They are then sent to DO the activity. It is okay for the plan to change and adapt as needed. After the activity is over, children are asked to REVIEW what they did. They are asked what worked well, and what did not. They are asked what could be done differently next time to make the activity better.
Activity #1: Junk Boxes
Materials Needed: Small box/container (such as a check box), random assortment of items (these can be things you already have around the house. Examples: bread bag clips/ties, buttons, game pieces, keys, bottle caps, barrettes, jewels, shells, nuts/bolts, glass beads/marbles, coins, etc.)
Rationale: Encourages counting, sorting (object, size, color, shape, finding order, patterning.
Instructions: Collect/add materials to the box. Allow your child to freely explore the materials first. Incorporate Plan-Do-Review*.
Example: “Let’s sort these materials into piles. Let’s count how many buttons you can find.” Ask open-ended questions and encourage the child to come up with ideas on how to sort the materials. Older children can put items into patterns, use materials for simple addition, and more.
Activity #2: Sorting for work, play, and fun!
Materials Needed: Laundry/Socks, Silverware, Toys
Rationale: Sorting, counting, number/color/size recognition
Instructions: Use household items and invite children to help with household chores. Children can match up a basket of unmatched socks, put away and sort silverware into the organizer within the drawer, or sort their own toys into the proper places. This can be made into a game by giving simple instructions. (e.g., “Put away all the red toys.” “How many forks are there?” “Let’s race to see who can match 6 pairs of socks first!”)
Activity #3: Egg Carton Scavenger Hunt
Materials Needed: Egg carton or container with small sections, small objects that will fit into sections.
Rationale: Encourages sorting, counting, patterning, color/number/size awareness, and object awareness.
Instructions: Have children find small objects to fit into sections. Objects can be hidden to be found. (e.g., find 4 paper clips, find 3 acorns.) With multiple children, one child can hide the objects, the other can seek them. Egg cartons can also be filled with 12 of the same object, one in each section. (ie. an easter egg hunt, but with other objects.) When their sections are all full, they will know they have found all the hidden objects.
Activities Prepared by:
Spectrum Progressive School of Rockford
Phone: (815) 877-1600
URL: https://www.spectrumschool.org/
Private, independent, non-sectarian school serving the Rockford area and surrounding region including Beloit, Janesville, Roscoe, Rockton, Boone County and Dekalb
