Gaining confidence with skip counting is a great way for kids to improve their mathematical thinking. Learning facts so they’re instinctive means their brains are freed up to think about the more difficult aspects of a problem. These free skip counting beach puzzles are a fun way to encourage this automaticity. Creating your puzzles Download […]
10 Ways to Count with Storybooks
It’s time to focus on storybooks as part of this ’10 Ways to Count’ roundup series. As educators and parents we love to read to our kids, it’s such a great way to learn and builds closer relationships. Using extension activities to incorporate the counting we read about is a natural progression that gives meaning […]
10 Ways to Count with Snacks
Food is an integral part of life so this week’s counting roundup has ideas for kids to count with snacks. Some are healthy and some are not, some are for eating and some snack foods are just being used as another form of manipulative. Since kids often love to play with their food, perhaps this […]
Ice Cream Sundaes Money Addition
Ice cream is pretty motivating to most kids (me, too) so using sundaes for money addition is not a bad strategy! Just don’t let your kids make them like this in real life or you’ll have ice cream dripping all over your kitchen table to the floor! Preparing your sundae money addition cards Print off […]
10 Ways to Count with Fine Motor Skills
The development of fine motor skills is essential for young writers-in-waiting. Since counting is also essential this post combines them and you’ll find lots of links to fun counting activities here! Count with fine motor skills ideas 1. Marbles Marbles and golf tees from Living Montessori Now. Marble madness from Little Bins for Little Hands. Marbles […]
10 Ways to Count with Play Dough
I want to count with play dough! Why is play dough such a winner? Is it the squishyness? The ability to use it to create anything? The fact that we can make it so easily with the hundreds of quick and easy internet recipes? Who knows! All I know is that kids love it. I […]
Free 2016-2017 Monthly Calendar
Edit: January to December 2021 calendars are available HERE. Since northern teachers are quickly wrapping up their year (if they haven’t already) it’s time for the newest update to our popular calendar. Here’s your new and improved 2016-2017 monthly calendar! Two versions Did you know there’s an even split of teachers who like their calendars to start […]
10 Ways to Count and Move
There’s no doubt that kids love to count and they love to move. So putting them together to count and move is a natural. Over the coming weeks we’ll be scouring the internet for tons of different ways to count so stay tuned! Count and move ideas 1. Count and hop Home made DIY frog […]
Ocean Size Sort: Small, Medium and Large
Gotta love the ocean! There are so many creatures for kids to love whether they like cute and colourful or big and scary. Today’s free math activity is an ocean size sort, focused on small, medium and large. Grab the play dough or the pencils and let’s go! Also, scroll down to the bottom of […]
Interactive Number Lines to 10
Gaining confidence with number lines is an effective way of improving general number sense, and is a precursor to later success with math. And they’re fun, too! Interactive number lines The advantage of children using number lines to become familiar with numbers and to begin to solve problems, is that they help develop an understanding […]