A Simple Number Game

A couple of years ago the C.O.W (Classroom On Wheels) bus came into my city. It is a big school bus that has been painted like a black and white spotted cow, the horn even moos instead of honks. It has been cleared of its seats, and filled instead with shelves and shelves of educational materials. It drives around the country, and if you are lucky enough to have it come to your area, you can make an appointment and bring your kids and explore all the great resources they have for parents of young children.

We loved it! There were so many great ideas, and they were all quick and easy things that parents could easily duplicate at home for very little cost.

This is something I came home and made right away. I felt like I had done a lot of activities with my children promoting literacy, but not as much with numbers and early math skills. So this was a good find for our family.

I went to the dollar store and bought a small box, a pack of poker chips, and a large die. Then I cut plain paper to fit the box, divided it into six, and put number stickers in the spaces. When the cards were done, I laminated them for durability, but you don't have to.

Pass out the cards to all the players, and give them each six chips. When you roll a number on the dice, you cover that number on your card with a chip.

Take turns back and forth between all the players.

The first person to get all their numbers covered, wins.

Easy as can be, but it is a great game to help toddlers and preschoolers what a number of things looks like, (dots on the dice) what it looks like written out, ( in numerals) and make the connection between the two.