Counting Money Activities

Let's face it...there are TONS of mathematic concepts that we've been taught,  which we can honestly say we have NEVER used in our everyday lives, nor ever use them in the future! I mean, who can say they've ever had to use the Pythagorean theorem or know the square root of anything in their adult lives? I mean this as no offense whatsoever to all of the math teachers in the world and give them tons of credit for all they do. I am simply leading into some activities that I have used for my students to enforce a math concept that will constantly be used in the future...concepts of money! As a teacher of special needs students, these are crucial life skills that will be used their entire lives and are far more beneficial to this population than exponents, angles, and other, more abstract concepts. Here are some activities to use at home or in a classroom for students of varying ability levels to teach concepts of money...

Practice sorting coins using fake money and small cups

Label envelopes with specific dollar amounts and have students place the correct amount of faux dollar bills in each envelope

Practice combining coins to create the amount written on each envelope (I always include a picture of the item they are "purchasing" to empahsize the fact that money allows us to buy the things we want)

I would loooove to hear ideas you all have for helping your students and children understand concepts of money. Let me know!

Number Recognition and Counting Activities

It is so hard to believe that we are half way through summer break (at least over here in Pennsylvania)! Prepare your little ones for their upcoming preschool and early elementary years using these fun and simple ways to identify numbers, put them in order, and begin to count!

Label Legos with numbers 1-20 (or as high as your little munchkins can go) and have your child stack them in order!

Use a cookie sheet (aka-instant magnet board) and write numbers 1-10 using a permanent marker. Match magnetic numbers found at your nearest dollar store with the written numbers for number id fun!

Use any type of envelopes labeled with numbers 1-10 to have your child count the correct number of popsicle sticks to place inside them!

Use a basic sorting tray marked with various numbers and encourage your child to sort index cards by number.

Activities like these are perfect for summer learning, as they are so simple to put together and super quick and fun for munchkins to complete that they won't even realize they're educational! Happy rest of summer!!!

Shape Recognition Activities

Teaching your child shapes? Here are some non-traditional ways in which to do so and have fun in the process...

Using multi-shape links purchased at my local dollar store, I sorted them in cups and created index cards for students to imitate the pattern drawn by linking the matching shapes.

Draw various shapes on clothespins that children can clip to corresponding shape pictures placed on index cards and laminated

This file folder activity allows children to match shape manipulatives to their corresponding shapes on the folder

Using foam shapes purchased at a local, craft store, children place them into a sorting tray by shape.

Activities like these are ideal for on-the-go munchkins. I also use them for some of my students with developmental needs who tend to benefit from tactile learning. Stay tuned for more hands-on activities that address other great concepts...