Pine Cone Numbers and Counters
What DID We Do All Day? has a great outdoor math activity for preschoolers – numbers and pinecone counters. It’s a unique variation of Montessori cards and counters 1-10 and a fun way to review math skills in the summer.
The only essential materials are sidewalk chalk to write the numerals and pine cones (rocks or other natural objects could be used instead) for the counters. You could add a second color of chalk if you want your child to trace over the numerals you write.
What is especially fun is the idea from What DID We Do All Day? to have your child use a toy dump truck to haul the pine cones needed for the activity. My son would have loved that when he was younger. My daughter wouldn’t have been excited about the dump truck, but she would have loved tracing or writing numerals with chalk and placing the correct number of pine cones below each numeral.
Note: Montessori cards and counters give children a visual impression of odd and even. Two counters are placed in each row with the leftover counter in the center of the bottom row.
UPDATE:
Montessori at the Beach: Numbers and Counters
Montessori at the Beach: Numbers and Counters
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Montessori at the Beach: Numbers and Counters
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Another very fun activity. I have started doing counter cards with my oldest but how fun to take it outside! Thanks for all these great ideas, looking forward to the next!
Thanks so much, Michelle! I love outdoor activities in the summer whenever possible. I figure there’s plenty of time for indoor activities the rest of the year!
What great fun. I love it when we can take the classroom outdoors.
Thanks for your comment, Kyle! Taking the classroom outdoors is one of the great joys of summer, isn’t it?!
What a great idea. Taking august off from school so we are all over this!
Thanks for your nice comment, Andrea! Have fun!
This has always been a favorite of mine, we use to do it with leaves during the fall. My son would love to collect the leaves and count them out for me as he put them on the right number and trace it. My youngest is 3, I think I'll get him some chalk and do this. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks so much for your comment! I love the idea of counting out leaves in the fall!
What a great idea. Taking august off from school so we are all over this! Nice post..
Thanks so much, Apple! Have fun!
I think I’ll get him some chalk and do this. Thanks for the reminder. 😛
Thanks for your comment! Have a great weekend! 🙂
I really enjoyed visiting your site here.. Thanks for the post! Keep posting some more.. Can’t wait for your next update!
Even outdoor you can teach kids math in a very pleasing and fun way for them. Stress free on their part and yours too. Even counting peebles is a fun way of teaching kids addition. Or just by letting themk gather 5 leaveswhich is fun for them since they would be running on who will be the first one to present to you the leaves will be a great time teaching them to count 1-5.
Thank you so much for sharing! I featured your outdoor Math Station on my Math Exploration – Pinecone Roundup today on my blog. Have a great day!!