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Montessori-Inspired Valentine Math Trays

February 7, 2012 By Deb Chitwood 11 Comments

I typically use free printables to create Montessori-inspired activities for my post at PreK + K Sharing on the 15th of each month. Of course, February 15 is after Valentine’s Day, so today’s a good day to share some Montessori-inspired Valentine trays created using free printables!

There are great Valentine printables available in every subject area. I’ll show some math trays that were easy to create using a few of the printables. If your materials will be used a lot (in a preschool especially), I recommend laminating the printables. For a homeschool activity that won’t have a lot of heavy use, you could always print out the material on thick, glossy photo paper and skip the lamination. I try to find 3-dimensional objects for activity trays whenever possible, so these use 3-dimensional hearts. You could always use paper hearts (such as hearts created from a special hole puncher) if needed.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Valentine Numbers and Counters

Valentine Numbers and Counters

Valentine Numbers and Counters

I always loved to have variations of the Montessori cards and counters for different seasons and holidays. I generally like to find a printable for the numbers that’s seasonal, although you could use regular numerals from Montessori cards and counters and change out the counters. For the printable, I used the Valentine Number Matchup from Confessions of a Homeschooler. For this tray, I found a cute heart-shaped tray on sale at the hobby store (Michaels), but it certainly doesn’t have to be heart shaped. I often use an inexpensive wooden tray from the hobby store. I bought acrylic heart gems from the hobby store and used an inexpensive heart-shaped container to hold the gems.

Valentine Numbers and Counters Layout

Valentine Numbers and Counters Layout

When presenting this, I like to use the traditional Montessori presentation of placing the counters in rows of two with an odd counter centered in the middle below the last row. That gives a visual impression of odd and even. Here’s a helpful cards and counters presentation from Montessori Primary Guide. One difference is that the printable I used is for 1-9 rather than 1-10 for the traditional cards and counters. I really liked the printable design, so I’d just use 1-9 this time. Be sure to get 55 counters for 1-10 or 45 for 1-9. I generally get 55 in case I want to use them in the future for a 1-10 activity.

Valentine Numbers and Counters Variation

Conversation Hearts Counting Tray

Conversation Hearts Counting Tray

I love that the printable from Confessions of a Homeschooler has a second part that can be used to make another activity! In a school, you could use small acrylic hearts, but I used candy conversation hearts. If I were using the activity in a homeschool, I would probably use the Valentine numbers and counters tray until Valentine’s Day and then put out the activity with candy hearts. That way, your child could have the hearts after completing the activity as a special Valentine’s Day treat.

Valentine Numbers and Counters Variation

Valentine Numbers and Counters Variation

Isolation of difficulty is a Montessori principle to make learning concepts easier. I’ll typically have all the counters the same so the child isn’t confused when color, shape, or size varies along with the number. But because conversation hearts are just too cute the way they are (and this is an extension after the child is introduced to counters that are all the same), I used conversation hearts in varying colors. You could always pick out one color of conversation heart for the activity if your child would be confused otherwise.

The heart cards with places for conversation hearts don’t all follow the Montessori odd/even presentation, so the odd-even part of the presentation can be skipped and the activity just used as a fun way to match numerals and quantities.

Sweethearts Graphing

Sweethearts Graphing Tray

Sweethearts Graphing Tray

For this activity, I used the Sweethearts Graphing printable from Valentine Sweetheart Printables at A Teaching Mommy. This was an easy activity to prepare! The container holds one box of Sweethearts. You could have an unopened box on the tray instead of in a container if you’d like, since the child graphs the candies from a box of Sweethearts.

Conversation Hearts Count and Clip Cards

Conversation Hearts Count and Clip Cards

Conversation Hearts Count and Clip Cards

Conversation Heart Count Cards from Making Learning Fun are the printables I used for this activity. I like to keep the small parts in individual containers to keep the activity tray as organized and attractive as possible. I added a small container of conversation hearts for counting onto the cards, but that isn’t essential. Your child can just count the hearts on the card and clip the clothespin on the correct number. Clothespin math activities are nice for developing fine-motor skills along with math skills.

Hundred Board Extension

Hundred Chart Tray

Hundred Chart Tray

This activity is a great extension to the traditional Montessori hundred board. For the printable, I used the free Hundreds Chart from Simply Kinder. I just purchased 100 acrylic rhinestone hearts from the hobby store. The ones I found were adhesive, so I removed them from their backing and worked with them a bit to remove any excess stickiness.

I have the hearts in a handmade box from Poland. I love it when I have a keepsake or something special to use on an activity tray. When I’m introducing an activity with a special container, I always tell the story of the container. For a container from another country, I’ll show where the country is on the globe. I show how to handle the special container carefully. I’ve noticed that children are extra careful when they’re shown how to handle the material and entrusted with its care.

Hundred Chart Art

Hundred Chart Art

Hundred Chart Art

Heart Hundreds Chart printable from Lil’ Country Kindergarten is another fun extension to the traditional hundred board. This free printable is no longer available, but you can find a similar free Heart Mystery Picture Puzzle at Made by Teachers. (You just have to register, similar to Teachers Pay Teachers.)  The control chart is shown in the photo, but there’s a blank version underneath for the activity. I used pink and red acrylic rhinestone hearts for this to make it a hands-on activity. If you’d like to have an option for children to color in the hearts, you could print out however many charts you’d need on plain typing paper.

Some Other Printables that Would Work Well for Creating Montessori-Inspired Valentine Math Trays

  • Chocolate Addition and Count by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s from Valentine’s Day Printable Pack ~ Kindergarten Add-On at Homeschool Creations
  • Valentine’s Day Printables at PreKinders
  • V is for Valentine Puzzle (with numbers 1-10) from Valentine’s Day Pre-K Pack at Over the Big Moon

There are links to more Montessori-inspired Valentine math ideas (and Valentine’s Day ideas of all types) in my Montessori-Inspired Valentine’s Day Activities post.

Free Valentine Learning Printables and Montessori-Inspired Valentine Activities

You’ll find free valentine printables and Montessori-inspired valentine activities here: Free Valentine Learning Printables and Montessori-Inspired Valentine Activities.

Montessori-Inspired Valentine Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}

You’ll find more Valentine math activities here: Montessori-Inspired Valentine Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}

All My Valentine’s Day Blog Posts/ResourcesThe Best Heart Books for Kids

The Best Heart Books for Kids {Human Heart, Love, and Valentine’s Day Books}

  • Turning Valentine Crafts into Montessori-Oriented Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired Valentine’s Day Activities
  • Kindness Challenge #2 – Montessori-Inspired Kindness
  • Montessori-Inspired Valentine’s Day Activities (2012)
  • Montessori-Inspired Valentine Math Trays and Valentine Ideas Blog Hop
  • Montessori-Inspired Hundred Acts of Kindness Project
  • Homeschool Valentine’s Day
  • Montessori-Inspired Transferring Activities for February
  • Water Pouring and Water-Bead Pouring
  • Free Valentine Learning Printables and Montessori-Inspired Valentine Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired Valentine’s Day Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
  • Free Valentine’s Day Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
  • Free Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin with Practical Life and Math Activities
  • Easy-to-Prepare Valentine Heart and Colander Practical Life Activity
  • Valentine’s Day Cutting Tray with Strings of Beads
  • Free Heart Printables and Montessori-Inspired Heart Activities {Human Heart and Valentine Hearts}
  • Montessori-Inspired Heart Unit {Hundreds of Human Heart and Valentine Heat Resources}
  • Free Heart and Valentine Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
  • Free Animal Valentine Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
  • How to Make a 100 Hearts Sensory Bottle (100 Hearts Calming Bottle)
  • Kids’ Valentine’s Day Activities Pinterest Board

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Filed Under: Activities - Math, Holidays and Celebrations Tagged With: hundred board variation, Montessori, Montessori-inspired Valentine math, Montessori-inspired Valentine trays, Valentine Ideas Blog Hop, Valentine numbers and counters, Valentine printables

Previous Post: « Thank You’s for January 2012
Next Post: Heart Project Giveaway – 2 Melissa & Doug Trunkis (ARV $40 Each) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fun Frugal Mommy says

    February 10, 2012 at 6:27 am

    What a great linky party. I just linked up my valentines printables. I would love it if you shared my fun frugal friday linky party at http://www.funfrugalmommy.blogspot.com Have a great day.

    Reply
    • Deb says

      February 12, 2012 at 6:59 pm

      Thanks so much! I linked up at yours, too! Have a great week! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Thea says

    February 11, 2012 at 2:21 am

    Wow, talk about an abundance of ideas! I just printed and laminated the ‘basic’ hearts and numbers cards and the children enjoyed matching and sequencing them. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for some heart-shaped countes, beads, etc this weekend!

    Thanks for your lovely blog:)

    Reply
    • Deb says

      February 12, 2012 at 7:01 pm

      Thanks so much for your kind comment, Thea! I’m glad to hear the children enjoyed the activity. Have a wonderful week! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kim says

    February 15, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    Thanks for linking up to our Afterschool Blog Hop! I can’t wait to try someone these Heart Activities with my younger one next year. My older one loved the 100 heart art. Great Valentine Link Up too!

    Reply
    • Deb says

      February 15, 2012 at 11:54 pm

      Thanks, Kim! I’m amazed at all the awesome Valentine’s Day printables and activities that are available online now! It’s a bit mind-boggling … and lots of fun! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Sierra says

    February 22, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Thanks for linking up at WOTT, Deb! And to think that we just ate conversations hearts in school when I was younger 😀

    Reply
    • Deb says

      March 7, 2012 at 8:50 pm

      Thanks, Sierra … I just found this! So true about eating the conversation hearts in school. How the Internet has changed things! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Julie - Suburban Moms Media says

    January 11, 2013 at 7:13 pm

    Thank you so much for all these great ideas! Lots of inspiration in one place, I appreciate that! 🙂

    Reply
    • Deb says

      January 11, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks so much, Julie! I love Valentine’s Day … such a fun holiday for learning activities! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Nicole says

    January 18, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    What a wonderful list of Valentine’s Day math activities for kids. I am always on the look out for new hands on math learning ideas to do with my kids. It is amazing how much quicker they learn that way. Have a wonderful week!!

    Reply

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