Counting Rings

 

Here is a very simple busy bag for preschool aged children learning to count-- Counting Rings! These are a great way to help your child count from 1-10, help them visualize which numbers are greater and practice number sequencing.

To make a set for your child, you will need pony beads and large binder clips (I recommend 2-3 inch binder clips). Open one ring, add one pony bead, and close it up. Open up the second ring, add two pony beads, and close it up. Repeat with the remaining rings, adding an extra bead each time, until  you are finished.

Number Matching Eggs, Another Fun Way to Upcycle Your Plastic Easter Eggs

There are so many cute educational and fun activities that you can make with plastic Easter Eggs. This one practices matching the number with the word. Using a Sharpie marker, write the number 1 on the top half of an egg and the word one on the bottom half. Continue with as many numbers as you like. I made a set of 1-20. You can also make a set with the number on the top half and the matching amount of dots on the bottom half.

 

 

For more educational plastic egg activities, check out Capital & Lowercase Matching Eggs and

Number Snakes.

Number Snakes--Fun & Educational Ways to Upcylce Plastic Easter Eggs

Last week, I picked up a bunch of plastic Easter Eggs that were on sale for 25 cents. When I got home, I found some pipe cleaners, googley eyes, and a black Sharpie and got busy.

 

The eggs with the two holes on the top were perfect to make some counting caterpillars or snakes. I am participating in a Busy Bag Exchange with 12 other people, I figured the counting snakes would be perfect for this exchange. The snake is fun to play with and it allows the kids to practice number recognition and sequencing.

 

 

I used a permanent marker to number the bottom half of 10 eggs with the numbers 1-10.

 

 

I took a red pipe cleaner and tied a knot in it towards one end.

 

 

I glued a pair of googley eyes on the egg with the number 1 on it and laced the numbers in order onto the pipe cleaner. The knot in the pipe cleaner keeps the eggs from sliding off.

 

I trimmed the tongue down a bit...

 

 

I wrapped the end of the pipe cleaner around a paper clip to help keep the egg pieces together.

 

Pretty simple, huh?

 

When the kids want to play with it, all they have to do is take the paper clip off and slide the eggs off and put them back on in order.

 

 

I didn't want to waste all of the tops of the eggs, so, I used them to make a snake for play. I made it the same way, without the numbers and instead of using a paper clip to keep the eggs together, I glued the end on.

 

 

I decided to make my son a snake that goes up to 20. I also made him a set with the alphabet.