Festivals

CHRISTMAS IDEAS

stars chain (1-10)

bells chain (1-5)

Counting chains

Before Christmas you can find many inexpensive Christmas decorations which can
be used for maths activities. Garlands are ideal for counting fixed quantities,
sequencing and associating quantities and numerals when used with number cards.

Christmas cards and pegs

I have selected five cards of the same size with different quantities of clear objects on them for counting. The numerals are written on the pegs and aim to be attached to the correct card.

The trees are very tactile and appealing to the children.

Felt Christmas trees

Use any template to cut out ten trees out of green felt. Sew the buttons. Then stitch two sides together and stuff with polyester filling before finishing the stitching.

Foam Christmas trees and stars

The trees are ready cut out foam decorations which you can find in the craft shops. I have used glitter writing paint to draw the numbers. For the counters I have cut up a chain of golden stars but you can use any small Christmas decorations or even pegs (candles would look particularly interesting).

Christmas cards and counters

This activity again requires the same size cards with the objects to count. This time I have managed to collect ten cards with the quantities 1 to 10. Here you can find the number cards to print.

Open-ended Creativity with Christmas decorations

I presented this activity in Reggio Emilia style as an invitation to explore and create. The main part of this presentation is a wire Christmas tree which I have bought in a cheep store. The layers of bent wires make space for things to be placed in between or pegged onto. I have also provided two very plain picture frames in which children composed their arrangements. For loose parts I have collected various green, red and white materials available at school.
I was amazed with their creativity and extend of concentration. Some children were able to spent very long time creating and transforming their creations. No need to say, there were NO two same things made ever.

Another invitation to explore and create with a wooden Christmas tree, bead chains, and various baubles.

VALENTINES DAY IDEAS

Heart pegs counting

This activity is very simple to prepare. All you need is: craft sticks and small pegs with hearts. I have bought mine in Hobbycraft. Write the numeral on each stick and arrange all resources on the tray.

Felt heart shaped lollipops

I first found this idea on Pamela Susan's website www.pamelasusan.typepad.com and adapled it for this counting activity. Hearts are very simple to make and don't take much time. Please look at the step by step tutorial. Depending on children's abilities you will need between 15 (counting 1-5) to 55 hearts (counting 1-10) and apropriate number of containers with numerals for sorting.

Pegging

Again you need several small pegs with hearts and a box with sturdy edges to clip the pegs on.

EASTER iDEAS

Chick Counting

The activity consists of 5 hens and 15 chicks. Little chicks are of Tina's design and this tutorial explains how to make them. I made the hens in similar pattern but bigger and with hen-like details. Each of my hens is different but you can keep them the same if you prefer. The number (threading numerals) is only loosely attached to each hen so they could be used for the other activities e.g. 'Five Brown Hens' counting rhyme.

Eggs in Nests Counting

It's my first counting resource of this type. They seem to be very popular with my children. Some children use an elimination method to decide which numeral is correct. You can download the PDF file in here.

HALLOWEEN IDEAS

Five Baby Bats

Way up high in the sunset sky
Five baby bats learned how to fly
They flapped their wings
As hard as they could
But down came one bat
Oh no! Not good!

Counting Rhymes

FIVE BABY BATS

This is another amazing picture mat painted by Jane! Bats are cut out from artificial black leader and decorated with googly eyes and puffy paint. All Halloween rhymes in this section are the product of collaboration of several people in our setting. We had great fun making them up!

10 LITTLE GHOSTS

Again, this is Jane's fantastic idea. She used dolly pegs for the ghosts. First she painted them white and then glued squares of white tissue paper centrally on the top of the peg. To finish off each ghost just draw eyes and a mouth with a black marker pen. Then you need a sturdy box to peg the ghosts on. Jane used a large plastic jar on which she first glued tissue paper to create a good base for the paint. You can just paint it black with some stars or use your creative skills to paint a night scene. I am much better working with felt and needle so I made a black mat with a moon and a tree painted (by Jane) with a black puffy paint.

Ten little ghosts went out one night
Into the town to give a fright
One jumped out and shouted 'Boo!'
Another ghost got frightened
And off he flew.