Ladybug Math

Ladybug Math

 I found an activity on Pinterest recently that looked a little like this, (found here: http://www.love-and-lollipops.blogspot.com/2010/09/colour-fun-6-bottle-top-ladybugs.html) but I have added my own twist to it.  Reusing milk bottle caps and a peanut butter jar I now have one activity that all 4 of my kiddos can play with.

K, my one year old, is fascinated with putting things into a container and taking them out.  The jar is large enough that her hands aren't going to get stuck.  Oh, and she also enjoys dumping them out!

K likes to put the ladybugs into the jar...

...and take them out...

...and put the lid on.

L, my 5 year old/soon to be kindergartner, can match the dots to the correct number, and put them in numerical order.

L is matching ladybug dots to the correct number.

 N, my 2/almost 3 year old works on naming the numbers and counting the dots.

N likes to mix them up!

All lined up!

Such a simple, FREE activity you can make at home!  Just save those bottle caps and jars!

Activities for my almost 7 year old and older students:
~ make one bottle cap with a plus sign, one with a minus sign, and one with an equal sign, and create number problems. (extra:  have them write them out on paper or in their workbook!)
~ make one bottle cap (slightly larger) with a greater than sign (>) or a less than sign (<) and have him draw bottle caps out of the jar and compare the numbers

Other Pre-K to Kindergarten activities:
~ draw out a bottle cap and use another object (little erasers, pom-poms, straws, popcicle sticks, etc.) to count out that number

Addition Subtraction Card Game

A is filling in for L and doing an addition/subtraction game.

Materials:  Deck of cards (minus the face cards), dry erase marker, chart of numbers (as high as you want-mine is copied from a book I already had, but can easily be made in Word or handwritten), plastic sheet protector

Play:  Flip two cards over and add or subtract them.  Mark out the answer. 

Goal:  Mark off all the numbers before you run out of cards.

This activity can be adjusted for any age level.  Use as many numbers as you want and as many cards as you want.  Pull out the smaller numbers to use for a younger child. You can use only addition or only subtraction, or both, depending on what you are working on with  your child.  You can also have two players and use two different colors of dry erase markers or two different number charts.  Be the first to mark out all your numbers.  What if you have already marked out a number and get the same answer?  Be creative! Try subtracting for a different answer. Or place them back in the deck in different spots.  If you are playing with someone else when this happens, this could be your "lose a turn" or "skip a turn".

This activity reinforces counting, addition and subtraction skills, and number recognition.