Quick Tricks for Math uses materials such as buttons and other household
objects to help with beginning skills of counting, numeral recognition,
sorting, matching, shapes, and patterns. The activities also help children
learn in other curriculum areas.
Sample Activity
Pet Parade - A Quick Trick With Stuffed Animals
Gather These Materials
- a small variety of stuffed animals
Where: on the floor
How: Have each child bring her favorite stuffed animal to the group. (These
can be from home or can be selected from an assortment you have in the room.)
Have the children arrange their animals in a row for a pet parade. Sing the
following song with your children, subsstituting the correct ordinal number
and the correct animal name for the underlined words.
The Pet Parade
Tune: The Farmer In The Dell
The tiger cub is first,
The tiger cub is first,
Come see the pet parade,
The tiger cub is first.
The panda bear is second,
The panda bear is second,
Come see the pet parade,
The panda bear is second.
Final Verse:
They all marched around.
They all marched around.
They marched in the pet parade.
They all marched around.
Encourage the children to produce a pet parade at home and sing the song to
their families.
Variation:
- Sing about the order of the children when they line up to go outdoors.
Mary is first.
Mary is first.
We're getting in line to go outside and
Mary is first.
Carlos is second.
Carlos is second.
We're getting in line to go outside and
Carlos is second.
Continue with the remaining children.
This activity helps children learn about ordinal numbers and rhyming sounds.
See Another Sample Activity!
