We hope you enjoyed our post about how we've been homeschooling and fun ways to teach colours. A few of you have reached out to see if we can share more ideas for homeschooling so we've decided to fo a Lockdown Learning series sharing as many ideas as we can.
Today we thought share some fun ways that we've been teaching Billy his numbers at home. Trust me, anything that keeps Billy focused for more than 2 minutes will certainly work for you too.
1: The Dentist
This activity was so much fun and only needed stuff we already had lying around the house. Billy was super excited with this one. It felt like a game as opposed to learning which I think is key for all children but especially those of pre-school age. I was happy with how after just a few times "playing" he seemed to be picking up on his numbers without even realising he was ticking all the right education boxes!
What you'll need;
Paper
Pen
White Play
Computer and Printer (optional)
Method;
Draw on a white sheet of paper an open mouth that holds a number of teeth. We decided to create one on the computer and print it out for ease, but it's just as easy to draw your own. If you do wish to use our template, feel free to download it here.
On each tooth, write a different number, make sure you use a variety of numbers and include ones you know your child needs to work on. Repeat the numbers after every few teeth to give your child the chance to keep seeing that same number.
Take a small piece of white play doh and break off small pieces to create a number of "teeth"
Now ask your child to place a tooth on the numbers that you call out.
2: Pipe Cleaners
Another fun way to teach numbers was with 2 simple craft objects, pipe cleaners and beads. If you don't have pipe cleaners or beads (let's face it, not everybody lives and breathes crafts or has time to hoard every craft item that hobby craft creates), so if you don't, then you can just as easily use lolly pop sticks and elastic bands or even show laces and drinking straws cut up into small circular pieces.
What you'll need;
Pipe Cleaners (if you don't have pipe cleaners, use string)
Beads (if you don't have beads, cut up straws into small circles)
Yep that's it!
Method;
Take your pipe cleaners and shape them into different numbers.
Place your beads in a bowl.
Then let the fun commence! Ask your child to place the right amount of beads onto the number you have created.
I loved this activity, it was something new and fresh for Billy to try and was so much fun. It also doubled up as a great way to test out Billy's motor skills by him concentrating on sliding the beads onto the pipe cleaner - another 2 for one so another gold star activity from me!
3: Ice Cream Cones
This was the easiest activity by far and let's face it, we all love ice-cream so Billy was all too keen to partake in this fun game. He loved building his own ice cream cones with a variety of colours, and after we had completed a few rounds of numbers, we then carried on playing with Billy being the ice-cream server and asking me which flavours I would like, which then without realising turned into an education of colour, so this one get's a gold star on the homeschooling front from us.
What you'll need;
Computer and printer (optional)
Sheet of Paper
Pen/Pencil
Craft Pom Pom's in a selection of colours
Method;
On a piece of paper, draw as many ice-cream cones as you want. Again, we decided to design this on the computer and print, if you wish to do the same and use our template, you can download it here, but it's just as easy to draw your own.
In a bowl, place a few coloured craft pom pom's, if you don't have craft pom pom's, why not just cut out some circles on paper and colour them in.
Have your child place the right amount of 'ice cream' onto the cone as you call our the numbers. For Billy I decided to keep it simple and only had 5 cones with numbers 1-5, but since then, we have been using the same method to practice our numbers 1-15.
Just a warning, after this activity we both really fancied ice-cream and managed to finish off an entire pot of Ben and Jerrys between us.... just saying!
4: Petals
We love painting, in fact for someone that is extremely over the top with cleaning at home and keeping things neat and tidy, I actually love anything that creates a lot of mess, the more mess the better! When Billy comes home from nursery or from my mum and dads (or at least when he was allowed to be there) covered in muck it makes me so happy as to me this means he has had so much fun.
What you'll need;
Computer and printer (optional)
White Paper
Green and Yellow colouring pencils/crayons
Finger Paints (or any paints)
Method;
On a sheet of paper, draw flower stems using a green colouring pencil and the flowers nectar using a yellow colouring pencil. We decided to design and print, and went with just 3 flowers, but you can draw as many as you like. If you'd like to use out template, go ahead and download here.
On each flower, write in large font a number, use a different number for each flower. I decided to concentrate on numbers that Billy has been finding more difficult.
Line up your finger paint pots and let the fun commence. Ask your child to draw the right amount of petals on the flower as you point to and call out the number.
This activity left us with messy fingers but big smiles on our faces, and Billy enjoyed it so much that we then recreated the activity but using lady"bugs". The exact same method but adding spots to ladybirds instead of petals to flowers.
5: Cupcakes
Another warning coming up - after this activity I must confess, we did bake some banana and chocolate chip muffins because we couldn't stop thinking about cakes, so if your on a new year health kick, commence with care! All you need are two simple things to get going.
What you'll need;
Cupcake Cases
Coloured Straws or Craft Pom Pom's
Scissors (if using straws)
Pen
Method;
Place out your cupcake cases on a flat surface, we went for 4 cases but it's your activity, so you go ahead with as many as you like.
On the base of the cupcake cases write in pen your numbers, use different numbers in each case.
Using a few coloured straws and a pair of scissors, cut the straws to create small circles. Place these into a spare cupcake case or small bowl.
And begin! By now I'm sure your know how it works... simply get your child to add the right amount of straw cuttings (or craft pom pom's) into the cupcake case.
Super easy and super fun! By this point Billy was recognising his numbers without any issue and was getting quicker at recognising the shape of the number written down too.
6: Legos
We love spending time building with our lego blocks and so this activity was again a really easy one to pull together and one that came to us when Billy was building a lego tower and counting out each brick he added to the tower. We wanted to find a way that we could use lego to count, but in a way that would also incorporate an additional learning activity. This activity helps build confidence on numbers, colours and shapes, so this day we conquered 3 lessons in one which allowed us to spend more time jumping in the muddy puddles in the woods and enjoying Costa hot chocolates or as Billy refers to them "hot costa's"!
What you'll need;
Sheet of paper
Coloured pens/pencils/crayons
Lego bricks
Method;
Take a sheet of paper and some lego bricks and place your bricks in any shape you like on your paper. Draw around them with a pen and then remove the bricks.
Colour the shape in your chosen colour.
Repeat steps 1-2 to create as many coloured shapes as you desire.
Take your lego bricks and place them in a bowl or just simply in a pile.
The aim of the activity is to first match the correct number of bricks to the shape, but to also add the right coloured brick as well. So as you call out a shape and colour, your child will be building away using the right amount of bricks and scrubbing up on their numbers too!
We hope that these 6 activities helped you and your little ones have some fun whilst ticking all the homeschooling boxes. And don't forget, you're doing amazingly well, even if you only manage to do one small educational task a day that's enough to keep your child's brain stimulated, and if your struggling to find time to sit with them because of other commitments like work, there are some incredible educational apps or even programmes nowadays so don't feel guilty about more screen time than usual.
"Look how far you've come and then keep going"
Until next time Raindropz, stay safe and keep smiling.
Nikki and Claire xxx
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