Number 3 Theme Day

Pre-school Theme Day

Number “3” Day

Once my son knew his letters I decided to tackle numbers in the same way, one at a time to reinforce what each symbol/number was.

Print out the Family Theme Day Planner and decide which activities you’d like to do and in what order.

SONGS:

Many children’s albums feature counting songs. Go through your CD’s and see what you can find.

For something completely different play the song “789” by the Barenaked Ladies from their Snacktime album.

SCRAPBOOK ACTIVITIES:

COLORING PAGES:

You can find many free colouring pages online by using your favourite search engine and typing in “Number Coloring Pages ” or print out my “3/Three Trees” Colouring Page. While colouring the page be sure to count the three trees and the three sides to the triangular shape of the trees.

Have your child colour my “Number Poem: 1 to 5” reviewing the numbers 1 and 2 and emphasizing the number 3 and what it looks like.

BOOKS:

Raid your child’s bookshelves to find any number books.

Go to the library with your child to find books about numbers and counting.

Go to the library on your own to find counting books to have already on hand for your theme day. Many libraries allow you to go online and search for titles based on subject (search for “numbers” or “counting” under “Children’s Books”). Reserve them if you can to save time.

Try to find some of these fun counting books:

· 1,2,3 Penguins, by Kevin Schafer, Northword Press, 2002 – This rhyming number book counts to 12 and has cute photographs of penguins.

· 123 POP!, by Rachel Isadora, Viking, 2000 – Using pop art illustrations, this bright number book counts to 20 and then some.

· One, Two, Tree, by Anushka Ravishankar and Sirish Rao and illustrated by Durga Bai, Tara Publishing, 2003 – This is part counting book and part search and find book as various numbers of animals climb up a tree and then blend in with the illustrations.

CRAFTS:

NUMBER 3 COLLAGE:

Materials: A copy of my Number 3 Worksheet, old magazines and newspapers, child-safe scissors, washable glue stick, damp facecloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Look through old magazines with your child and together look for the number three. Also look for pictures of sets of three things together.

Step 3: Help your child cut out the numbers to glue on the Number 3 worksheet.

Step 4: Show your child how to glue the numbers onto the collage and then let him/her glue the pictures on the paper however he/she likes.

Step 5: When the collage is dry display (fridge, bulletin board, child’s door) or glue into Family Theme Day Scrapbook.

COUNT TO 3 CHART:

Materials: A copy of my Count to 3 Chart, various stickers, OR stamp (ink) pad and various stamps.

Step 1: Have your child pick stickers to put in each square. Each square gets 3 stickers as you are reviewing the number 3 today. OR Have your child stamp 3 pictures in each square.

Step 2: Count to 3 each time the sticker/stamp is applied and afterwards as a review.

Step 3: Display or glue the chart in your Family Theme Day Scrapbook.

THREE SCOOPS OF ICE-CREAM PICTURE:

Materials: Coloured paper (5 different colours in all), child safe scissors, glue stick, damp cloth for sticky fingers, a cup to trace, a pencil, (Optional) number stickers.

Step 1: Have your child choose the colours (of paper) for the three scoops of ice-cream.

Step 2: Trace around a cup’s rim with a pencil to make a circle on each of the three sheets of coloured paper.

Step 3: Help your child cut out the three circles.

Step 4: On another sheet of paper (brown or yellow) draw a cone shape with a pencil and help your child cut the shape out.

Step 5: Have your child glue the pieces together to make a picture of a triple scooped ice-cream cone.

Step 6: Display or glue in your Family Theme Day Scrapbook.

Step 7: (Optional) If you have number stickers let your child find the number 3 and stick it onto the picture.

FOOD:

SNACK:

Serve 3 large strawberries for a sweet snack.

LUNCH:

Make a quick quesadilla with one tortilla and cut it into three pieces: Sprinkle shredded cheese onto on half of a tortilla. Carefully fold over (makes a half circle) to sandwich the cheese in. Heat a frying pan and then place the folded tortilla onto the pan. Flip after a few minutes. When the cheese has melted it is ready. Let it cool before cutting into three pieces and eating with salsa, sour cream or guacamole to dip.

DESSERT:

Serve an Oreo or other sandwiched cookie and count the three layers: 1) cookie 2) icing and 3) cookie.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

NUMBER CHART:

Materials: a copy of my Number Chart and the Cut Out 3 Card, markers or crayons, child-safe scissors, glue-stick, face cloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Lead your child to the Number Chart on your fridge, bulletin board or taped to a wall and review the Numbers 1 and 2.

Step 2: Have your child colour the Cut-out 3 Card.

Step 3: Help your child cut the Number 3 Card out.

Step 4: Have your child apply glue to the back of the Cut Out 3 Card and glue it on the Number Chart (or you can have your child use tape).

Step 5: Review what number it is by pointing to the chart.

EGG CARTON COUNT:

Materials: The egg carton craft from my Number One Theme Day, little toys or buttons, OR little snacks like Cheerios or Fish Crackers, OR little treats like jelly beans, chocolate chips, M&M’s, or marshmallows in a re-sealable bag, small cut out pieces of paper with the numbers 1, 2 and 3 on them.

Step 1: Give your child the bag of toys/buttons/snacks/treats and have him/her count out 3 toys/buttons/snacks/treats and then put one in the egg compartment with the number 1, the second in the number 2 compartment, and the third in the number 3 cup.

Step 2: Spread out the cut out numbers and after counting out the toys/buttons/snacks/treats have your child find the number 1 and put it in the number 1 spot, then find the number 2 and put it in the number 2 spot, and finally find the number 3 to put in the number 3 spot.

NUMBER TRACING:

Fill a pie plate with sand, sugar or salt and teach your child how to trace the number 3 in the sand. When you are finished tracing dump the sand in a re-sealable bag to use on another day.

FLASH CARDS:

Review numbers using a set of flash cards (found at book stores, educational stores, even craft stores) or make your own by writing each letter on an individual index card (or by printing out my Number Cut-Out Page and gluing each number on index cards).

FOR FUN:

ONLINE GAMES:

There are many different websites that offer games for preschoolers. You can find them by looking up your child’s favourite television characters. Here is one from the Sesame Street website:

Big Bird’s Numbers is a simple game because it only involves your child pressing any key on the keyboard and then a number appears along with a picture that illustrates how many that is:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/game_player?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=gamePlayer_WAR_sesameportlets4369&p_p_uid=7574b28a-486d-11dd-bf7b-df62be721a24

NUMBER WALK:

Walk around your neighbourhood counting different things. You can also do this while in a car or bus etc..

Walk around your neighbourhood or in a store looking for the actual number 3.

TOYS:

If you have any number puzzles this theme day is the perfect time to play with it together.

Play with any other educational toys that focus on numbers.

EXTENDED ACTIVITIES:

AUDIO VISUAL:

Search through your child’s DVD/ video collection (or visit your local library before hand or the Video Store) to find your child’s favourite shows with a focus on teaching numbers.

Try to find these titles:

· Baby Einstein: Numbers Nursery – Discovering 1 through 5, Disney, 2007 – Even though it geared to babies and toddlers this is a good review of the first 5 numbers.

· Leap Frog: Math Adventure to the Moon, Lionsgate, 2009 – Tad and Lily the frogs go on a rocket adventure to find the perfect collection of things for their school math assignment.

· Leap Frog: Math Circus, Lionsgate, 2004 – Leap, Lily and Tad the frogs help professor Quigley train numbers to count, add and subtract at the Math Circus.

· Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup, Disney 2010 – Mickey and his friends about numbers and shapes in this DVD.

· The Numbers Express, Mazzarella Media – All aboard a train to learn the numbers!

· Sesame Street: Learning About Numbers, Sesame Street Workshop, 2004 – Big Bird hosts the Number Show.