Pre-school Theme Day Number “6” 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 “Number 6” Colouring Page. While colouring the page be sure to count the six ladybugs as well as the six legs on each insect and the six spots as well. Have your child colour my “Number Poem: 1 to 5” as well as “Number Poem: 6 to 10” reviewing the numbers 1 to 5 and emphasizing the number 6 and what it looks like.
BOOKS: Raid your child’s bookshelves to find any number books. OR Go to the library with your child to find books about numbers and counting. OR 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:
· Construction Countdown, by K.C. Olson and illustrated by David Gordon, Counting backwards from 10 to 1 this book has brightly coloured pictures of construction vehicles which end up being toys.
· Chicka Chicka 1,2,3, by Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson, and illustrated by Lois Ehlert, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004 – In this playful rhythmic book numbers race to the top of an apple tree going from 1 to 20 and then by tens until they are scared down by a bumble bee and all that is left is zero who hops up to save ten and becomes 100!
· Little Rabbit’s First Number Book, by Alan Baker and Text by Kate Petty, Larousee Kingfisher Chambers Inc., 1998 – This is more of an interactive counting book than and simple 1 to 10 number book but it is great for reviewing what your child knows already as there are lots of things to count - cookies, wheels, boats, flowers, balloons – and it introduces concepts like more than and fewer, pairs, first to last, etc..
CRAFTS: NUMBER 6 COLLAGE: Materials: A copy of my Number 6 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 six as well as pictures with groups of 6 things. Step 2: Help your child cut out the numbers and pictures to glue on the Number 6 worksheet. Step 3: 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 4: When the collage is dry display (fridge, bulletin board, child’s door) or glue into Family Theme Scrapbook.
COUNT TO 6 CHART: Materials: A copy of my Count to 6 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 6 stickers as you are reviewing the number 6 today. OR Have your child stamp 6 pictures in each square. Step 2: Count to six each time the stickers are applied and afterwards as a review. Step 3: Display or glue the chart in your Family Theme Day Scrapbook.
6 FINGERPRINT ANTS WITH 6 LEGS: Materials: Stamp (ink) pad, white paper, coloured markers , face-cloth for messy fingers, (optional) a number 6 sticker. Step 1: Have your child press a finger on the ink stamp pad and then press on the white sheet of paper. Step 2: Show your child how you can turn the fingerprints into ants by adding six legs. To make them more authentic use three fingerprints per ant for each segment of the ants body (my son wasn’t interested in doing that). Step 3: (Optional) Have your child stick a number 6 sticker onto the picture. Step 4: Put your child’s art on display or glue it into your Family Theme Day Scrapbook.
FOOD: SNACK: Six Ants on a Log: Spread peanut butter or cream cheese onto a piece of celery and count out six raisins for the ants.
LUNCH: Six Monté Cristo Fingers: Make a ham and cheese sandwich. Beat an egg with a splash of milk and salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture and then cook in a arm frying pan coated with cooking spray, flipping sides after about 2 minutes. Cut the sandwich in half and then cut each half into three “fingers,” making six in total!
DESSERT: Six Topping Banana Split: in a bowl add 1) a scoop of ice-cream 2) some chocolate sauce, 3) some chopped banana, 4) some chopped nuts (or in case of nut allergy some chocolate chips or candy coated chocolates), 5) some whipped cream and 6) a cherry on top!
LEARNING ACTIVITIES: NUMBER CHART: Materials: a copy of my Number Chart and the Cut Out 6 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 to5. Step 2: Have your child colour the Cut-out 6 Card. Step 3: Help your child cut the Number 6 Card out. Step 4: Have your child apply glue to the back of the Cut Out 6 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 to 6 on them. Step 1: Give your child the bag of toys/buttons/snacks/treats and have him/her count out 6 toys/buttons/snacks/treats and then put one in the egg compartments numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Step 2: Spread out the cut out numbers and after counting out the toys/buttons/snacks/treats have your child find the each number (1 to 6) and put it in the correctly numbered spot. .
NUMBER TRACING:
Fill a pie plate with sand, sugar or salt and teach your child how to trace the number 6 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: NUMBER WALK: Walk around your neighbourhood counting different things. You can also do this while in a car or bus etc..
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. |
Super 6! |
Photo: C Wright |
Number “6” Collage |
Count to 6 with stickers |
Count to 6 with stamps |
6 Fingerprint Ants with 6 Legs |
Egg Carton Counting |
Number Writing with Sugar |