Recognize Your Numbers!

If there is one thing more than anything else that is a challenge for me, it's teaching math.  At any level. I struggle with making it meaningful, but am getting much better at it the more time I get to practice it.  Anyways, that got me thinking and I remembered these cool math number recognition manipulatives that one of my most awesomest, closest friends (Maestra R) made:  they were pipe cleaners with a number on top that the kids have to match with pony beads they thread on the pipe cleaner.

Glad it makes sense to you too.

You really just need to see it.

All you need is a hot glue gun, a stapler, pipe cleaners, pony beads, calendar numbers and a laminator (if the calendar numbers aren't thick enough, which mine weren't.)  So, I laminated the numbers, hot glued them to the pipe cleaner and then stapled it there just to make it extra secure.  I think the kinders will handle them rather roughly.

Cute, right?  But I realized the stems were too long, so I lined them all up and cut them to make it easier to store.

In a Dr. Seuss Target $1 spot cup.  Hehe.

Yeah.  They're cute.  I'm excited.  Killing two birds with one stone: fine motor skills and number recognition.