Flour Numbers

GOAL:

• Tracing numbers into a dish of flour.

MATERIALS:

• 10 colored paper cards
• 1 marker
• 1 tray
• Flour

LEARNING EXPERIENCE:

This activity will stimulate your little one’s motor and cognitive development. By learning to coordinate his or her hand movements, your little one will also be learning to trace numbers in a large format and reinforcing their learning about counting.

Before we begin, we have to prepare the environment where your little one will do the activity.

• Start by making the number cards. For this part, write the numbers from 1 to 5, one number per card. On the other 5 cards draw dots or little circles big enough for your little one to see; on one card draw 1 dot, on the other 2 dots, on the next 3 dots, and so on.
• Now you have five cards with numbers from 1 to 5 and five cards with sequence of dots from 1 to 5.
• Place the tray on your little one’s work table, filling it with enough flour to cover the entire surface.

Invite your little one to play with you and write numbers. Follow these steps:

Show your little one the cards first with the numbers on them first so that your little one becomes familiar with the numbers.

• Start from 1, show your little one the card and tell him or her “one.” 
• Ask your little one to repeat what you say.
• Continue with all the numbers from 1 to 5.
• Then tell your little one it’s time to count and show him or her the card with 1 dot. Ask your little one how many points are there. Congratulate him or her for answering correctly, and help your little one if they made a mistake. Continue with the other cards.
• Now, it’s time to play. Tell your little one the two of you are going to play “stop.” Explain to him that you’re going to pass through the cards quickly, and without looking your little one has to say “stop.”
• If the card that is at the front when your little one stops you is a number, your little one should trace the number on the card with their index finger and then repeat the motion on the flour tray.
• If the card has dots on it, your little one should count them and trace the number that represents that amount.

Congratulate your little one for each achievement, and offer them your help whenever they need it without scolding them. It’s important that you motivate your little one to try the exercises without help first.

If your little one knows the numbers up to 9, you can make more cards.