10 Easy Ways for Children to Practice Writing and Recognizing Numbers

10 Easy Ways for Children to Practice 

Writing & Recognizing Numbers

1. Tracing: Provide children with number tracing worksheets or you can make your own by drawing large numbers on paper. Encourage them to trace the numbers using their finger or with a pencil. You can also trace numbers on the driveway or a chalkboard using a wet paintbrush.  Tip: Use a highlighter to create the numbers so children see it as a whole number and not at connecting the dots when tracing.

2. Sand, Sugar or Salt Tray: Fill a tray with sand, sugar or salt (lean cuisine trays or similar work great!) and let your child practice writing numbers by using their finger. They can shake the tray and try over and over! Even better, practice at the beach!

3. Number Stamps: Use stamps or stencils to practice stamping or tracing numbers onto paper.

4. Sidewalk Chalk: Have children practice writing numbers on the driveway, and it's super easy to clean it up with a hose!

5. Magnetic Numbers: Grab a set of magnetic numbers for your refrigerator or use a magnetic board.  You can also have them practice basic equations too!

6. Number Puzzles: Use number puzzles or number match where children have to match up numbers with another piece with matching one to one correspondence. Check out an easy center here.

7. Dot-to-Dot Worksheets:/Number Recognition Worksheets Use dot-to-dot worksheets  to reveal a picture so they can practice counting and recognizing numbers. Also, color by code worksheets are great for recognizing numbers as well.  Grab  some freebies here.

8. Number Apps: Check out free educational apps that help children recognize and represent numbers such a RoomRecess and Abcya.

9. Number Flashcards: Make or purchase number flashcards. Create a second set and play a game such as Memory. You can also practice counting and saying the numbers aloud.

10. Number Bingo/Tic Tac Toe: Create a bingo card with numbers or groups of objects. Children have to match the number or the group of objects for the number that is called out. You can use play tic Tac Toe but instead of using Xs and Os children pick a number.  Great for practicing the tricky numbers.

Bonus! Playdough is also a great fine motor skill activity as well! Children can form the numbers and having a placement with the numbers already on it is great for them to match it up.

Remember to keep the activities fun and enjoy! 

PINTEREST

Red Ribbon Week Activities and Events

Red Ribbon Week is celebrated each year between October 23rd and

October 31st. The goal is teach children to make healthy choices and be drug-free..

At the elementary level,  we teach kids about making healthy choices and smart decisions in all areas of their lives.

I created these child-friendly activities to help with that.  Below are some great book recommendations and links for Red Ribbon Week  Hope your kids enjoy them as much as mine. The activities are designed for kids in grades K-3 as they are differentiated. 

Check out some of these great books on making good choices, eating healthy and  being a good friend.

I Can Eat A Rainbow

I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato by Lauren Child: Part of the Charlie and Lola series, this book promotes healthy eating habits and could be used to discuss making positive choices for overall well-being.

Gregory the Terrible Eater

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell: This story emphasizes embracing one's unique qualities and standing up to bullies, making it an excellent choice for promoting self-confidence and positive behavior.

It's Okay to Be Different read by Todd Parr: This book celebrates diversity and uniqueness, emphasizing that it's okay to be yourself. It can be a wonderful way to encourage self-confidence and individuality.

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon: This whimsical story follows a girl named Camilla Cream who loves to please everyone and conforms to others' expectations. It's a great conversation starter about staying true to oneself.

The Feelings Book by Todd Parr: Understanding and managing emotions is an important aspect of personal growth. This book helps young children recognize and express their feelings in a healthy way.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: While not directly related to Red Ribbon Week, this story can be used to discuss the importance of making healthy choices with your eating habits. 

The activities are scaffolded and modified for learners K thru 3.  There are writing and cut/paste activities, calendar of events for staff and parents for special days, word searches, bookmarks, find & record sheets, and activities for school-wide or classroom activities. Enjoy!

Here are some highlights from grades 2/3:

 We created Ribbons for our doors:

We created healthy meals:

We learned about healthy choices:

We wrote about making good choices in life and created a school tree.

Enjoy your Red Ribbon Week!

 

Exploring Communities: Rural, Suburban, and Urban

 

Communities are like big puzzle pieces that come together to create the world we live in with each community having its own unique characteristics and activities that makes it special.  

Have kids explore the three types of communities: rural, suburban, and urban, through a story about 3 friends and discover the exciting features each community offers! 

I've also created a modified reader to help students who might need extra support so it can work for grades 1-3.  Here is a craftivity or end of unit activity to complete.

Here's an example of a modified page..   

After reading, students use the text to answer questions about each community and highlight where they found their answers.

Here is some feedback from other teachers

Below are some pictures and a video below to share with kids with a brief description of each community. If you're looking to learn about Community Helpers (geared for K-1) , check this out.

Rural Communities:  

In rural communities, you'll find wide open spaces, farms, and plenty of nature to explore. Some fun activities would include taking a hike or visiting a farm to meet the animals. If you love the outdoors, rural communities are perfect for you!

Suburban Community

Suburban communities are a mix of city as they are outside a city and countryside. They're known for their neighborhoods, parks, and playgrounds. You can head to the local park for a game of soccer or have a fun day on the swings. Suburban areas offer a perfect blend of nature and playtime!

Urban Communities

Urban communities are bustling with energy with so many things to see such as skyscrapers, busy streets and museums!  You can explore museums and learn about history and art, visit a local market to discover different foods or take a stroll in a city park. Urban areas are full of exciting things to do and see! 

What's your favorite community to live in?  Leave a comment below!

Exploring Fun Activities for a Sensational Journey of the Five Senses!

 Today, we're going to get on board a sensational journey of the five senses! 

I've compiled some fun and educational five senses activities that include emergent readers that kids will love to read again and again, book recommendations, printables and follow up activities to create a Five Senses Unit or to compliment the unit you already teach.. So, buckle up your sensory seatbelts and let's dive right in!

You will find activities and printables to explore the world of sound with guessing a symphony of everyday sounds, to taste testing and learning where you taste on your tongue, to engaging your sense of smell with an easy to set-up aromatic guessing game! 

In one of our readers, students will learn about being a scientist and using the tools of their body to explore the world. Available in color and black and white for easy printing.

Another reader challenges kids to use their sense of sight to figure out the animal on the next page by seeing just a piece of their body. These easy to print books are copied two to a page.

Check out the Five Senses here.  It’s been update with a fresh look and fun activities. 

Get ready to engage your senses to truly comprehend the wondrous world around us!

Looking for more activities to do at home or in school for the five senses, check these out:

Create a mystery box- put an item inside and have kids reach inside and guess what it is.  This also can work for show and tell.

Blind Drawing: Have one child wear a blindfold and another child directs them what to draw and see if they can create the intended image.

Trust Walk: One partner is blindfolded and their partner guides them through the home or classroom by telling them the directions.

Check out the different scents or herbs, fruits, and flowers, and ask students to identify them with their eyes closed. 

Texture Treasure Hunt- Set up a touch & feel center with different objects with  texture to explore.

Volcano Fun- Make a volcano erupt by exploring the reactions of vinegar and baking soda. 

Nature Walk- Go for a walk in the backyard or neighborhood, and encourage them to notice the sounds, textures, and scents of nature.

Create colorful art with different materials like finger painting, colored sand, or fabric scraps.

Father's Day Rocks! Celebrating Dads with Painted Stones!

 

Every day loves a good pun and today, we're diving into the world of rock painting, dad jokes and creativity! 

This year our group of budding artists created a Father's Day surprise and all they needed was a paintbrush and a collection of smooth rocks. They transformed ordinary rocks into little masterpieces. Some of them painted the phrase "Dad Rocks!" on the stone, while others made their own creations.

 

 

The kids know a good dad joke can brighten any day and thought their fathers would appreciate the humor and love behind these quirky gifts.

 

Dads love making us laugh each and every day with their witty remarks so why not return the favor on Father's Day and give them a gift that shares their love for a good joke? Most importantly, let them know just how much he rocks your world!?

Grab this coloring sheet free here or use the smaller version to create a Father's Day card!  Enjoy!