Numicon Counting To Ten
Numicon is a great addition to number play. I've created a really easy activity using Numicon to help your little one in learning to count to ten.
What is Numicon?
If you have a child in primary school then they will most likely have used Numicon as part of their maths learning. Numicon is a fantastic resource from Oxford University Press that supports children in developing early maths skills. Each number from 1 to 10 is in the form of a plastic shape with the corresponding number of holes. When arranged into ascending order children can easily see that one more hole has been added to each shape. It is a very tactile resource that invites children to touch, explore and even poke their fingers through the holes. As your child's maths skills develop it's also great to use for number bonds, adding and subtracting. Older children can even use it for multiplying or dividing.
Numicon is available to buy in a box of 80 or in a smaller 1-10 box. Alternatively you can download your own Numicon shapes directly from Oxford University Press.
Counting to ten with Numicon
Before diving straight into this activity it's a good idea to let children explore the Numicon freely so that it's not an unfamiliar resource. When setting up I used a tuff spot tray as it is the perfect base but you could easily use a table or the floor.
To set up I simply filled a bowl with pom poms then added the Numicon around the tray. I added a wooden number to match the corresponding Numicon. I also added a pair of tweezers as an option to enhance the activity as it's a great way to get those little hands moving and developing those fine motor skills. Alternatively if you do not have any pom poms then you could substitute for waterbeads, conkers, buttons, stones or anything else that you have around the house.
This was a huge hit with my three year old who straight away knew what to do. We counted each pom pom placed in the Numicon for every number. Once she had completed it she then just played freely with the pom poms and Numicon. Don't worry if your little one doesn't grasp it straight away, allow them just to explore the Numicon and pom poms and try it again another time.
This post contains affilaite links which if purchased, I may earn a small commission.
More kids activities can be found here:
Post a Comment