Math & 123s
Move & LearnPreschoolers5 Comments
We played a little learning game on the stairs, using some pom poms. These pom pom learning games can be adapted to whatever it is your kids are learning right now. George did numbers and his name, but we could have done letters, or shapes, or even sight words for Henry!
I set up the game with paper plates taped to the steps and wrote numbers on it.
I should have just counted by ones since I was playing with George, but for some reason I was thinking Henry. I did 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100.
But that didn’t matter so much as you’ll soon find out.
We later switched it to the letters in his name too, so the letters of the alphabet could work too, just depends if you want to make it a game (with keeping a score) or more of an activity about learning the numbers or letters.
With a handful of pom poms, a straw or two, George was ready to play!
At the top of the stairs, George got to try various ways to get the pom poms as far as he could down the steps.
He tried blowing the pom poms down the stairs using the straw. The furthest he made it was number 4.
Each time he’d look to see how far he made it and tell me what number step the pom pom landed on.
We focused on recognizing the numbers, but with older kids (if Henry was feeling 100% he would have been all for this!), you could right down the numbers they landed on and practice addition.
Then he tried hitting the pom poms using the straw. He made it much further that time. Almost to the bottom, but not quite all the way. Those numbers were too big for him to recognize since he’s only 3, so I didn’t ask when he didn’t tell me.
The next one was his favorite part. George threw the pom poms down the stairs! He could make it all the way now!
He wanted to keep doing it over and over, so we tried a different version with his name.
Since George’s name only has 6 letters, I skipped steps with each paper plate this time and made it a game to land a pom pom on each step.
George was so excited about his name being on the stairs!
He decided he wanted to throw the pom poms, since that was his favorite.
Throwing gently to land on the first G was the trickiest concept for him. By the time he landed on that G, he almost had all the other letters filled! Just had to work on the O.
Then we went down each step and counted how many pom poms landed on each letter.
More move and learn ideas from my co-hosts:
- Pattern Line with Hearts from Simple Play Ideas
- Big Art Shaving Cream Snowball Painting at Coffee Cups & Crayons
- Move & Learn Games with Shapes at Toddler Approved
- See all our Move & Learn Activities
Megan says
So much fun! I love using it for name and letter practice!
Jamie Reimer says
Thanks Megan :)
Carol @ It's Baby Time says
This is such a great idea! Thank you, gonna try it tonight.