Math & 123s
SensoryGrade School7 Comments
I love making sensory bags for the kids. I especially love making them into learning opportunities, because the kids love them so much, they find it so much fun and a challenge.
We don’t do them nearly enough, but making them an I spy sensory bag from our list of 48 sensory bag ideas is always a hit.
I’ve shared the I spy sensory bag with rice where the boys worked on learning sight words and letters.
This time, they tackled math problems. Well, Henry did at least. George ended up doing a matching one that I’ve shared on PBS.
This time I used shaving cream instead of rice. It works much better to squish around.
The trick to using a ‘wet’ substance when doing these I Spy sensory bags is to double bag it.
Put the shaving cream in the first baggy and seal it, as airtight as possible.
Then slip it into another baggy.
Before sealing it, slip in a piece of paper behind the first baggy of whatever you want them to ‘spy’.
This time, I wrote math problems on the paper for Henry to spy.
I wrote the answers on a notebook and had him search for the math problem that equals that number.
It was a great challenge for him.
He told me he had been working on adding three numbers at school (he’s in first grade), so I snuck a few in there, too.
I made some easy. Some harder.
Some with big numbers, but rounded (like 100 and 150) to think he was being challenged but ended up thinking they were so easy.
I even snuck in some subtraction math problems too.
That’s what’s so awesome about these sensory bags, they can be made to your child’s learning level!
It was a great confidence booster and made him really think on some too. He loved it.
If you’re looking for more hands on addition activities, try these:
- String Obstacle Course to Find Matching Number Bonds to 10 (adding to 10)
- Domino Chore Chart
- Learning Obstacle Course (to break the rules!)
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Leah says
great idea, i never would have thought of it! Does the shaving cream last a while or does it shrink down like when kids play with it on the table after a use or two?
Tabitha Lightfoot says
Hi Leah! The shaving cream will last a little while but will probably get watery after a while.
Roseang says
Awesome ideas. I will use some in my preschool class next week. Thank you so much
CJ Huang says
Such a great idea! I would never have thought of it! I also like how you can easily change out the paper for a new set of problems. :)