Counting Stars with Clothespins (Montessori Inspired Math Activities for Toddlers)

Counting Stars in Sequence 

Object: Toddler to associate shapes with quantities, names of the colours and fingers dexterity.

As the child gets more familiar with the shapes and quantities you can challenge the child. I prepared this simple activity for my grandchild.

I involved her in painting the plate, I even asked her what colour she wanted to paint the plate. She chose the blue colour that you see in the above picture. It took two days, she was having fun painting. Next I had some star stickers that we use, you can even paint the stars instead of sticking stickers, the choice is yours. 

As counters I used clothespins, as it helps towards finger dexterity, it strengthens child's fingers to handle small objects or to manipulate controls using their fingers. 

I had the correct amount of clothespins as the star stickers on the plate. To begin with I am going upto number 5, as she gets more confident I will then introduce further numbers upto 10 and so on. 

I have used different colours of stickers for each number on the plate, so that when I am introducing the activity, I would say for example: One red star, two green stars and so on…

Materials you will need:

• One Plate
• Art and Crafts colours (I have used water colours)
• Apron for the child
• 15 Stickers correct amount for each numbers, each number sticker must be of different colour
• Correct amount of clothes pins (15)
• Pencil

Method:

First paint the plate and let it dry.

By using a pencil divide the plate in 5 sections.

Stick the stars in sequence by using one colour for each section.(One star for number one, two stars for number two and so on.

Once the activity is ready, choose a quiet time and invite the child for the activity.

Place the activity on a work mat.

First tell the child that you are going to count each section of the stars in the plate.

Tell the child that in each section the stars are of different colours, e.g. one red star, two green stars and so on…

By using your fingers show the child by placing one clothespin next to the edge of the plate by the one star on the plate.

Repeat again with the two stars, take one by one two pins and place it next to the edge of the two stars on the plate.

Continue until you finish all the stars in the section. 

Once the child loses interest in the activity, then stop, show the child how to tidily put away everything. Place the activity where the child can independently access it but under adult´s watchful eyes. 

Once the child knows how to count the stars and placing the correct amount of clothespin, you can challenge the child by randomly placing the number of stars in the plate just like in the picture below and ask the child to do the activity.

Extension:

Introduce more numbers