Cupcake play dough counting and number recognition

Play dough is one of our favorite things to do and the kids have been asking to play with it for the last couple of day so we took it out. I added a little fun twist to it for some learning time.

Jake and Cate love to pretend play like they are cooking, so I took out the cupcake liners and cupcake pans they made pretend cupcakes.

 We added candles to the cupcakes to sing Happy Birthday. After they put the candles in their cupcakes I had them count them and match the correct number to the candles.

Since Jake knows his numbers I did a little math with him.

After we did number recognition and some simple math, the kids wanted me to light the candles to sing and they blew them out.

Was too cute!!

Playing and counting fun

This was a fun and simple way to bring learning to play. The kids loved this.

Below are some of our favorite learning games with numbers.

Apple Tree number learning

Rainbow colors and number leanring

Jelly Bean counting and color learning 

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100 Days of Play with kids

We are taking part in the 100 days of play blog hop co-hosted by Sun Scholars and Life at the Zoo, the 100 Days of Play Blog Hop combines 100 blogs from around the world and 100 days to showcase simple ways to play. 

So today we put together this fun, simple and inexpensive frog sensory learning game. The kids loved it and while playing  they were learning numbers as well.

Cate my 2 y/o was counting and matching numbers. While Jake my 4 y/o was counting and adding the frogs.  


Materials:
Craft foam
Frogs (Dollar Tree)
Container
Rocks (optional)
Numbers (we used plastic magnet numbers from Dollar Tree)
Water

This sensory bin is a fun hands on way for kids to learn and parents/teachers to teach kids. The lily pads and the logs are cut out of craft foam and then I used a sharpie marker to make the lines.

Hands on play is a great way for kids to explore. Kids grow up so fast enjoy and cherish the time you have with them. Be sure to check out the great list of bloggers below.

This post is my contribution to "100 Days of Play" challenge.  The play challenge is about simple play ideas that you can do on a daily basis. Setting aside at least 30 uninterrupted minutes of play per day for the kids is great for them. You will find ideas for simple play that will let you connect with your kids without fancy play set ups or even fancier toys. New ideas are shared each day from 4/1 – 7/20 on various blogs. 100 Days of Play is brought to you by these wonderful bloggers:

SunScholars . Frogs, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails . Playful Learners . Train Up a Child . Fantastic Fun & Learning . Scribble, Doodle & Draw . Learn. Create. Love. . Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas . Nothing if Not Intentional . My Little 3 & Me . Buggy & Buddy . Sun Hats & Wellie Boots . Twodaloo . True Aim . The Educators’ Spin On It . Blog Me Mom . Life At The Zoo . Putti’s World . Kitchen Counter Chronicles . Triple T Mum . Busy Kids Happy Mom . Crystal’s Tiny Treasures . Rainy Day Mum . Momma’s Fun World . My Little Bookcase . Craftulate . One Perfect Day . MumCentral . Artchoo! . Little Artists . Simple. Home. Blessings. . JDaniel4′s Mom . NurtureStore . Me & Marie Learning . Child Central Station . Mamas Like Me . Mama Miss . Making Boys Men .Powerful Mothering . Craft to Art . 3 Dinosaurs . Domestic Goddesque . Lessons Learnt Journal . Royal Baloo . Smiling Like Sunshine . Adventures at Home with Mum . B-Inspired Mama . PragmaticMom . Eazy Peazy Mealz . Gluesticks . TheBoy&Me . Learning is Messy . My Nearest & Dearest . Growing Book by Book . How to Run a Home Daycare . Here Come the Girls . Think Magnet . Dandelions Picked . 123 Homeschool 4 Me . Our Ordinary Life . Parenting with Professor Poppins . 2 Little Hooligans . Fun-a-Day! . The Non-Martha Mamma . Angelique Felix . My Very Educated Mother . Creative Playhouse . Go Explore Nature . Zing Zing Tree . Sense of Wonder . Childhood 101 . Crayon Freckles . KZ & Me . Serenity You . This Mumma’s Life . Leapfrog & Ladybugs. Blue Bear Wood . Growing Together . KC EDventures . Mommy Lessons 101 . Nature & Play . Like Mama Like Daughter . Mums Make Lists . From Wine to Whine . Messy Kids . Babble Dabble Do . Sugar Aunts . Teaching @ Home . Preschool Powol Packets . Clothed in Love . Curiosity Creates . The Magnolia Barn . Strong Start . Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide . Learn with Play at Home . Mummy… Mummy… MUM! . Science Sparks . Toddler Approved .Thrive 360 Living . Rockabye Butterfly . Mud Hut Mama . Coffee Cups & Crayons . Playing with Words 365 . My Lil Love Bugs . Creative Connections for Kids . LalyMom . Love, Play, Learn . Kindergarten & Preschool for Parents & Teachers . The Pleasantest Thing . Teach Beside Me 

DIY....Magnetic learning blocks

I bought some wooden blocks from the craft store awhile ago and have been wanting to do something with them. The other day I was in Lakeshore Learning Store and saw some magnetic letter matching games and I got this idea.

So I went home and had the kids help paint the wooden blocks so they were colorful. Then glued magnets on each block, wrote upper and lower case letters and number/dots on them and we had a fun matching game.

Super easy and inexpensive to make.

Materials:
3/4 wooden blocks
Paint (optional)
Sharpie marker
Magnets
E6000 glue (or strong glue)

 

Have the kids paint the wooden blocks, so they feel important with helping to make the learning game. Great way to have the kids involved in the fun.

 

We like to make fun learning games be sure to check out some of the other fun games below.

 

 Alphabet puzzle matching



 Alphabet matching

Treasure letter hunt

 

 

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Easter egg number learning puzzle

We are working on number recognition and counting in order. So I put together this fun Easter egg puzzle bath. Very simple to do. You can buy the foam eggs from a local craft store or you can make them using foam sheets like I did.

All you need to do is write your number and dots on the egg and then cut it in half so the kids can match the pieces together.

You can also do this with alphabets like we did in our alphabet bath.

Fun way to add learning to the bath, center time or even a great busy bag.

Cate is learning number recognition, so Jake helped her out some. She is also working on colors so she would match the colors up to see if the puzzle fit. This is a great fine motor skill for little ones along with learning numbers or letters.

You can also check out our bathtime link for other fun bath time learning games and activities.

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Also, would love for you to share any fun things you try from our site with us.

Counting and color matching learning game

I was on Pinterest and came across this free mason jar printable by Sweetly Scrapped, so I printed several of them. Thank so much Sweetly Scrapped!!

I colored them different colors and wrote the name of each color on the jar, then laminated them so we could use them several different times.

I bought a bag of jelly beans and poured them in a bowl and gave Jake and Cate each their own mason jar printables.

Cate (2 y/o) had her sort the colors and she also did some counting.

Jake (4 y/o) had him count and match to correct color. Then did some small math asking if I took or added blank # how many does that give him? 

You can also use this as a fun busy bag game as well.

They both were really into this learning game.

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St. Patrick's counting sensory bin

The kids love sensory bins, so I put together this simple sensory bin. We made colored rice then added some shamrock things in along with some coins from the Dollar Tree. 

This learning bin cost less then $5.00 and the kids had a fun time counting the coins placing them in the hats along with hiding them in the rainbow rice.

Fun and easy way to learn and explore.

Kool-Aid Rice

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Valentine's counting sensory bin

We have been working on recognizing numbers and counting for the last couple of weeks and so I put together this fun learning sensory bin.

I gathered some fun items from the Dollar Tree and then made our fun scented kool-aid rice it smells so yummy. We used strawberry for this fun sensory play.

Materials we used:

Rice

Kool-aid packet(I used 2 due to the amount of rice we used)

Measuring spoons

Valentine's table scatters

Dry white beans

Plastic hearts containers

Sharpie(I wrote numbers on the plastic hearts, you can also do letters) NOTE: marker will wipe off with rubbing alcohol. So you could use the hearts for other play.

All this stuff can be purchased at the Dollar Tree, but you can also use things around your house as well.

Teaching number order and counting. 

Other fun Valentine's we have done

Melted bead art

Make your own scented puff paint art

Thumb print keepsake art

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Valentine themed learning dice bath game

We have been working on counting and number learning. So I put together a fun dice game for "J" and "C" to do in the bath. They really liked it. The nice thing is there is so many different things you can do with this fun game.

Materials:

Heart dice (2 for $1.00 at Target)

Heart shaped foam (10 for $1.00)

Plastic heart table scatter pieces (20 for $1.00) These can be reused to make a fun Valentine's sun catcher.

Plastic heart containers (10 for $1.00 at Dollar Tree)

We rolled the dice and "J" had to fine the numbers and count the Valentine treasures. We did some simple math problems. He had a really fun time with this bath.

We love doing learning baths so be sure to check out some of the other fun ones we've done.

Fall number learning tree

Wintery spelling bath

Alphabet puzzle bath

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Rainbow colors and shapes learning bath

In the dollar section of Target they had these great laminated "Leap Frog" spin charts so I picked up 2 of them to practice shapes and colors with "C".

Then I was in the Dollar Tree and in their learning section they had 2 packets of foam shapes. So I got them as well.

This made for a very easy learning bath to put together for the kids.

I took all the shapes and let them float in the tub and placed some around the tub. Taped the learning chart up for them to spin. They were so excited when they came in. "J" said, "sissy we are going to play a game look" and pointed to the spin wheel. 

This set up is great for the bath, to make a learning center in the classroom or even make a floor game with it. Open ended learning for less then $3.00.

So "J" spun the wheel and would tell "C" what she needed to look for. It was so cute listening to them. "C" would hold the shape up or place it on the tray behind her. After she was done she started putting them on her saying, "momma stickers, stickers." The loved this bath.

With "J" we did counting and patterns so I would start a pattern and he would finish it. Also, he would find the number I called out and count the shapes.

This was a fun learning bath for the kids and lots of different ways you can do things. "J" asked could they do it again tomorrow night. Love when they ask to do fun learning again.

If you can't find the foam colored shapes at the Dollar Tree, you can always cut shapes out yourself with craft foam. Then just wet them and they stick to the bath walls and tub.

We love doing fun learning baths below are some of our favorite ones.

Fall learning tree

Alphabet puzzle

Bath fun

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