Teach-Early-Years-14.1

SNACK DICE Make a set of six cards to match the six faces of a die. Draw empty circles in place of the pips, and add the correct numeral on the back. At snack time, in small groups, show the children the cards and encourage subitising the numbers from the position of the pips. Invite children to select a card and then place the corresponding number of pieces of fruit or cereal onto each card. Use dried fruit such as raisins, glace cherries, chopped-up dried apricots and cranberries, or breakfast cereal such as hoops. Enjoy eating the snack dice together. SHAPE SORTING Make a collection of different-shaped snacks to share in a small group. Try round, square, rectangular, and triangular crackers or crisps. Cut toast into more unusual shapes using cutters. Challenge by using 3D shapes such as cubes of cheese and cone- or cylinder-shaped crisps and sweets. Place a sheet in the middle of the group with pictures and the names of all the shapes so children can sort them and learn mathematical language. Can they identify the shapes that they are eating? SHARING FAIRLY Talk to the children about how to share out their snacks fairly. If items can be counted out, then make sure each child has the same number. Sometimes, snacks will need to be cut up or divided to be shared out, such as pizzas, apples, toast, cake, etc. Can the children work out how many pieces they need? Show them how to count the children in the group and then divide the snack into the same number. Introduce mathematical language such as simple fractions, e.g., halves and quarters, as they share their snack. HOW MANY CHILDREN? Here’s a simple way to see instantly how many children are at the setting each day. Invite each child to draw a self-portrait and write their name on a small square of paper. Laminate the pictures so they will survive regular handling! Attach three 5x2 grids (for up to 30 children) onto an accessible wall, and show the children how to attach their picture to a square using sticky tack. Provide a small whiteboard and pen so children can take turns to count the children and record the number. REGISTER NUMBERS Use the register to create a special number for each child. Help children to learn their “register numbers” by saying, repeating, writing, and so on. Use a washing line as a number line with all the numbers pegged in order. Invite children to remove their number from the line when they arrive at your setting each day. The numbers that remain are those children who are absent or who have forgotten! Put children’s names and photos on the other side so children can look at those if they get stuck. DAILY QUESTION Choose a simple yes/no question to add to the registration routine, e.g. “Do you like dogs/cats/chocolate/carrots?” or “Is ice cream cold?” or “Do you think dragons are real?” Write the question on a whiteboard. Set up a jar with lolly sticks with all the children’s names on and invite them to answer the question by placing their stick in the “yes” or “no” column. Help the children to add up how many have voted for each option. Talk about which number is bigger or smaller. It’s easy to include engaging mathematical activities as part of your daily routine, says Jude Harries … Snack time MATHS ACTIVITIES Count and play throughout the day! Registration 42 Teachearlyyears.com