Kitchen Measurements Activity (Cups/Spoons Edition)

Ages: Kindergarten - 6th grade

Supplies:

• One large mixing bowl or bucket
• Water
• Basic assorted measuring cups (1/4c, 1/3c, 1/2c & 1c)
• Basic assorted measuring spoons (1/8tsp,1/4tsp/tbsp, 1/3tsp/tbsp, 1/2tsp/tbsp, 1tsp/tbsp)
• Liquid measuring cup (at least 2 cup capacity)
• Food scale (optional)
• Primary color food coloring (optional - red, yellow or blue)
• One medium and small mixing bowl or bucket (optional if you choose to use food coloring)

Purpose: This activity helps gets kids familiar with kitchen measuring equipment and learning about educated guesses. The worksheet below gives them various tasks to perform to help them learn about measurements. This is a good activity when you are trying to introduce the cooking to your children and a fun way to introduce fractions.

Directions: I find it easier if the child stands above the workstation to make performing the tasks easier. Lay all your supplies out on your workstation and fill all your bowls with water. If you choose to use food coloring, leave the large bowl with regular water. Put one primary color in your medium bowl and another in your small bowl. Make sure you lay all measuring cups and spoons so the measurements display can be easily seen. You can skip the scale tasks if you don't have one. When you get to the tasks that require a scale, set it in front of your child and put the liquid measuring cup on it. Make sure you zero the scale before you begin putting the liquid in. 

Print out the worksheet and follow the instructions to complete the tasks. Print out in the link below.

Surprisingly it wasn't as messy as I thought it was going to be.

The following link will have you print out. Kitchen Measurement Worksheet.

Bouncing Math

Ages: 3 y/o - 2nd Grade

Purpose: The purpose for this activity is to bring fun and enjoyment while doing math. Adding movement to an activity can help them stay focused longer, easier recollection and make it more enjoyable. 

Supplies:

•  Bouncing ball (optional)
•  Visual Counting Aid
•  Space for Bouncing
  

Directions: You will need a good amount of space for bouncing. If you don't own a bouncy ball that's fine, I will provide alternatives. First decide how many problems you want to do and make sure you have that many visual counting aids. Have them start in the middle of the open space. Tell them a math problem and what ever the answer is will how many tomes they bounce. For addition, bounce forward and for subtraction, bounce backwards. If they bounce the correct amount of times in the right direction, they get a point. If they bounce the wrong direction or don't bounce the correct number then you get a point. If they bounce out of turn you also get a point. at the end of the game the person with the most points wins. While going backwards please be careful if you are using the sitting bouncing ball. 

Tips: If you don't have a sitting bouncing ball you can use a basketball, volleyball, bouncy ball or kickball. If you don't own any of  those, have them just hop, which will still keeps them active. 

If you would like to make it competitive for siblings or even friends, here is a more competitive options that you can do.

Bouncing Math Race - Have them start far back side by side and have two people providing the math problems. You won't need space for bouncing backwards just bouncing forward. Make the problems a little more difficult if you can. Both players are to answer the same problems, but each player is responsible for answering correctly, bouncing the correct amount of times as quickly they can and getting to the finish line first. Once they get used to the game, you could make it to where if they bounce an incorrect amount of times they have to go back tot he starting line. Tip: If you aren't using a sitting bouncing ball then to ensure not cheating make them walk. they can walk fast, they can't run. 

Make sure when you start that you give them a few problem they will easily get. This is to ensure they don't get discouraged at the start of the game. Also for the first couple of problems, I repeat and emphasize what I'm saying to ensure they are fully listening.

Explaining what they did incorrectly helps them learn from their mistakes, fully understand what they did wrong so that they can make the correction on their own next time.

This game can be so much fun, full of laughs and exercise. Have a bouncing good time!

Fishing Review Game

The purpose of this activity is to make the review of what your child is currently working on fun by fishing for what you're going to review with them. This activity will help you find out if they actually learned it or if they still need to work on it. You can review what they learned that day or week so far.

Fishing Review Game Cards

Make reviewing with your children fun and entertaining. Believe it or not, kids can enjoy learning. They can get excited about education and it doesn't have to take a lot of prep or expensive gadgets. I have provided a fun out of the box game that helps you review what your kids have learned and can be fun for them to play. 

Find the print out below that includes the supply list, instructions and topic cards. 

If when they cast they catch more than one, that is fine. I just don't recommend doing more than two at a time. It helps to spread your colorful objects so that it is less likely to happen. 

To buy the Fishing Pole please click the link

This helps build self confidence and gets them excited about being able to read. 

Work on reading and sentence structure.

Practicing different phonics.

Learning about time. Learning Clock

Play various fun games that have to do with telling time. Try a wall clock or a digital clock depending on what you are working on with them.

Watch them start to believe in themselves

and be so proud of their accomplish.

Give them hints and tips to help them achieve what they are doing. Only make mild correction though. Too many corrections can cause them to be discouraged about what they have done and they may not want to play the game. Just take a note of what they need to work on and move on from there. The goal is to build confidence.

Find the cards, list of supplies and instructions by clicking the link. Print, cut and enjoy the game. 

Fishing Review Game Download. I hope you enjoy!

Fun Themed Math

Are you having a hard time getting your children interested in math? Something as simple as changing the objects they count can help get them interested. Every week is themed at our house. The objects will only cost you $3-$12, unless you already everything you need in the house, so it's very simple. All you need are the following:

- 12-20 objects (typically same theme, but something they are interested in)

- Dry erase board or paper (Use their favorite color if you have it)

- Dry erase marker or pencil

Make the atmosphere fun. If your kids love space and has an astronaut costume, let them wear it. Give them something to look forward to, like wearing a costume to get them interested in doing math. 

Insect week - Critter Math  

Space Week - Solar System Solving 

The pieces are animated pictures of the planets and were just printed out. Make sure they aren't too big. I printed off three of each planet, which was helpful when I used them for teaching patterns.

First Responders Week - Flaming Math 

Print off, cut out, then laminate however many pieces your little one is ready to do with math. Make sure you leave at least an eighth of inch of clear laminate around the edges.

Fireman Math - The eighth of inch of clear laminate around the edges is to ensure the pieces don't get wet. Apply a very SMALL amount of shaving cream to each flame. Take a spray water bottle and put it on jet (you don't want mist). They "put out" the fire of however many is being subtracted. Whatever flames are left would be the answer. I used a bin because I was inside, but using pavement will be much easier. 

Extra supplies needed (all can be found at Dollar Tree):

- Spray bottle

- Shaving cream

 

Dinosaur Week - Dino Skeleton Math 

Math Blocks are another good tool to use for various options when teaching math.