Learning Activity: Counting Bugs
An #Oskarslittlelearners Activity Tutorial by Kate Kwijas, for Oskar's Wooden Ark
September 1, 2021
Spring is in the air. Insects are buzzing around blossoms and the afternoons are becoming warmer. Why not go for a walk with your little learners and count how many insects you can find? Then, simplify learning numbers, counting, addition and subtraction with this fun activity.
If you do this fun activity with your little learners, please take a photo and share it with us on Instagram and Facebook, tagging @oskarswoodenark and using the hashtag: #oskarslittlelearners. We'd love to see what you get up to!
Preparation:
Print out the Bugs in a Jar template. There are two versions, one focused upon counting, for younger learners and one for addition, aimed at older learners.
Instructions: Bugs in a Jar Counting
Have your little learner turn over a number card or coin, say the number and then place that many bugs in the jar. This activity focuses upon number recognition and one to one correspondence when counting.
Here we have used the Waldorf Family Number Set and the Grapat Bugs. You could just as easily use a deck of playing cards or make your own number cards.
Instructions: Bugs in a Jar Addition
Have your older learner turn over a card, read the number, and place that many bugs in one jar. Repeat for the remaining jar. Read the addition equation and solve it (3 plus 5 equals 8). Help your little learner to create an addition story to illustrate the equation. For example:
"3 bugs were flying in the sky when they saw a jar and landed in it. 5 bugs were crawling on the ground when they saw a jar and climbed up to have a look inside. 3 and 5 make 8! There are 8 bugs altogether.”
Take turns and see how many stories you can create together.
Here we have used the Grapat Bugs, Grimm's Number Cards and From Jennifer Number Coins.
Ideas for extension:
You could use the single jar template for subtraction. As you did for addition, create stories to illustrate the subtraction equation. For example:
"9 bugs were trapped in a jar. 7 flew out. Two bugs were left in the jar."
Benefits and Learning Outcomes:
- Number identification
- Counting with one-to-one correspondence
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Creating number stories to illustrate an equation
- Oral language skills
- Observation of insects
