Movement & Learning - Cookie Matching & Counting games!
09.30.2015
Looking for a fun active learning game? We are excited to share two games to get your kids moving! Kids will love counting the chips … but be careful, don't drop the cookies!
We are pleased to be a part of The Inspired Treehouse's Brain Boosters Blog Series. This series explores movement-based learning activities for children. These blogs offer tips and strategies that target academic development through whole body movement. It's time to get up and move to learn!
Don't Drop the Cookies! The Cookie Matching Game
Tools to Grow is excited to feature this fun game that helps children improve their fine motor coordination, upper extremity control, motor planning, visual perception, and early math skills. A child can play individually, or 2-4 children can play simultaneously. Be careful .. Don't drop the cookies!
Preparation & Materials Needed:
Print & Cut Out - A set of cookies for each player. The cookies will need to be laminated or printed onto cardstock paper. There are 8 cookies per set. Each cookie will have either one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight chips.
Print - A Number Game Sheet (find it here!)
A spatula for each child to use; you will need to supply this.
We placed the printed cookie sheet on top of a real cookie sheet.
How to Win-Competitive & Non-competitive Versions:
Single Player - If a single child is playing, he/she is trying to do his/her best to transport each “Cookie” to the designated spot on the Cookie Game Sheet. The child is to match the cookie he/she is transporting to the corresponding cookie on the Game Sheet.
Multiple Players - If 2-4 children are playing competitively, each child is trying to do their best to transport the “Cookies” to the designated spot as fast as he/she can. With this version each child will require his/her own set of Cookies and their own Cookie Game Sheet. To be the winner a child needs to finish first with no errors.
Directions:
1. Each child will have one set of cookies placed upright in front of them. The adult places the Cookie Game Sheet several feet away from the child. Each child has his/her own Cookie Game Sheet.
2. When the adult says “GO”, the child is expected to scoop up a cookie onto the spatula, walk to the Cookie Game Sheet without dropping the cookie, and place the cookie on top of the matching cookie on the Cookie Game Sheet.
3. Repeat this until he/she matches all cookies.
Variations: The adult can modify the challenge while transporting the cookie to the Cookie Game Sheet. Some options include the following:
- Extend or minimize the distance the child needs to maneuver to transport the cookie
- Stepping over obstacles
- Walking on a balance beam
- Walking backwards
- Knee Walking
- Walking sideways
- Slowly spinning while walking
- Marching
- Walking on tip toes
- Sitting on a scooter board and propelling with feet
Chips, Chips, How Many Chips? The Cookie Chip Counting Game
Tools to Grow is happy to present another fun cookie game that helps children improve their fine motor coordination, upper extremity control, motor planning, visual perception, and early math skills. A child can play individually, or 2-4 children can play simultaneously. In this game the child must count the number of chips on each cookie and match it to the numeral on the cookie sheet. This game targets one to one number correspondence and the recognition of numbers one through eight.
Preparation & Materials Needed:
Print & Cut Out - A set of cookies for each player. The cookies will need to be laminated or printed onto cardstock paper. There are 8 cookies per set. Each cookie will have either one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight chips.
Print - A Number Game Sheet (with numbers 1 - 8) for each player. (3 Different Versions are included - Find it here!)
A spatula for each child to use; you will need to supply this.
How to Win-Competitive & Non-competitive Versions:
Single Player - If a single child is playing, he/she is trying to do his/her best to transport each “Cookie” to the designated spot on the Number Game Sheet that matches the number of chips on the cookie being transported. For example, a cookie with 4 chips should be placed on the number 4 on the Game Sheet.
Multiple Players - If 2-4 children are playing competitively, each child is trying to do their best to transport the “Cookies” to the designated spot as fast as he/she can. To be the winner a child needs to finish first with no errors.
Directions:
1. Each child will have one set of cookies placed upside down in front of them. The adult places the Number Game Sheet several feet away from the child. Each child has his/her own Number Game Sheet.
2. When the adult says “GO”, the child is expected to scoop up a cookie onto the spatula, transport the cookie to the Number Game Sheet without dropping the cookie, and flip the cookie over to an upright position.
3. The child counts the chip(s), re-scoops the cookie using the spatula, and then places the cookie onto the Number that corresponds to the number of chips on that cookie.
4. Repeat this until he/she transports all cookies.
Variations: The adult can modify the challenge while transporting the cookie to the Cookie Game Sheet. Some options include the following:
- Extend or minimize the distance the child needs to maneuver to transport the cookie
- Stepping over obstacles
- Walking on a balance beam
- Walking backwards
- Knee Walking
- Walking Sideways
- Slowly spinning while walking
- Marching
- On tip toes
- Sitting on a scooter board and propelling with feet
Be sure to check out all the other great movement and active learning Brain Booster Blog posts. You can find them by clicking here!
Related Topics: Early Intervention , Fine Motor Games , Gross Motor, Hand-Eye Coordination, Therapy Blog Hop
