MINI MONDAY: COUNTING ON RAINDROPS
Pitter patter, what’s that sound? Raindrops falling to the ground! How many raindrops do you see? Looks like they’re falling all around me! Enjoy some sensory fun as you explore numeracy, nature and art with this craft filled with droplets of fun!
Materials
- Paper
- Cotton Balls
- Glue
- Blue Paint
- Marker (optional)
Directions:
- Start by making your clouds. Depending on the age of your little one, they can apply the glue directly to the back of the cotton balls and press them on the paper, or you can place dots of glue on the paper for them, and have them use that as a guide as to where to place their cotton balls.
- Try making clouds of different shapes and sizes!
- As you’re working, talk about how the cotton balls feel in your hands. Are they hard or soft? Squishy or firm? Can you pull them apart easily? Do they make any sounds when you touch them?
- Once you’ve filled your sky with clouds, it’s time to move onto raindrops!
- Pour a bit of blue paint onto a separate piece of paper. Dip one finger into the paint and press it on the paper beneath your cloud to create a raindrop. Do this beneath each cloud as many times as desired
- If you want to add an extra layer to the activity, write an equation below each cloud before you create your raindrops. Encourage your little one to practice counting, and to place the correct number of raindrops beneath each cloud to solve each equation!
- As you’re working on your raindrops, talk about how the paint feels on your fingers. Is it warm, or cold? Wet, or dry?
- Wash your hands and give your beautiful picture time to dry!
Keep the fun and learning going! Can you…
- Practice your counting? See how many raindrops you have on your entire picture!
- Think about what rain can do? How does rain help plants and animals? What kinds of fun things can we do in the rain?
- Compare and contrast? Once your picture has dried, try touching the cotton balls and the paint. How do these two things feel? Are they the same, or different?
Essential Learning Experiences
Sensory Awareness
Sensory development allows children to make sense of the information being received by their senses. It includes touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound. This craft helps to promote sensory development and awareness by encouraging children to use different materials (the cotton balls and the paint) to create their image, and to compare how these materials feel.
Exploring Numeracy
Numeracy is the ability to understand and work with numbers. Early numeracy skills can include number recognition, counting, sorting, exploring patterns, and more! This week’s craft helps to support the development of early numeracy by encouraging children to explore counting, whether that is through solving simple addition, or counting as they add raindrops to their picture!
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