Preschool Math:
Egg Carton Patterns
Today's
Snack: Two
hard-boiled eggs and a glass of chocolate milk makes a delicious, high-protein
snack.
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Supplies:
Empty dozen egg carton | at least
two of each of several small items:
paper clips, pennies, tiny
seashells, dry beans, chocolate chips, beads, pop-tops, pebbles, acorns, oyster
crackers, pieces of dry pasta, etc.
This game is for two or more players. With groups of
children, set them up as partners. This game teaches about patterns, which are
the basis for much of math.
- The first player
places one or more objects in each of six of the egg carton cups, down one
long row. The other player should go across the room and not watch so that
the pattern matching will be a challenge.
- You may put one penny
in the first one, three oyster crackers in the second one, two dry beans
in the third one, and so on.
- Sometimes, you may
want to leave an egg cup empty! That would represent "zero," and it's part
of a pattern, too.
- When you are ready, then
the other player has to repeat your pattern in the other long row of egg
cups.
- Once the other player
does that, then the first player should go across the room while the other
player sets out a whole new pattern for the first player to match.
