Number Pebbles With Sensory Play Dough
During the summer holidays I find it’s always useful to have a pot of play dough in the fridge ready in case the children need extra entertaining. We plan plenty of activities to last the day but sometimes they finish a little earlier then expected so I always reach for the play dough.
This week the children helped to make some sensory play dough using this basic play dough recipe and adding herbs they cut from the garden.
The older children (5, 7 and 10) dived straight into the activity choosing a number and lining up or poking in the same amount of herbs to match. Once they did this a few times the play dough became birthday cakes and the numbers, icing with the herbs being used as candles.
The little ones (2 and 3) loved lining the numbers in the play dough and making patterns then using then to mash up the herbs to add to the play dough. Simple adding the numbers into their play environment has been enough to help them begin to recognise the numbers. They now all recognise the numbers for their age and the number 10, one 2 year old can now recognise most numbers to 10.
You may have noticed that we have been using a beautiful set of number pebbles. These were sent to us by TTS Group to try out with the children. These lovely pebbles come in a pot containing two sets of numbers 0-10 and are suitable for children of any age although TTS Group recommend 3+ as the container may be dangerous if broken.
We however keep these pebbles in a wooden bowl which we keep in our loose parts area, I hope to share this area with you soon on the blog once it is completed. I love these pebbles because they have so many uses and we will be using them a lot as the children begin to recognise the numbers more. Little man in particular who is now 5 and entering year 1 in September loves to use these along with the other loose pieces to make up his sums to solve its a love activity to sit back and observe.
To find out more about the number pebbles check out their website here. At just £24 they are a great addition to our setting.