Thursday, August 28, 2014

Montessori inspired educational ideas using plates


light table Montessori inspired

Montessori inspired educational ideas using plates

The dollar tree has these awesome clear plastic plates. They are like a dessert size plate. They also carry larger dinner size clear plastic plates. I have never used the larger size though. They come 8 in a pack. They generally carry them year round. I love using them for educational light table activities.  I use sharpie markers to draw or write on them.  I do have to advise that you be sure to let them dry for a few minutes before using them, after writing on them with a sharpie marker. I generally set them up for light table learning activities, but they can also be used on any table or even the floor too. You can have the child use tongs, chop sticks, clothes pins, or their fingers! 

Any manipulatives you have for math could be used for these activities!
Here are some fun examples of to use the plates!   

1 to 1 ratio, counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, shape and color identification, sorting,  shape sorting, size sorting, sight words, learning names,  art, mandalas,  and anything else you can think of!


light table math play

light table fine motor and math

counting plates for math on the light table


light table math ideas


light table math and numbers










color plates with bingo chips



Large, Medium, Small and color sorting on color plates







name plates with letter jewels for spelling name



The Math and Color Game!

1. point to a numbered plate
2. ask the child what number it is, help if they can not answer correctly,
3. then you can either instruct the child to put that amount of counters on the plate or mix it up by saying  X amount of one color, X amount of another color, etc.

We used clown counters but we also have bear counters as well as many various light table counters.

example:  for the number seven, I might ask him to put 4 red clowns and 3 blue clowns on the 7 plate.

for the number 5, I might ask him to put 5 yellow clowns.

then for the number 4 I might ask for 1 yellow clown and 3 orange clowns.

My twins are 5, but you can make this simpler for a 4, 3, or 2 year old. If the child has learning disabilities, you might have to work up to this and make it simpler in the mean time.

This activity can be more than just counting, it can be colors, counting, and following instructions


Plates are from the dollar tree, Clowns from Constructive Playthings







Check out more Montessori inspired counting ideas here!

 Montessori inspired counting activities


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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

August explorations on the light table


reggio light exploratin

Here are just a few ways my twins have been exploring light this month! 


In the pics below you will find: silly putty, gelato spoons, muffin cups, giant lacing beads, acrylic gems in multiple shapes (corn, pumpkins, apples, acorns, leaves, seashells, frogs, turtles, hummingbirds, safari animals), glass seashell gems, wedgits, magnatiles, magnetic men, window blocks, hand cut stars and hearts made from laminated cello paper, acrylic paneling samples colored with sharpie marker, a star and moon light altered with sharpie marker to be more colorful, large plastic gems, translucent cars. 

 You can find most everything in my store, see above tabs on my blog for the store tab!  Feel free to ask questions in the comment section!!

silly putty on a light table

sensory light table

silly putty on the light table







light table mandala


strewing on light table



















light table play





diy silly putty












































Follow Kristen (Epic Childhood)'s board Epic Black Light Play on Pinterest.

Awesome Light Exploration Accessories from Kodokids.com

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