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!
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!
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