Do You Want Fries With That?

Yellow sponges are cut into strips resembling French fries.  Obtain a supply of cardboard fast food fry containers.  The teacher then writes either numbers or simple math problems onto the inside of the French fry containers and the children use tongs (because the fries are hot!) to pick up the correct number of fries and add them into the container.

Age-appropriate Adaptations:

• Two-year-olds—Two’s can count the number of French fries they are putting into the containers, they can attempt to use the tongs to pick up the fries and transfer them into the container.  They can line the fries up on the counter and count them that way.
• Three-year-olds—Three’s can use the tongs to pick up the French fries and transfer them into the container.  They can count the number of fries they have in the container.  They can have the cardboard French fry containers labeled with a number from one to 10 and put the corresponding number of fries into each container.
• Four-/Five-year-olds—Four and five year olds can begin to use this activity to do simple math problems. Ask your child to work on their addition and subtraction skills by asking them to put 10 fries into the container, if you remove 2 fries how many are left? You can work on various math equations using the fries and working with your child to visually see the difference in quantities.

Skills Supported: fine motor skills, math and manipulative.