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Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition

Oct 22, 20124,253 views
Math Play
Addition activity for preschoolers Save
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition Save
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition Save
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition Save
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition Save
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition Save
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition Save

by TurkeyMom in Math Play

Ages3–6 yrs
Prep20 min
Activity20 min
Leveleasy
MessLow
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Children pick a green and a red numbered foam apple, add them up by counting stars, glass gems or fingers, then find the pumpkin with the total to finish the equation. A simple indoor fall math game for preschoolers.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Glass gems are a choking hazard. Keep them away from babies and toddlers and from any child who still mouths objects, and supervise closely.
  • Count the gems back into their container at cleanup so none are left on the floor.

Before the kids arrive

  • Write the numbers 1 through 5 on each set of apple foam sheets (green and red), and 1 through 10 on the pumpkin foam sheets.
  • Draw a matching number of stars under each number so children can count them.
  • Make one card with a plus sign and one with an equals sign.

Steps

  1. Set out the green apples, red apples and pumpkins in piles, with the plus and equals cards and a dish of glass gems.

  2. Invite your child: "Hey, did you know apples plus apples equals pumpkins?"

  3. Pick one green apple and one red apple and lay them out with the plus card between them.

  4. Place the matching number of glass gems on each apple, or count the stars, or use fingers.

  5. Count all the gems together to find the total.

  6. Find the pumpkin with that number and put it after the equals card to make the equation.

  7. Read the equation out loud, clear the gems and pick two new apples.

Tips

  • She loved using the glass gems method for obvious reasons. They are shiny, soft and serve as a wonderful sensory experience while learning.from the author
  • On the flip side, the gems did distract them a little as they got too excited playing with them. Know your child before choosing a method.from the author
  • Let children choose how to add: counting the stars, placing gems or using fingers.from the author
  • Keep the foam sheets away from little siblings until play time. Our younger one wrote on them and smudged them before her sister came over to play.from the author
  • We have been practicing finger addition too.from the author

Make it your own

  • Skip the gems and count the stars drawn on each sheet instead.
  • Add with fingers: hold up fingers for each apple and count them all.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · October 2012
Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition
As an indoor activity, I put together a simple math activity with apple and pumpkin shaped foam sheets, markers and glass gems. My younger one smudged the sheets before her sister came to play.
1 / 6

Apple + Apple = Pumpkin Addition: the original post

This fun math activity will be better suited for preschoolers and above. Big A’s school has been doing some addition and she is psyched enough to transfer her knowledge to her baby sister. “2 lions plus 2 tigers equals .(thinks for a while…) 4 animals Got the unit right.. As an indoor activity, I put together a simple math activity with some foam sheets, markers and glass gems (incentive)

  • Apple and pumpkin shaped foam sheets
  • Markers
  • Glass gems

The sheets are not in a great condition because my younger one simply had to write on those foam sheets and smudge them before her older sister came over to play. The younger one hangs out with me much more than the older one does. Whenever I turn around, baby A is right there under my foot. ( not complaining, occasionally I love it) I set the sheets out and invited Big A with a riveting statement “ Hey, did you know apples plus apples equals pumpkins” She walked over to check out what on earth I was talking about. This pre schooler math activity is pretty straight forward. I had 2 sets of apple foam sheets (green and red) with numbers 1 through 5 written out. The pumpkin foam sheets with numbers 1 through 10 written out. I also have 2 cards with plus and equals sign on them.

Big A can choose 2 apples and start adding them up using any one of the following methods

    1. Count the stars on the foam sheets
    1. Pick out corresponding glass gems and place them on the apples and total the gems
    1. Use fingers

Once she finds the total, she looks for the number in her pumpkin foam sheets pile.

She loved using the glass gems method for obvious reasons. They are shiny, soft and serve as a wonderful sensory experience while learning. On the flip side, the gems did distract them a little bit as they got too excited with playing with the gems. Please know your child before incorporating any learning methods.

Big A picked the corresponding number of gems from the pile and placed them on the appropriate cards and finally totaled them up.She looked for the matching pumpkin number and made a equation.

We have been practicing finger addition too. What methods do you use for teaching the kids addition? What math activities do you do with your pre schooler?

Related math activities we have done so far.

Number Turkey

Played with safety pin and cardboard arrow.

Thanks for reading

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  1. maryanne @ mama smiles · Oct 2012

    Very cute! Pinned to my preschool learning board :)

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