The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · September 2013
Ages2–5 yrs
Prep20 min
Activity20 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group
Three cornmeal sensory bins with a fall theme: dig up and brush off numbered leaves and acorns, sort numbered fall objects into matching baskets, and count leaves beside number blocks. Best for kids who are learning and practicing their numbers.
⚠️ Safety first
- Plastic acorns, small pumpkins and squash, cinnamon sticks and leaf scatter are small parts and a choking hazard for toddlers. Supervise closely the whole time.
- Cornmeal is a food, but it's a play base here, not a snack. Discourage eating it and keep it away from eyes.
- Adult writes the numbers with permanent marker. Let the ink dry fully before play.
- Check for corn allergies before using a cornmeal base.
Before the kids arrive
- Write numbers on the leaves, plastic acorns and cinnamon sticks with a permanent marker, and let them dry.
- For activity 3, write numbers on wooden blocks.
- For activity 2, note which numbers your child struggled with in activity 1.
Steps
Pour cornmeal into a wooden crate or sensory bin.
Hide the numbered leaves and acorns in the cornmeal. Add 2 small paper baskets, a pastry brush and tongs.
Let your child feel and play with the cornmeal first.
Find the hidden numbers, brush off the cornmeal and call each number out loud.
Drop the numbers into the baskets.
On another day, label baskets with the tricky numbers. Mix in numbered cinnamon sticks, acorns, leaves, pumpkins and squash.
Pick up each item, read its number and sort it into the matching basket.
For the counting game, stand number blocks in the cornmeal and count out leaves for each number.
Tips
- With access to fun stuff like cornmeal and tongs, kids may want to just feel and play with the base. My 3-year-old did just that first. Once I let her explore the materials, she wanted to do the learning activity on her own.from the author
- She was instantly attracted to the pastry brush and left the tongs alone. Brushing off her numbers while calling them out became her favorite part.from the author
- Do the first activity a couple of times to learn which numbers give your child trouble, then use just those numbers in the sorting bin.from the author
- This activity can easily be adapted, and you can do it with materials you already have on hand.from the author
Make it your own
- Use plastic, wooden or foam numbers, or index cards, instead of numbered blocks for the counting game.
- Use the sorting bin to reinforce only the numbers your child finds tricky.
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