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Number Tunnel

Nov 9, 20138,285 views
Math Play
Number Activities for kids : Number Tunnel Save
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math activities with pipe cleaners Save
tunnel fun Save
beading with numbers Save
counting games Save
numbers butterfly Save

by TurkeyMom in Math Play

Ages3–5 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessLow
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Kids line up foam numbers and match them to dominoes by counting dots. Then they poke pipe cleaners into a Styrofoam sheet, thread on the matching number of beads, and bend each one into an arch to build a car tunnel.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Beads are a choking hazard. Supervise closely, especially with kids who still mouth things.
  • Pipe cleaner ends can be sharp or poky. Watch fingers and eyes while kids poke and bend them.
  • Styrofoam can crumble into small bits. Keep them out of mouths and tidy up after play.

Before the kids arrive

  • Save or find a large Styrofoam sheet to use as the base.

Steps

  1. Set out the foam numbers, dominoes, a bowl of beads and the pipe cleaners on a large Styrofoam sheet.

  2. Let the kids explore the materials first: count domino dots, feel the foam numbers and build designs with them.

  3. Arrange the foam numbers in order in a line down one side.

  4. Count the dots on each domino and place it across from its matching foam number.

  5. Poke one pipe cleaner into the Styrofoam next to each foam number.

  6. Look at each number, count that many beads and thread them onto its pipe cleaner.

  7. Bend each pipe cleaner over and poke the other end in next to the matching domino to make an arch.

  8. Drive toy cars through your colorful number tunnel.

Tips

  • Let the kids explore and examine the materials first. They seem to be more receptive to a little bit of structure afterward.from the author
  • Leave the invitation out for more than a day. The next day my 3 year old was eager to arrange the numbers and invited me to help her learn them.from the author
  • Counting out the beads for each number was the challenging part. I helped her look at the large foam number and count that many beads.from the author
  • Both kids loved building with the foam numbers, attaching them to each other to create designs. It's a great lesson in spatial thinking.from the author

Make it your own

  • Slot foam numbers into each other to build designs, like the 'number butterfly' my 5 year old made.
  • Turn the finished tunnel into a pretend-play set-up for toy cars.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · November 2013
number games with pipe cleaners
We gathered our large foam numbers along with dominoes, beads and pipe cleaners. I set up the activity on a large Styrofoam sheet which came along with one of our appliances.
1 / 10

Number Tunnel: the original post

We have been doing some playful learning activities with my 3 year old - we have created an alphabet city****, played with letters in a cornmeal sensory bin, had fun with alphabet memory game, picked number leaves in a sensory bin, sang with play dough number fingers. {Access our ABC’s of Math Activities} full series here. We love doing math activities and number activities for kids. I have personally seen the enjoyment in the kid’s eyes when they are busy with hands on activities, especially hands on learning activities. For this simple number activity I needed just a few supplies reference

We gathered our large foam numbers along with dominoes, beads and pipe cleaners. I set up the activity on a large Styrofoam sheet which came along with one of our appliances.

number games with pipe cleaners Before I introduced the number activities I had in mind, I let the kids explore the materials. They seem to be more receptive for a little bit structure when they are given an opportunity to explore and examine the materials first.

math activities for kids with numbers

I was excited to see my 3 year count the dots on the dominoes and start to examine and feel the foam numbers. I had quite a few number activities for kids in mind, but those had to wait!

one to one correspondence

Both the children enjoy building activities. They were very focussed on manipulating the foam numbers and tried attaching several numbers to each other and thus creating many designs! A great lesson on spatial thinking and some what of a math activity

play with numbers

I simple adore this “number butterfly my 5 year old made.

numbers butterfly

I actually set out this invitation for more than a day. The following day my 3 year old was eager to arrange the numbers in order and invited me to help her learn her numbers. Isn’t that best kind of invitation to play and learn? Now that the child was more receptive for intentional learning, I suggested a few number activities- starting with ordering the numbers.

arranging the numbers

Then we counted the dots on the dominoes and tried our best to match them to the foam numbers. Hands on way to learn one-one correspondence.

counting games

It was time practice and develop those fine motor skills by poking pipe cleaners in Styrofoam ( yay! for poking ) and beading .

math games with foam numbers

This was the challenging part. I helped her take a look at the large foam numbers and count those many beads and thread them on to the pipe cleaners.

beading with numbers

tada! Fun number activities for kids all done! Now comes the best part in these number activities. My kid bent the pipe cleansers from the foam side and to the dominoes side matching them while creating a colorful tunnel.

tunnel fun

A tunnel for cars. Math activities with a huge dose of number fun turned pretend play set up for the kiddos.

math activities with pipe cleaners

What readers say

💬 1 comments

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 1 comments

  1. lisha · Nov 2013

    Creative! Hope to share on and also use personally with my 2-year-old soon!!

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