Find the Animals

Activity Overview

Children use sensory bins to explore texture, sort, count, build, and to be exposed to things that they might not otherwise have contact with in their day-to-day lives. This activity takes a normal sensory bin activity, and adds a math component. While exploring the sensory bin in this activity, children will use mathematical skills and tools that they are familiar with, and revisit mathematical ideas in a setting where children may not realize they are using those skills. The activity is open-ended enough to support many learners so start small, and work up to bigger and more challenging numbers!

What You Need

• Sensory bin or large tub

• Sensory bin filling such as pata, rice, or beans

• Several small animal figurines or printed and Animal Family Cards used in our Animal Families Game

• Number Dot Cards or digital spinner

Steps

1. Spend a few days exploring the Pasta Sensory Bin activity to become comfortable with a sensory bin.

2. Use the same sensory bin or make another one by filling a large tub with dry materials such as pasta, beans, or rice.

3. Bury the animal figurines or Animal Family Cards in the sensory bin.

4. Open the spinner or place all Number Dot Cards face down on the table or floor. Guide your student to spin the spinner or flip up a number card. Ask your student to identify the number, counting the dots if necessary.

5. Tell your student to find and pull out the quantity of animals from the sensory bin according to the number they selected.

6. Set the number to the side, put the animals back in the sensory bin, and repeat Steps 4-5!

Guiding Questions

• What material is this?

• What animals are those?

• What number is that?

• How many animals should you find?

Extensions

• Take turns selecting a number and finding the animals with a peer or adult.