Animal Counting Cards for Milk Cap Numbers

Sweet Pea is 33 months old.

From: These are cards I developed to be used with milk cap numbers.  (I promise this is the last one of these number cap activities for a while!)  If you want something with larger numbers (up to 10), try my animal counting worksheets (which can be cut into cards).

Material:

• Milk cap numbers 1 through 4 (Instructions and templates located here).
• MCN Fish 1-4  (Again, click here for worksheets with numbers up to 10.)
• MCN Dogs 1-4
• MCN Cats1-4
• MCN Butterfly 1-4
• MCN Bunnies 1-4
• MCN Birds 1-4
• MCN Snails 1-4
• Scissors.
• Colored pencils (optional).
• A laminator or press and seal lamination pockets (optional).

Procedure:

• Print out the worksheets and cut each of them into quarters to make 4 cards.
• Optionally color and laminate the cards.
• Divide the cards by animal type into 7 piles (or in any other arrangement so that each pile contains a cards with 1, 2, 3 and 4 animals).
• Lay out each of the cards from the first pile in front of your tot.  Place the 1,2,3 and 4 milk cap numbers next to the cards.

• Point to a card and have your tot help you count the animals on the card.
• Have your tot help you select the correct milk cap number and place it in the circle in the middle of the appropriate card.
• Point to another card and have your tot help you count the animals on that card and select the matching milk cap number.
• Continue until you have used all of the milk cap numbers, gradually letting your tot take over the work.
• Repeat for the remaining piles.

Observations: Sweet Pea insisted on having “Monk Monk” (a toy monkey that was  given to our dog by Santa last Christmas, but which was quickly appropriated by Sweet Pea) do this entire activity.

MonkMonk was able to count each of the animals.

MonkMonk then placed each of the numbers on the correct card.

It was a very succesful activity for MonkMonk and I would recommend it for all other re-purposed dog toys.

Notes from the Trenches: I think it might be a good idea to write the correct number on the back of the cards so that your child can check his or her work.

Also, you have to watch out or your stuffed monkey will carelessly knock everything off of the table.

Rating: 3 Stars * (Fun, Independent, Frugal if you just cut the milk cap numbers out of paper and forgo the Mod Podge.)