As parents we are always looking for ways to reuse and re-purpose. After Easter, we are always left with so many plastic eggs that inevitably will get lost in storage before the Easter bunny has need for them next spring. Instead of packing them away into the dark abyss that is your attic or basement, why not reuse them immediately for a fun and hands-on educational activity.
This easy to assemble game is great for young preschoolers. In addition to teaching number skills, the action of popping open the eggs also develops crucial fine motor skills. The development of fine motor skills now will help your child with handwriting and daily living tasks, like completely independent dressing, in the future.
Materials:
- 10 plastic eggs in assorted colors
- permanent marker in a dark color
- small basket or container
- 1 sheet of printer paper
- scissors
Steps:
First, use the marker to write 2 numbers on each egg with a space between them. I drew a line between the 2 numbers as a placeholder. For example you would write 0__2, 1__3, 2__4, 3__5 and so on. Continue writing numbers until you reach the combination 9__11.
Next, write all of the missing numbers onto the sheet of printer paper. Make sure to leave yourself enough space to cut the numbers out. Fold each of the cut numbers into fours and stuff them each inside the corresponding egg. After the eggs are stuffed and closed, place them into a small basket and mix them up.
Next, have your child pick up each egg one at a time and guess the missing number. After they have a number in mind, have them pop the egg open to see if they are correct. This whole process will be helping them with number recognition and counting skills.
If the child’s answer in incorrect, place the folded paper back inside the egg and place the egg back into the basket. Then, mix up the remaining eggs in the basket. You can easily play the game with two players by alternating turns. Happy learning!
