If you have a dozen eggs in your fridge, DO NOT throw the carton away when you are done! Egg cartons are such a great tool to use to practice counting up to ten! Just snip off two end pieces so you have two rows of five.
Ten frames are a popular math visual aid to help your little ones develop number sense. They allow you to really "see" the number beyond simply counting. You can build a solid foundation of understanding the numbers 1-10 using a ten frame and then can eventually move on to tens and ones with a second ten frame. It is also beneficial to use ten frames when beginning simple addition or subtraction. Again, it is a wonderful visual aid!!
When teaching your toddler to use a ten frame, always fill the first row of 5 first and then move on to the second row.
How we used our egg carton ten frame to practice counting:
Grab your tools - ten frame, a manipulative, and cards (1-10). We used phase 10 cards and they worked perfect! You could also just use marker and paper to make your own.
Have your little draw a card and say what the number is
Using your manipulative, count out the number into the ten frame!
Repeat!
Add tongs to practice fine motor skills while playing
As your little "masters" their numbers 1-10, you can add a second ten frame to practice counting up to 20. Fill in one ten frame, and then move to the second ten frame to represent your 10s and 1s.
Some of our favorite manipulatives to use with ten frames:
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