Building Tens Castles (Preschool/Kindergarten Math)
Building Tens Castles is a fun and easy way to learn and review basic math facts (what adds up to ten/deconstructing ten). My older preschoolers and kindergartener love building, so this is a perfect fit for playful math. You can also use it as an informal assessment.
Simple Supplies:
* building blocks (we use wooden blocks--affiliate link HERE
--but you can really use whatever kind you have handy.
* 4-5 bowls
* table or floor space to spread out and work
* optional: favorite action or doll figurines
Easy How To:
You can set this up for a formal 1-on-1 activity, or just integrate it into your regular play. I prefer to play.
1- To set it up, place your choice of blocks (between 1 and 10) in each bowl.
2- Explain to your child that Tens Castles can only be built with 10 blocks. He needs to count the blocks in the bowl, figure out how many more he needs, and build the castle. You can put out the figurine to wait for its castle to be built!
3- Repeat a couple times with different numbers of blocks!
4- Advanced/older kids can also subtract. Put between 11 and 20 blocks in a bowl, and let your kiddo figure out how many he needs to take away to build a Tens Castle!
We are joining the Learning With Manipulatives team to bring you a great collection of building block learning ideas!!
Amazon Affiliate Links:
Simple Supplies:
* building blocks (we use wooden blocks--affiliate link HERE
--but you can really use whatever kind you have handy.* 4-5 bowls
* table or floor space to spread out and work
* optional: favorite action or doll figurines
Easy How To:
You can set this up for a formal 1-on-1 activity, or just integrate it into your regular play. I prefer to play.
1- To set it up, place your choice of blocks (between 1 and 10) in each bowl.
2- Explain to your child that Tens Castles can only be built with 10 blocks. He needs to count the blocks in the bowl, figure out how many more he needs, and build the castle. You can put out the figurine to wait for its castle to be built!
3- Repeat a couple times with different numbers of blocks!
4- Advanced/older kids can also subtract. Put between 11 and 20 blocks in a bowl, and let your kiddo figure out how many he needs to take away to build a Tens Castle!
We are joining the Learning With Manipulatives team to bring you a great collection of building block learning ideas!!
Here are more great ideas for learning with different kinds of building blocks:
- Building Block STEM Challenge Cards from Life Over C's
- Fractions with KORXX Blocks from Still Playing School
- Building Block Maze Activity from Mom Inspired Life
- Free Printable: Block Scavenger Hunt for Letter Recognition from Play Dough and Popsicles
- Fine Motor Development with Blocks from Sugar Aunts
- Building Tens Castles (Preschool/Kindergarten Math) from Preschool Powol Packets
- Word Family BINGO! from School Time Snippets
- Building Block Addition Towers from The Kindergarten Connection
- Superhero Alphabet Matching Activity with Blocks from Stir The Wonder
- Storytelling with Wooden Blocks: Three Little Pigs from Adventures of Adam
- Sight Word ABCs with Blocks from Simple Fun for Kids
- Letter Sound Scavenger Hunt from Raising Little Superheroes
- Symmetry with Building Blocks from In The Playroom
- Building CVC words with Blocks from Teach me Mommy
- Making Patterns with Building Blocks from Play & Learn Everyday
Amazon Affiliate Links:
I may share at any of these parties!
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