A few math ideas for all ages.

 A couple days ago I posted about this cute things I found at the dollar tree and had laminated.  I've made math activities for different ages using them.  Here are some things you could do with them.

This one I'm planning to use for the little kids, (pre-k to 1st grade)

This one I also plan on using for the little kids.

The next two I'm planning to use for Kyle.  Although he is 11 and in advanced math I don't want station time for him to be like school.  I don't want everything to be stressful.  He can do much larger problems than these but sometimes review of basic facts are good too.  So...these could be used for 4th or 5th grade or 6th grade as a review.

Here is how I decided to store these for now anyway.  I haven't tried them yet with the kids in these storage packages.  I'm not sure they will hold up.  I put the name of the activity at the top so I can quickly thumb through my box without having to pull everything out.

Six activities with Color/Shape flash cards.

Yep, you read that correctly.  6 activities with two packs of color/shape flash cards.  I purchased mine at walmart on clearance for .50 each at the end of the back to school sale.  The dollar tree usually sells them too.  I laminated my cards but it probably wasn't necessary. 

1. Color sorting:  sort all the cards by color.

2.Shape sorting:  sort all the cards by shape

3. Color patterning:  make a pattern with the colors.

4. Shape patterning:  make a pattern with the shapes.

5.Matching:  This is where you would need the second set of flash cards.  Have the kids find the match.  Mine were two sided cards so it makes it a tad more difficult but not impossible.

6.Make a rainbow:  Sort the cards in rainbow order.

I tried to create some labels for bags.  Well I did create them but I can't figure out how to link the pdf to here...gonna need to do a little more research.  If you would like them before I can figure it out email me and I will email them directly to you.  juneandcasey@cox.net

Puzzle station

Today's station idea is puzzles.  Pretty self explanitory, I know.  Good thing since I can't find my camera.  Puzzles are available at all times to our children.  If you have children though, you probably know that they don't play with half the stuff they have.  Give them 10 minutes though and say you may only play with puzzles, they enjoy it.  Our puzzle station puzzles are not puzzles they have access to at all times.  They are special ones, ones they only get to use on occassion.  We probably do a puzzle station once a week usually with the option of 2 puzzles.  (It has been requested by the girls that we have girly stations, this is one I can easily give them the option of something girly.  The Dollar tree has lots of princess puzzles usually.) Most of my puzzles have been picked up at the dollar tree (they have puzzlse of all sizes for only $1).  I have also found puzzles in the dollar section at Target and most recently at the newly added dollar spots in our Walmart. 

I hope tomorrow to have a cooler station idea with pictures, providing I can find the camera and figure out how to add the pictures.  I have many more ideas.  Come back soon.