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Monday, March 2, 2015

Enjoy Learning: Play with Putty and Do the Math.


These are my two kindergarten kids. They're trying to find small buttons in the putty. This is the therapy-putty (theraputty) and has some resistance to it.  It is a good tool for finger exercises. But you can simply use the play dough for this activity.

I hide some buttons before I split the putty in half.  So kids and I wouldn't know who has more or less buttons in the putty. Then kids try to find all the buttons inside. Then they will count the buttons and play math game.

When kids play with the putty, I usually don't give instructions how to play with the putty.  I simply say, "Find all the buttons in the putty."

Kids sometimes stretch the putty and make a long strand of the putty.  Then it's easy to find the buttons.
Kids sometimes pound on the putty and make it flat.  Then they will feel the buttons as it gets flat on the table.
I sometimes encourage them to pinch the putty with three fingers (the thumb, index, and the middle finger) if they need to strengthen those three fingers to improve his/her pencil grasp.

Remember! Kids play in their own way naturally and creatively.  We do not want to kill their creativity by giving them answers or how-to.  Of course, you can show other ways of playing if you have better or more ideas.  I bet kids will show you more ideas that you do.  Just wait and see.




After kids find all the buttons, we try find the total number of the buttons, who has more, who has less, and how many more or less.  Kids will practice simple addition and subtraction together.  





You can modify this game by hiding different items in the putty such as different color lego pieces or the coins.  If you use the lego pieces, you can play categorizing each color and count them.  If you use the coins, you can ask kids to find the total amount of the coins. Say, "Get it right and take the money!"

Enjoy teaching and Enjoy learning~!!   
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