Frugal Preschool Math Ideas

Here are some ideas for math materials and activities for math using cheap items found at a bargain or dollar store.

My latest activity. I bought 4 jumbo calculators They have big numbers on them. Got them for a $1.00 each at the dollar store. They are in one of my containers. The kids can key in the numbers and it helps them learn numbers. I give them flash cards with numbers, single numbers, number + number longer numbers 231 or 356 etc. and they key it in. They love it. Just an additional idea.

Large colored/glass rocks. I found these decorative rocks at the dollar store. A good size bag of them.They are used in vases and etc. Get a plastic shoe box and fill the box with these rocks. About 6 bags is enough. Place a couple of plastic cups in the container and get one of those Carpet samples. Even found those at the dollar store. The kids love to sit and sort these rocks out. Fill the cups and even stack them. Keeps them busy and for a kid their fun

Poker chips. Recently found a pack of chips. 3 different colors. These were not the bright yellow, white, red, blue chips, these were darker almost casino quality. Bought 6 packs of these and filled a plastic shoe box. The kids like to sort, sequence, add, subtract, stack with these chips. you can make up sequence cards to place in the container with the chips. I gave them number cards 2+2 etc. and they use the chips for counting. I gave them a pattern card and they follow the patterns, and what comes next? The kids will spend a long time at the activity table or math table with these chips.
~Miss Pat~Auntgnatty