Number Search

Kindergarten-Grade 3

Traveling provides children with lots of opportunities to practice number recognition as well as counting skills.

What You Need

• Paper
• Crayons or markers
• Ruler

What to Do

• Before you leave on a car trip, draw a "Number Search" grid, with five boxes across and 10 boxes down. In each box (moving across from the first box), write a number from 1 to 50. Make a copy of the grid for each family member (except, of course, the driver!)

• As you travel, have family members play "Number Search." Tell everyone to be on the lookout for numbers and when they see one on a car or truck, a billboard, a sign, a building, or anything else, to point out the number, then circle it on the grid. (Only the person who spots the number first gets to circle it.) The first person to circle all the numbers on the grid wins.

• Ask your child to look for words and phrases on signs and billboards that have numbers (or number words) in them, such as "1-stop shopping," "2-day service," "buy one, get one free" and "open 24-7."

Helping children practice number recognition can take many forms. Encourage them to listen for common expressions that include numbers and number words, such as: "Two's company, three's a crowd"; "Two can play that game"; or "Three strikes and you're out."


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