What Coins Do I Have?

What You Need

• Coins of different denominations

• Paper

• Pen or pencil

What to Do

• Choose coins so that your child can't see, then hold out your closed hand and ask her questions such as the following:

I have three coins in my hand. They're worth 7 cents. What coins do I have? (a nickel and 2 pennies)
I have three coins in my hand. They're worth 16 cents. What coins do I have? (a dime, a nickel, a penny)
I have three coins in my hand. They're worth 11 cents. What coins do I have? (2 nickels and 1 penny)
I have three coins in my hand. They're worth 30 cents. What coins do I have? (3 dimes) Ask your child to tell you how she knows the answer.

• Make the game more challenging by asking questions that have more than one answer:

I have six coins in my hand. They're worth 30 cents. What coins could I have? (1 quarter and 5 pennies or 6 nickels).
I have coins in my hand that are worth 11 cents. How many coins could I have? (2—1 dime and 1 penny; 3—2 nickels and 1 penny; 6—1 nickel and 6 pennies; 11—all pennies) Again, ask your child to tell you how she knows the answer.

You get the idea! Give your child coins to figure out the answers.