This apple tree addition activity is perfect for kindergarten and first grade students. It gives them a hands on chance to practice their skills and work hands on play into their lessons. This is an all around engaging way to teach addition to kids.
This semester both of my kids are attending virtual school. They have a great curriculum that they follow, and the kids seem to be ok with the change in how we learn. But, I like to make sure they are learning offline too. This apple tree math activity is perfect for little kids who are just grasping math concepts. Plus it is easy to set up and it is a lot of fun to work with.
Using play doh is a great way to make this more than a math activity. Play doh is great for sensory play as wee all know. Adding it to math? Thats an equation for fun learning! Adding pony beads gives the activity a fine motor element, so I guess this math lesson has a lot of layers to it!
Supplies:
Green and Brown Play Doh
Pony Beads
Small wooden letters or stamps
Directions:
Encourage your child to roll out a tree trunk with brown play doh.
Instruct your child to flatten out a can of green play doh for the leaves of the tree.
Select two numbers and stamp them into the leaves. Add a + between them.
Encourage your child to count out enough for the first number and press them into the doh.
Instruct your child to count out enough beads for the second number and press them into the doh.
Ask your child to count all of the beads to get the sum.
Remover the beads.
Remover the "leaves"
Smash the green doh into a fresh pile of doh.
Repeat with more numbers.
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