My Obstacle Course: Engage, Encourage and Empower

A fun, structured, systematic way to work on your child's strengths and weaknesses at home!

Archives for September 2011

Farm Themed Memory Match

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This is a really easy way to create a thematic memory match game using stickers and index cards (or cutouts). Here is a link to an earlier memory match post I wrote. I like including this game because it helps to build concentration, encourages basic game skills like turn taking and provides a good opportunity to make connections and build vocabulary based on the stickers. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Thematic Memory Match This station activity takes me only about 5 minutes to prepare … [Read more...] about Farm Themed Memory Match

Calendar Number Sequencing

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Calendar numbers make it super easy to build math skills such as number sequencing. I like to use calendar numbers because they are thematic according to the month or season, which makes building vocabulary relevant to the month we are in easier to weave into conversation as we are working with the numbers. Because the numbers in the calendar number set go up to 31, you have a good range of numbers to work with in a variety of easy to assemble station activities. Using an index card, … [Read more...] about Calendar Number Sequencing

Apple Themed Tally Mark Crawl and Match

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I created this Crawl and Match activity because I wanted Andrew to begin understanding what tally marks were, how they were written and how to count them. The Crawl and Match concept can be used to reinforce a wide variety of skills and concepts, this is just one example of how I did it to build a specific math concept. Other Concept Examples To Use With Crawl and Match: letter matching (uppercase and lowercase) word and picture matching (this would even be a cute way to match up … [Read more...] about Apple Themed Tally Mark Crawl and Match

Apple Fact Reading and Answering Questions

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When I did an "apple" search on www.enchantedlearning.com, I came across an  "Apple Book" that had a page of "Apple Facts" as well as some "Apple Questions" based on the facts. Andrew was reading but I wanted him to practice his oral reading because he would drop sounds and read too fast. I also wanted to work on the reading comprehension skill of reading for information. I decided to use these printouts to go together but set up as two separate stations. For the first station, I cut the … [Read more...] about Apple Fact Reading and Answering Questions

Do A Dot Apple Trees

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Here is another simple idea combining an apple tree with building fine motor skills, particularly with a child who is not crazy about doing art projects. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Do A Dot Apple Trees I took a few sheets of white paper, drew an outline of a tree  (I'm really good at these outlines aren't I?! :) )... and set out red, green and yellow "dotters." Andrew could choose what color apples he was going to have on the tree and then use the dotters to push down, … [Read more...] about Do A Dot Apple Trees

How Many Apples On The Apple Tree?

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This My Obstacle Course station activity is so simple yet it helps to build math skills and fine motor skills - bonus!! While I know that apples are usually picked off of an apple tree, for the purpose of this station activity, we are going to be putting apples back on the tree. I guess you could put a whole bunch of "apples" on the tree and have your child "pick" a given number off of the tree using the tweezers. Either way, a great opportunity to build these skills! My Obstacle Course Station … [Read more...] about How Many Apples On The Apple Tree?