Learning with Dominoes!

Happy Tuesday my friends! How is it that these days are just flying by? Oh yes, the old adage that when you are having fun time flies! I wanted to share some more learning fun that I made up for the kids as they were learning to count. This could easily be adjusted to adding and subtracting as well as multiplying and the like!

Step one is to cut out each domino, unless you want to preserve this game, then print out and laminate before cutting. You can get your dominoes HERE! Once you have cut out each individual domino, you are ready for step 2. Keep in mind you can use these dominoes alone as teaching tools. Have your child count each dot on each domino and you have a simple counting game.

For example -

In counting from L-R: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
When using as an adding game: 1 + 6 = 7
Rotate for Subtracting: 6 - 1 = 5
Multiplication: 1 x 6 = 6
Rotate for Division: 6/1 = 6
You can also use real dominoes if you so choose, they even have them at the dollar store!

This domino parking lot is perfect for your beginning counters, have them count up the dots and park them in the correct spots. After printing, you could easily white out the numbers and then fill in with the numbers that fit whatever way you are teaching. 

Make sure you remember to enjoy every minute my friends! It's so easy to want to complain or get down on ourselves, spouses, children, significant other, but if we took the time to remember that this could be the last day we had with our loved ones...well we might just rethink our attitudes.

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Summer Bucket List #6 - Lemonade Stand!

It's feeling like Summer, so it's time to get working on the awesome things that we plan on doing! Our Bucket List has 100 items on it and I am so glad to see us bumping them right off the list!

Want to print one out without the lines crossed out? GO HERE!

We started with this MARKET STAND from IKEA! This was sold flat, so it was easy to transport home and super easy to put together. My husband also added a shelf to the counter for spills and to make it sturdier. He is in the process of making a stand on casters for the bottom of the stand in order for the children to be able to push it around outdoors and to protect it from the ground.

I helped the kids make signage and decor using this awesome LEMON TEMPLATE from HERE! I altered it many times to fit my needs. Making the lemons smaller and then using different types and sizes of font. It was perfect!

We began decorating with the small lemons punched out with a Circle Punch and then glued on the sides of the stand. We used coasters with stickers to spell out the word LEMONADE. It still looked pretty plain, so we headed on to add more! We did add a working Cash Register from Learning Resources and it's absolutely perfect for this and holds real money.

As the stand will only be outdoors when it's open, we did not need a closed sign. I just taped this right to the register and it does double duty for role playing in the playroom and the lemonade stand!

If you are interested in printing any of the signage I made, please HEAD HERE!

This is the view from the back! On the bottom is a small bucket with a towel to keep the stand sticky free and clean! On the shelf are cups and straws. Beneath is a jug from TARGET (5.99) and a flower pot from IKEA with lemons and limes for slicing.

The left side of the stand has a shelf for a small container holding cut limes and lemons (IKEA), a tip jar also made from a flower pot from IKEA and a sign that I slipped into a page protector! A small jar of cookies holds a treat for the kids as they work but they also plan on selling them for .25 if someone asks!

So what do you think? I hope they do alright today, I am so nervous for them! I just don't want all their energies to be wasted on a slow day and then for them to be too disappointed.

I had absolutely nothing to worry about! The community turned out in full force and the kids sold almost 100 glasses of lemonade! Count in the tips and it was near 200! I was amazed and so proud of the people that stopped. The children had a blast and learned so much. When it started out slow, Autumn knew we needed a sign to draw in the crowd and boy was she right!

Always do more than you think is necessary and it will make a difference! Enjoy every minute my friends!

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