Materials
Washed recycled Styrofoam meat trays
Assorted dried beans and legumes
Large bowl
Marker
Instructions
What to do
1. Ahead of time, write the numbers 1 through 10 on the Styrofoam trays, one number per tray.
2. Set out the bowl of beans and the 10 Styrofoam meat trays.
3. One at a time, invite the children to count out the number of beans to match the number in
each tray, and put those beans in the tray.
4. When everyone has had a chance to count the beans, invite the children to make interesting
mosaics or designs with the beans.
More to do
Math: Put all the beans in a large glass jar and invite the children to guess how many are inside.
More art: Give the children small jars and invite them to arrange the colorful beans in interesting
layers, much like sand art.
Snack: Make bean soup and enjoy!
