Materials
sets of numerals made of different hard materials (wood, plastic, clay)
opaque drawstring bag
Instructions
1. Fill the drawstring bag with the wooden or plastic numerals (0 to 9). If the
children are just beginning to learn numbers, use only two or three numerals
at a time, but have lots of them. Make sure the bag is large enough for two
hands to fit in.
2. Sit in a circle with the children. Demonstrate how to do the activity by sticking
your hand inside the bag and picking out a numeral. Then, with the numeral
still hidden inside the bag, feel it with both hands, tell everyone what numeral
you think it is, then pull it out and show everyone.
3. Pass the bag around the circle and give each child several turns to pick out a
numeral and feel it and try to identify it.
Note: If the children in your class are very young and/or just beginning to learn
numbers, let them take the numeral out of the bag to identify it.
