Literacy and numeracy resources

[cockatoos]

Hi everyone,
I have a number of children who are turning three and will be claiming the free hours in January. I would like to strengthen my literacy and numeracy resources and have saved up a bit of money to do this. I wanted to pick your brains for things that you find useful and engage the children. I'm also happy to make some things if possible.

I was thinking;
Counting bears
Scales
Light box (really want one of these! Seen some DIY ones)
Story bags

What other things? Any games anyone can recommend?

Thanks!
Amy

[Mouse]

I like busy bags and have made quite a few.

A popular maths one is with duplo blocks and printed cards

Like this:
Duplo Blocks Counting & Tower Matching Busy Bag - All Our Days (http://allourdays.com/2012/10/duplo-blocks-counting-tower-matching-busy-bag.html)

You can start them off quite basic, then move onto more complex patters to follow.

We also like snakes & ladders and simple board games. Orchard Games do lots of nice games.

[loocyloo]

I like busy bags and have made quite a few.

A popular maths one is with duplo blocks and printed cards

Like this:
Duplo Blocks Counting & Tower Matching Busy Bag - All Our Days (http://allourdays.com/2012/10/duplo-blocks-counting-tower-matching-busy-bag.html)

You can start them off quite basic, then move onto more complex patters to follow.

We also like snakes & ladders and simple board games. Orchard Games do lots of nice games.

That's brilliant. Thank you.
I'm always after math ideas. It's the area I find hardest to implement.

[hectors house]

My mindees love playing UNO (from aged 2+) - I know it's for children aged 7 but we play a simplified version - to start with I use it to recognise and match colours then when they know colours I use it for them to match numbers and then start to name them. It only costs about a fiver.

I just look out for cheap kitchen scales in the charity shops - I have one in role play cooking, one in indoor rice activity table and a balance one (this is an actual kids toy) they use for playdough.

Mine struggle with snakes and ladders as not very good on high numbers yet but like Frustration.

I also have an antique Usborne Picture Word Lotto game that has picture and word on one side and then just word on the back - mine cost £5 - 26 years ago, my daughter wanted to get one for my grandson and spotted one on Amazon for £40!

Maybe look in your area for some "Letters and Sounds" training courses and make resources for each phonic sound.

[FloraDora]

My literacy resources that I use often: lots and lots of letters, magnetic, sandpaper, spongy, lower and uppercase.
Musical instruments that makes sounds we can copy.
Recordable buttons - great for getting them to listen to sounds and instructions.
Video camera for children - encourages speaking
Rhyming pictures of real things in my home. Lots of rhyming books, song bag, cd's of rhyming stories and stories with lots of sounds - julia Donaldson and Tony Mitten
26 bags of things that begin with each sound of letter of alphabet - it took me ages to put this together, you can buy them but they are pretty expensive.
Lots of opportunities to write - I base all my planning on books - writing material everywhere..we post letters once a week home and to grandparents and they reply.

Lots more but these are my most used with 2/3/4 year olds.

[Simona]

Check this website: ABC does by Alistair Bryce-Clegg

ABC Does | Early Years Education (http://www.abcdoes.com/)

[cockatoos]

You're all stars - thank you! I'm going to have a trawl around some charity shops tomorrow to see what I can pick up before having a look at catalogues / websites etc.

[blue bear]

Rather than resources I tend to go with experiences and build from there.
So numbers, door numbers as we walk to school,which will be next how many more one more, one less.....
Bus numbers, match to bus stop time tables, visit the bus station, go on the bus which bus goes where, to whose house etc
Shoe sizes, biggest smallest, next size, last size...
When mark making encourage writing numbers... So in the sand, shaving foam, corn flour....

Letters, look at graffiti trace the letter sounds, look at signs, such as tesco asda etc. we go to the farm look at the signs, read the instructions/information. Re enact it at home, role play in the garden, toy farm etc.

Story sacks have always been a great hit but of recent I've encouraged the children to make them, draw on the bag with fabric pens, choose the reources to go inside. They love hem, take them home to share really proud of their achievements.

Mine like the jolly phonic lotto game and treasure hunt letters (hidden in the house or garden, dig for them in the sand or mud pit)
We've had some great times with laminated train tickets, plane tickets, home made passports ...

Right I've waffled on enough. Sorry

[cockatoos]

Yes we do lots of those things too - we often go on print or number walks around our local environment.

So I've sorted out some duplo counting /pattern cards; chosen which orchard games I'm going to get; ordered Uno and started looking at which story bags I'm going to make! Phew - that's enough for the moment!