Math Bags

I found this Math Bags idea from Deborah J. Stewart from Teach Preschool.  Thank you, Ms. Deborah at www.teachpreschool.org!  That's an awesome resource website!

I've implemented Math Bags in my prek classroom this past year and my students absolutely loved it!

• Each student received a "Math Bag" with their name on it, which I purchased from the Dollar Store.
• Within each bag, I placed an insert instructing my students' families to go around the house and help them find and COUNT 5 items (big or small) that they would not mind donating to the class.  These items can be small toys, paperclips, buttons, caps, rocks...really anything and the 5 items do not need to be the same.  
• I usually sent these bags home on Fridays and students return them on Mondays.  
• During our Monday Morning Circles, we would go through each bag and count and see the items their friends brought.  
• It was a lot of fun! And my students really mastered the concept of counting! 
• This Math Bags counting project lasted a good 1-2 months.  

You can definitely further the counting project to 10 items or more, patterns, even.  
Please let me know if you do this and how it worked out for you!