Toddler Academy - Learning Numbers

THE HOOP GAME

If you haven't yet made shoe boxes for different activities, now is a good time to do that as well.  Get a few dollar store clear small shoe containers or any that you choose, or optionally use cardboard and decorate yourself with pretty papers, paint, etc., or turn it into a toddler activity and let them help.

This little game goes into a "Dad Box" (you know the one with the pinstripes and cut up tie, lol)  (Just put the hoop in there and the bags in an organizer (another shoe box or fabric bag, etc. for storage).  

This is a two part activity.

If you haven't made bean bags or rice bags yet, now is the time.

Supplies:

Large bag of cheap whole grain rice or any type of dried bean/lentil
Fabric - Either scraps or whatever you have on hand (think re-purpose, cut up old pair of jeans or an old shirt or several different ones so they are not all the same, or keep same fabric, it's your choice.
Needle and thread to stitch them closed or  glue gun 
Velcro (for later) 
Make one for each alphabet letter (you can make them round or square)
Alphabet letters - Cut from fabric or heavy paper


Cut out your circles or squares and fill them with beans or rice.
Either sew or glue them closed, then, attach Velcro to each side of your bean bag letters just a small piece so the letters can be stuck to the bean bags and for other uses in other tutorials for the bean bags.  *

Basketball hoop - You can cut a circle and take out the inside so that you have a hoop out of something sturdy, or you can use an embroidery hoop.
You will need to be able to Velcro it to something that is safe and sturdy
when you want to use it. Make sure it's where your toddler can chunk it or
dunk it in the hoop.  (A lid out of recycle bin works well for this).

There are different ways obviously to play this, you can lay out all the bean bags with the capital letters and have them put the lowercase letter on the opposite side, or you can let them find both and attach them to a bag.  As they complete each one they can then run over and dunk it in the hoop.  The hoop seems to make it enjoyable :) and worth their time.  When they get bored with this, just leave it out for another round after nap or dinner with Dad.  Note:  Once they have matched them up, let them peel them off and drop the letters into a taped up box with an opening just make sure you Velcro  a side to get them out.  This helps their coordination and alleviates the "cleanup".  If you make a fabric bag, you can hang it over the doorknob and let them drop the bean bags into it after the hoop when you are ready to put them away (more fun and less cleanup for you).  

*If you want to make this a dedicated game you can optionally put the letters on permanently with a sharpie or fabric marker, but if you want to use them for other things, don't.

That's all there is except to have fun.  This really is a favorite with kids, so I hope you will have hours of enjoyment and learning with this one.