EAT AND ESTIMATE GAME
Our son’s preschool teacher came up with a game called “Eat and Do Math” to help the students practice estimation, as opposed to guesswork. She had them estimate how many bites it would take to eat a popsicle – and then of course they needed to see if they were right!
We thought this game could extend throughout this WhaddaWeek, tailored for the age of the children and how high they can count. Use this chart, (just click on the image for a printable copy), to record each game, the estimations made, and then the results. We’ve recorded one game, so you can see how it works.
Suggested games:
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How many rounded spoons of cookie batter will fit on the cookie sheet?
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How many Cheerios will fit in a small container?
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How many pieces of popcorn are needed to go all the way around a circle you draw? (We traced the outline of an inverted plate to get our circle.)
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How many bites will it take to eat a hot dog or corn on the cob?
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How many peas or peanuts can you balance on a spoon without any falling off?
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How many slices are there in a banana?
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How many minutes will it take pieces of ice to melt, in the sun versus in the shade?
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How many pieces of fruit are there in an unpeeled orange?
You could have prizes for the closest estimates, if more than one child is participating.
Thanks to Paula Smith and University Child Development School, Seattle