Counting in Nature

This post can now be found on our new blog at www.BEarthBLOG.com

How can I teach counting by 2s? WALDORF QUESTION OF THE WEEK #13

How can I teach my child counting by 2s?

You can try doing some verses and when you say them you emphasize every other word. It helps with the Rhythm of 2's and gets the whole body involved which helps. Here is an example: (on the capitals stomp your feet or clap or throw a bean bag or bean bag animal or something).

The DRA-gon SEES a TOAD and HIS tail GOES swish-SWISH, swish-SWISH
(he still wants that toad for his lunch)
2, FOUR, 6, EIGHT, 10, TWELVE, four-TEEN, six-TEEN, eight-TEEN, twen-TY

Another one of my FAVORITE ways to learn counting by anything is to do a "math circle". This can also be a really fun woodworking project and is really very easy.

Take any scrap of wood or a circular tree slice and make a perfect circle on it (by tracing the outside of a bowl). Now, place ten dots around it - all evenly spaced.

Hammer nails into all ten dots.

Now you have a circle with ten nails around it.

Take some yarn and start at the top. Count by 2's and each 2nd nail you get to wrap the yarn around it. See what design you have after a while!

Count by 3's - there is a different design.

I LOVE playing with this game! (oh, the kids do too)

You can see an instructional video on how to make it at:

http://waldorftv.weebly.com/lessons.html

These are all from my math e-book for kids ages 4-8 at: http://www.waldorflessonplans.com/

Hope this helps.

Blessings & Health,
Kristie

New Waldorf Show - Sunday Feb.17th, 2008

This week our new show is:

Multiplication Art/Woodworking Lesson (Grades 1-3)

You can view this new show at:

http://www.thewaldorfchannel.com/
link to: Lessons

Enjoy!
Blessings & Health,
Karima