Cotton Ball Toss
Here's What To Do
1
Gather five small cotton balls or soft toys.
2
Say, “If you throw one cotton ball, how many do we have left?” Help them count as needed. “Four, yes we have four cotton balls left.”
3
Get all the cotton balls and repeat. This time allow your child to choose how many balls they want to throw. Say, “How many cotton balls do you want to throw next? (toss balls) If we throw ____ cotton balls, how many do we have left?” Help your child count as needed. “Yes, we have ____ cotton balls left.”
4
Repeat a few more times.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Stand facing each other and take a deep breath. Then count all the cotton balls.
E
Engage:
- “You have three cotton balls in your hand. How many will we have left if you toss all three?”
- “What other objects could we use to toss?”
E
Encourage:
- Let’s count the cotton balls that we have left once more but this time let’s make sure to touch each piece as we say the numbers.
- If your child is struggling, say “If you’re not sure, that’s okay; I’ll help you figure it out when you’re ready."
R
Reflect:
- Was it hard to figure out how many cotton balls you had left?
Not quite ready?
Start with using smaller quantities from one to three.
Ready for more?
Use up to seven cotton balls during the activity.
As your child masters this skill...
They will understand that the total gets smaller when you remove objects from a group.