Number Recognition Game – Feed Cookie Monster
Make your own Feed the Cookie Monster game. It is super budget friendly and teaches number recognition while strengthening fine motor skills.
This simple activity can be customized to fit almost any child’s skill level. Even little toddlers that can’t yet count will enjoy feeding the cookie monster – which strengthens their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Keep reading and discover how easy it is to make your very own cookie monster activity out of some cardboard!
For more early math activities, don’t miss our comprehensive list of easy to set up, and budget-friendly ideas!
All activities should be supervised by an adult. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links.
Skills:
Ages:
Prep Time:
Watch the Video to See How to Make this Number Recognition Activity!
In this video, you’ll see how easy it is to make this number recognition activity. Bonus points for also talking about the digestive system while playing this game as you see cookie monster eat the cookies and have them make their way into his tummy!
You don’t have to change the actual activity for toddlers or older children, just change how they interact with it.
Watch the Video to See How to Make this Number Recognition Activity!
In this video, you’ll see how easy it is to make this number recognition activity. Bonus points for also talking about the digestive system while playing this game as you see cookie monster eat the cookies and have them make their way into his tummy!
You don’t have to change the actual activity for toddlers or older children, just change how they interact with it.
Number Recognition With Cookies
This is an activity that grows with your kiddos! As they touch and explore the cookies (and count the chocolate chip dots) they are seeing numbers in real life.
You can see in the video above how the older child played the activity, finding the numbers and counting the chocolate chips whereas the toddler simply enjoyed feeding Cookie Monster!
There are so many other things you can do with this simple activity (simple addition and subtraction for those that are ready for it!).
Here’s how to make a DIY number recognition for your kiddos. This is a basic tutorial, please change things up and make it fit your child’s needs.
If your kiddo loves this, you have to try our free printable Pizza Counting Worksheets as well as the Ice Cream Scoop Counting Worksheets!
Materials
- Cardboard box
- Tempera Paint Sticks
- Marker
- Cardboard box
- Tempera Paint Sticks
- Marker
- Craft Knife
- Plastic Bag
- Tape
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Draw Cookie Monster on top of an old box;
Step 2
Cut a slot within the mouth and a hole for the belly;
Step 3
On the inside of the box, place down the plastic bag (zipper side up), ensuring that it begins above the mouth, and can be visible within the belly.
Step 4
Line up the plastic bag where the slot is, and cut the plastic around the slot to provide an opening for the cookies to enter;
Step 5
Secure the plastic bag on each side with tape, and secure the plastic around the mouth with tape as well. This will allow the cookies to enter through the mouth, and fall into the bag for a fun transparent view as well as easy retrieval.
Step 6
Secure the cardboard box to the wall with painters tape!
Step 1
Draw Cookie Monster on top of an old box;
Step 2
Cut a slot within the mouth and a hole for the belly;
Step 3
On the inside of the box, place down the plastic bag (zipper side up), ensuring that it begins above the mouth, and can be visible within the belly.
Step 4
Line up the plastic bag where the slot is, and cut the plastic around the slot to provide an opening for the cookies to enter;
Step 5
Secure the plastic bag on each side with tape, and secure the plastic around the mouth with tape as well. This will allow the cookies to enter through the mouth, and fall into the bag for a fun transparent view as well as easy retrieval.
Step 6
Secure the cardboard box to the wall with painters tape!
Educational Benefits of This DIY Number Recognition Game
There are so many educational benefits of this simple activity. This is perfect for school readiness or to help your kiddos become more familiar with numbers. You can also adapt this activity as pictured!
Number Recognition: When you ask them to pick up the cookie with 6 chocolate chips, they have to match the amount of dots with the number. This one simple act exercises their number recognition. It also helps them see how much 1 chocolate chip is compared to 10 chips. This is the foundation of all math skills.
Early Math Skills: There are lots of early math skills that this one simple activity teaches. The first one is representation – making mathematics real by using pictures and objects (like chocolate chips). It also teaches patterns. As they grab the next number in line, they will discover that it has one more chocolate chip on the cookie.
If your child is ready for it, they can also practice and learn early addition and subtraction from it. Ask them, “Grab the cookie that is the answer to 3 chocolate chips plus 1 chocolate chip!”
And if you decide to make the Cookie Monster with the visible belly, this is a great opportunity to talk about the digestive system!
Educational Benefits of This DIY Number Recognition Game
There are so many educational benefits of this simple activity. This is perfect for school readiness or to help your kiddos become more familiar with numbers. You can also adapt this activity as pictured!
Number Recognition: When you ask them to pick up the cookie with 6 chocolate chips, they have to match the amount of dots with the number. This one simple act exercises their number recognition. It also helps them see how much 1 chocolate chip is compared to 10 chips. This is the foundation of all math skills.
Early Math Skills: There are lots of early math skills that this one simple activity teaches. The first one is representation – making mathematics real by using pictures and objects (like chocolate chips). It also teaches patterns. As they grab the next number in line, they will discover that it has one more chocolate chip on the cookie.
If your child is ready for it, they can also practice and learn early addition and subtraction from it. Ask them, “Grab the cookie that is the answer to 3 chocolate chips plus 1 chocolate chip!”
And if you decide to make the Cookie Monster with the visible belly, this is a great opportunity to talk about the digestive system!
Store-Bought Math Puzzles
Here are my top picks for the best math puzzles you can buy!
This Montessori activity uses soft pom poms and wooden cupcakes for early counting. It strengthens fine motor skills too.
If you want something really simple, this is perfect! It’s a puzzle made of wooden numbers.
This wooden puzzle lets your toddler match both the number with the correct amount of shapes.
Older kids will love putting together this 3D dinosaur puzzle. The numbers tell them in which order the pieces fit.
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