Pumpkin Patch Candy Counting

We love finding ways to use holiday candy in learning games and activities. In the past we've used candy hearts and jelly beans to practice different math skills. So of course it was time to do something with fall candy!

As Little Brother is getting a little older, he's been getting really interested in counting and numbers, so I put together this Pumpkin Patch counting activity using candy pumpkins. I decided we would work on the numbers 1 to 5.



First I cut green paper into rectanlges (4 for each piece.) I used permanent marker to add dots and fence designs to each piece of paper. This created the "pumpkin patches."

I mixed up the dot designs a little and did two cards for the numbers 3,4, and 5. I put the digit in each corner so we could start recognizing the digit in relationship to the number of objects. 

I then put together a small bowl of pumpkin candies. Of course you could do this with a different type of pumpkin counter, but these little candies are the perfect size! 

I introduced Little Brother to the activity by showing him how to match a candy to a dot. After he would put one candy on a dot together we could count how many were on each card. 

By the end of it he was working to do it on his own, although he still needed a little guidance from me on the numbers at points. (He loves to say the number sequence "7,8,9" and kept trying to throw that in there.) 

And of course during all of our playing and learning there had to be some sampling of the counters too! 

He's been asking to do it again all week, so I'm sure we'll find another opportunity to explore this Pumpkin Patch Candy Counting again! 

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