I know I’m not the only kindergarten teacher who collects mini-erasers! Every time I go to the dollar store, I check out what they have in stock. Unfortunately, we don’t have a Target here, so I’m often envious of what my teacher friends in the US seem to find. I love using them for so many activities since they come in different themes.
Mini erasers in kindergarten make such a fun math manipulative!
Looking for some new ideas for what you can do with them?
Here are 5 simple ideas for using mini erasers in kindergarten math centers:
Practice Patterns
Give your students a few different mini erasers and let them play. Provide resources for support like the pattern mat below, or give some guidance to remind them of different patterns. I wrote a blog post all about teaching patterns, where you can grab the pattern mat pictured for free (available in English & French). Read about it and grab the freebie here.
Non-Standard Measurement
Use mini erasers to measure different objects in the classroom. Measure body parts, clothing items (shoes, hats, etc), various toys, school supplies, and more! You can also have students record their results after counting the erasers.
“Tracing” Items or Shapes
Have your students use mini erasers to “trace” images of shapes, letters, or numbers. This gives them another way to develop fine motor skills, practice shape, number, and letter recognition, and how to form them.
(You can find shape tracing cards at the end of my 2D shapes blog post here. If you’re looking for the shape flashcards in the image, you can find them here).
Sorting
Grab a sorting tray if you have one (this one is for veggies and dip, found at the dollar store!). Put a bunch of mini erasers in the middle and have your students sort them into the other slots.
Don’t have a tray? Use bins instead!
Counting and Filling Ten Frames
Pair with number cards and have students count out the correct number of mini erasers. Draw or print a ten frame (or 2 for teen numbers) and have them fill in and count. Combine number cards and ten frames to know how many to fill in.
For free printable ten frames (3 sizes included), fill out the form below 🙂
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