Shapes!
Shapes!! is a mathematical activity planned for children ages 4-6. Children will have the opportunity to practice naming, drawing, and building shapes as well as practice counting and planning. To begin with, each child was given a dry erase board, a marker, and a shape to draw. Shapes started off simple (square, rectangle) and eventually […]
Counting
Learning how to count becomes more fun when using toys to help. Choose pieces from your Think-EEZ kit. Count out five of one item and ten of another and so on depending on what the highest number you are going to. Count them out loud for the child then have them count with you. Keep […]
House that Jack Built
Step one: begin reading story “The House that Jack Built” Step two: As the story goes follow along with child by building each step of the house. Step three: complete house and story by asking child if they can recall the steps of building the house.
Toddler Bubble Activity
The Think-Eez rods are a great way for toddlers to enjoy bubble blowing with their older siblings. I have a 1 year old who enjoys watching her 3 yr old sister blow bubbles. She is also always trying to blow her own bubbles, but has difficulty. With the small think-eez rod my 1 year old […]
Building Shapes with Think-EEZ
My kids decided to try to make a cube and then add triangle shapes on top. They used the pink covers to create a fort at the end. They love creating 3D shapes with the items so far.
Gait Activity with Geriatrics
The 1st step was to place a ball on each end of 10 longest rods, ensuring the flatter ends of ball were facing the floor. Next I placed the rods on the floor about 8 inches apart measuring step length with my own short step. The patient transferred to standing from their wheelchair and ambulated forward […]
Learning How to Estimate
This activity is for children 3-6 who are learning what it means to estimate and take an educated guess. 1. Build a 3D shape (box, triangle, etc) 2. Pin the cloth around the shape, so that balloons can fit into the shape. 2. Blow up balloons in various sizes. 3. Have the children guess how […]
Throw-Eez Throwing Game
Step 1- Have kids make 1 square out of each of the 4 different lengths of Think-EEZ (so you will have a large green, small green, large cream, small cream square) Step 2- Put your cloth materials down on the ground and place the squares on it from largest to smallest square (smallest being farther away) […]
What’s that Lettercscart_ A Letter Recognition Game
This is a great letter recognition game. It can be used with children as young as 4, who are just learning their letters, but can be adapted to include phonics and be used with children as old as 8. Activity Setup: Put the rods and connectors in the middle of the floor and sit in […]
Early Childhood Fine Motor Skills Activity
This is an activity to help toddlers and pre-schoolers practice and strengthen their fine motor skills. This activity uses the smaller poles, so the child/children can manipulate them successfully. Materials: Connectors and shorter poles Instructions: 1. Set materials onto the floor and invite the child/children to explore. 2. Allow the child/children to explore the poles […]
Stuffed Animal House
Description:This activity fits into a Community Theme and is designed for the children to name and discuss different structures that people call home. The children will use the materials, to create homes for their stuffed animals, and discuss how the homes they made are similar or different. They will then name and discuss different […]
Tic Tac Toe
We used the large green toobeez attached with balls to make a tic tac toe board. then to play the game, use the balls as O’s and 2 small green toobeez laid on top of each other to make X’s. Some additional ideas to make this work for a large group of kids would be […]
Intersecting Lines
Intersecting lines are lines that cross each other. Please illustrate intersecting lines. This is is great. It looks like you understand the concept, but we are working in three dimensions right now. Technically, those lines are on different planes and may not intersect. We are not going to get into planes right now, but we […]
Lines, segments, and rays
Build me a line . What is a line? Answer a line goes on forever in two directions. We are going to use the yellow balls at the end to show an end to a line. Now build me a line. What is a segment? A segment is a part of a […]
The TOOBEEZ Challenge
Build this to learn how TOOBEEZ and Think-EEZ work as building systems. What are Toobeez? TUBES that connect EASILY with each other! The same way you and your group will connect easily and productively. A fun and innovative way to connect with your group. You’ve come to the right place! It’s the ultimate giant construction […]
Geometry Unit Review
You will need paper, pencil, and your notes or a resource such as your iPad. Option 1: Please write a short essay explaining how geometry plays a roll in engineering and design. Explain how geometry can assist us in building stable structures. Option 2: Discuss angles and describe whether angles would have the same […]
Flat Polygons
There are many many different types of polygons. Today we are going to work with many types of flat polygons. We are going to start out with building a triangle. I would like for you to build one triangle for me. In two previous lessons we already learned something about the triangle we have already […]
Polygons with Volume
Build a polygon and ask: What type of polygon is it? How many dimensions does it have? Can we make it have volume? How can we create volume? What is volume? Spend your time making three-dimensional polygons. Pay attention to the obstacles that you find has your building. If you were a […]
Polygons Review & Geometry Vocabulary
Today’s assignment was to build a polygon on from yesterday’s assignment. Is it two-dimensional or three-dimensional and why? Use as many descriptive words as you can to describe your polygon as it is now. – Brandi
Right Triangle Geometry Lesson
We know we can absolutely make right triangles. Why do we know we can definitely make a right triangle? The two forms of right triangles are isosceles right triangles and scalene right triangles. An isosceles right triangle has a right triangle into equal length sides. A scalene right triangle has one right angle and no same length […]
Triangle Degrees Lesson
In this triangles lesson, we’ll discuss the three different types of triangles. There are equilateral triangles, isosceles triangles, and right triangles. Do you know what it is to be an isosceles, right, and equilateral triangle? Your challenge is to build one isosceles triangle, one right triangle, and one equilateral triangle. Your child should find that […]
Active Listening
Active listening and hearing are two different things. Hearing is to realize there was a noise, but to actively listen means that you were thinking and interpreting the noise. It is analytical and requires discerning what you heard and what it meant. This can be done in groups of 2 or more as long […]
PolyYurts
After learning all about polygons, polyhedrons and Sierpinski Triangles, we can move onto a new fun shape: PolyYurts! Start with a polygon shape as the base (help as needed – great time to talk about what makes it a polygon!), and let the kids problem-solve how to build up from there. For example, a HexaYurt […]
Polygon and Polyhedron Activity
Step 1: Depending on the level and interest, start with simple figures like a triangle, square, or pentagon, then move to a hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon. Using the shorter rods may be easier as the polygons get more complex. Discuss what makes a polygon and what changes happen as they increase in complexity. Here […]
Balance Coordination for Seniors
This exercise emphasizes balance coordination for seniors with one simple tool and requiring very little space. As a PTA working in a nursing home, I decided to take Think-EEZ to work and see how useful they would be in the rehab world for balance and coordination with seniors. So this is about my first use. […]
Physical Activity for Toddlers
Crazy 8’s is a physical activity for toddlers and preschoolers to introduce types of physical activity, creative thinking and problem solving. This activity was fun and easy for kids as young as 1 year old. Have them attempt different types of spinning, and have fun while turning the wand. The object is to make Figure […]