Play Hidden Numbers

Learning to recognize numbers is a key part of preschool math, but it can be hard for your young one to grasp these symbols at first. Want a way to give your preschooler a leg up in learning her numbers? Play Hidden Numbers! This game will get your child to associate shapes with numbers for easy identification. Just cut a small hole in an envelope, put a number in it so that only part of it shows, and have your child try to guess what the number is. Does it have a lot of lines? Maybe it's a 1 or a 7. Does it have circles or loops? It could be 3, 5, or 8!

What You Need:

• Black sketch pen
• 10” x 10” cards
• Envelopes
• Scissors (adult use only)

What You Do:

1. Print out or write one digit on each card. Place the card inside the envelope. Cut a small hole on one side of the envelope such that only the middle portion of the number is visible.
2. Hold the envelope high so that the children can see only the middle part of the number.
3. Let the children guess the number inside the envelope. If your child needs help, ask her what she sees: does she see straight lines or slanted lines? Circles or curving lines? If your child does run out of guesses, show her the number and try again.

If your preschooler keeps at it, soon she'll be recognizing numbers in no time!