Beanbag Game

What You Need:

• 5 coffee cans, large
• White sticker paper, sheets
• Permanent markers
• 15 socks, clean with no holes
• Beans
• Duct tape
• Scissors
• Colored tape
• Large basket or bowl

What You Do:

1. Cover the edges of the five coffee cans with duct tape, so no jagged edges are showing.
2. Help your child cover each can with self-adhering paper.
3. Have her draw numbers 1-5 on the front side of each can. Below the number, have her draw the corresponding number of dots so she has a numeric and a pictorial reference of the number on each can.
4. Help her to make 15 bean bags. Add the same amount of beans to each sock.
5. Tie the sock off so it has a tight knot to keep the beans from falling out, or sew them shut.
6. Cut off the excess sock so it doesn't get in the way of the beanbag.
7. Using different colored markers, write the following number combinations, with corresponding dots below the numbers on each beanbag: "1" on five beanbags, "2" on four beanbags, "3" on three beanbags, "4" on two beanbags, and "5" on one beanbag.
8. Have her place all of her beanbags into a basket.
9. Create a tape line on the floor to show where the cans should be placed. Do the same for the throw line.
10. Let your child and her friends determine how to keep score using the numbers provided on the cans and the beanbags.

The numbering scheme is meant to encourage the children to create their own games. Counting is not necessarily the object of this activity; there are many ways they can play. At first they may just toss the beanbags in the can. Later they may match the numbers or colors. Let their imaginations run wild!