Valentine's Day Math Cards

What You Need:

• Card stock or cardboard (in a light color)
• Scissors
• Heart-shaped stamps (or stickers)
• Ink pad
• Markers
• Tempera paint and paint brush

What You Do:

1. Cut the card stock or cardboard into 20 rectangle card shapes. Have your child paint both sides with Valentine's Day-themed colors such as pink or lilac purple.
2. Start with the number one. Invite your child to use a marker to write the number on one side of a card. 
3. On another card, have your child draw one object. For example, paint or stamp five shapes to represent the number five. Talk about how the numeral one "matches" the one object drawn on the card. 
4. Have your child repeat the previous steps on each pair of cards, up to the number ten. For each pair, have your child write the numeral on one card and draw a matching number of objects on the other card. If your child is having trouble writing the numbers, try writing them out with a light-colored pencil. Your child can then trace over your writing with marker.
5. Turn the cards over. Challenge your child to try to find the pairs that match. Take turns turning two cards over. If they represent the same number, they can be removed from the game. If they don't represent the same number, they should be put back. 
6. Keep playing until all the matches are found.
7. Challenge your child to use the cards in different ways. For example, your child could add the numbers on the cards together or put them in order from smallest to greatest.