Montessori Activity: Multilingual Number Tiles/多语言数字牌 [duō yǔ yán shù zì pái]

Note: This is usually carried out together with the Number Rods.

Age: From 2.5 years old (Level 3)

Activity Duration: 5 - 15 minutes

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Objective(s):
1. To asscoiate the named quantities represented by the Number Rods with their written symbols.
2. To give sensorial key to the sequence 1 to 10.
3. To develop an immediate visual recognition of the quantities 1 through 10.
4. To provide an introductory sensorial key to addition and subtraction.

Materials:
1. 10 small wooden or paper tablets with numbers on each from 1 to 10. (I made my own using paper and cardboard, see below)
2. An open box which holds the tablets upright (optional, I use the pill organizer to hold the "tablets").
3. 1 tray

Directions:
1. Arrange the rods in a random order on a tray/floor mat, so that your child can see them clearly.

2. Put the rods horizontally to the right of you and ask your child to sit on your left.

3. Lay out the Number Tablets in random arrangement on a tray.

4. Introduce the '10' tablet, name it and ask your child to repeat the name, locate the corresponding rod and lean the tablet against it.

5. Invite the child to pick another tablet, read it, locate the corresponding rod and lean the tablet against it.

6. Repeat for the remaining of the numbers until all 10 tablets are paired with their corresponding rods.

Video Demonstration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjmsmQqBLvA

Tips:
1. You can repeat the exercise with the nubmer tablets in another language. For us, we will repeat it with the Chinese characters for the numbers 1 to 10.

How to Make Number Rods with Lego?
1. Print the Number Tablet template here.
2. Paste it on a red cardboard.
3. Cut out the tablets.

Additional Information:
J is probably too young to try this, but I have prepared it so that it is ready when that day arrives. As we are a cross-cultural family, I have made the number tablets in 4 languages English, Chinese, Danish and French (the last one French is more for myself, since I am taking French classes at work).

I meant to wake up at 5am this morning to make this, but I woke up late today at 7am, which means that we were 2 hours behind schedule today :-( Somedays are like that.
References:
- Basic Montessori: Learning Acitivities for Under-Fives