Using manipulatives together with ten frames help learners to develop number sense. Making your own manipulatives are just as fun as using it for a fun counting activity!
Apple Math
How to make apple manipulatives: Use our Apple Pie Playdough Recipe and let kids squash the apples as they count or make them permanent by using a salt dough recipe:
- Make a small batch of salt dough. (We used our left over dough from another project.) Half a cup of flour(all purpose or cake) plus half a cup of salt together with a quarter cup of water. Mixed this together and add a drop of food coloring.
- Let the kids make small round balls with the dough.
- Press it a bit at the sides to give it an “apple” shape.
- Use short green craft sticks as stems. You could add leaves to the stems if you wish. Add a little bit of glue at the end of the sticks and press into the balls.
- Leave to dry for a few days(or you could bake it in the oven for 3 – 4 hours, 80’C/160’F)
Apple Math Activity
For the counting activity you will want to cut leaf shapes from craft foam or cardboard. Write numbers 1-10 on them. Use a ten frame printable like this one from A Teachable Teacher or make your own.
Put the the apples, leaves, and ten frame together on a Compartment Divided Kids Tray.
The learner takes one leaf at a time, recognize the number and count out the corresponding apples. The apples are added to the ten frame, from left to right(the same direction we write).
Extension Activity:
Use a whiteboard or paper to write on. Choose a leaf. Write the number down. Add the apples to the ten frame. Choose another number. Write it down. Add that number of apples to the frame. How many apples do you have now? Do the written sum. One could do adding and/or subtracting sums.
A hands-on counting activity, with the fun addition of making your own manipulatives. Would your kids enjoy this activity?
10 Frame Math
- This ten frame games uses magnets for a fantastic visual!
- Dinosaur ten frame printable addition activity
- Looking for a seasonal activity, try this Christmas Math Task Cards using a ten frame
- In the fall use this hands-on ten frame apple activities for kindergarten
- Celebrate winter with this Snowman Printable ten frame clip card set
- Cute Valentines Day Math Love Monster Ten Frame
- Your llama llama fan will love using this ten frame counting worksheets
- Get buzzing with this Bee Ten Frame Math
- Making 10 with Ten Frames Worksheets
- Count to 20 on a ten frame using these summer playdough counting mats
- Kids will go nuts over this Grilling up ten Frame Activities
- Fruit Loop Ten Frame Activities for Preschoolers
- Simple Ten Frame Template Printable activity with playdough
- Marshmallow ten frame activities
- Summer Lemonade Stand ten frame printable
Apple Activities
- Red Apple Pie Slime Activities for Preschoolers
- Green Laffy Taffy Apple Slime
- Yellow Fluffy Apple SLime
- Awesome Apple Pie Playdough Recipe
- 3-in-1 Apple Activities for Toddlers
- Printable Apple Tray Counting and Writing
- Scented Apple Playdough Recipe
- Super Soft, No-Cook Apple Playdough for Fall
Apple Science
- Free Apple Life Cycle Printable Pack
- Printable Apple Life Cycle Spinner
- Skittles Apple Science Experiment for Kids
- Free Printable Apple Experiment Worksheet
- Apple Volcano Experiment and Activity for Kids in September
Apple Experiments
- Simple Apple Science Experiment and Activity for September
- Apple Browning Experiment with FREE Oxidation Worksheet
- Apple Stem Activity – Practical Engineering Challenge for Kids
- Melting Apple Science Experiment for September
Apple Crafts for Kids
- Cute Apple Handprint Craft for Kids – w/ free printable
- Easy Apple Core and torn paper Paper Plate Apple Craft
- Alphabet Lacing Apple Craft
- Clever Bubble Wrap Apple Craft
- Coffee Filter Apple Craft
- Plus don’t miss this FUN Apple Crafts Preschool
- Stunning, Easy Apple Craft for Preschoolers and Kids
- Fun Paper Plate Apple Craft for kids
Apple Activities for Kids
- Letter A Worksheets, printables, and games for kids
- Apple Themed Free Alpahbet Strip pdf Activity
- Alphbet Puzzles – Apple Activities for Preschoolers
- Hands-on Apple Sight Words Tree
- Synonyms and Antonyms Worksheets pdf with a fun Apple theme
- Apple Letter A Activity sorting upper and lowercase letters for pre-k and kindergarten
- Printable Apple Compound Words Worksheet
- Find the Letter Apple Tracing Worksheets
- A is for Apple Printable Book for working on beginning sounds – print in black and white or color
- Color the correct apples in these Nouns and Verbs Worksheets
- Apple Theme BUNDLE
Apple Printables
- Simple Johnny Appleseed Coloring Page
- Fun Johnny Appleseed Activities
- I Spy Preschool Apple Worksheets
- Apple Playdough Mats to practice counting
Apple Math
Looking for more fun apple and activities and free apple printables? You will love these apple activities for kindergarten and apple activities for preschoolers!
- Math Apple Worksheets (addition / subtraction)
- Super cute and FREE Apple Apple Worksheets Preschool
- Apple Roll and Cover Dice Game
- Printable Apple Math – Number Bonds Activity
- Hole-Punching, Count to 20 Apple Activities for Preschoolers – free printable
- Super cute Apple Playdough Mats to practice counting
- Apple Addition Coloring Worksheets
- Number Bonds Apple Math
- Apple Counting Worksheet
- Free Printable Multiplication Games