Feed the Hungry Monster

1. 1

   If cleanup is a struggle, turn the toy bin into a hungry monster. Each toy becomes one bite, so your child can tidy up while counting.

2. 2

   Use your hand as the monster’s tongue and wiggle it near the opening. In a monster voice, say, “I’m hungry! Feed me toys and let’s see how many bites it takes to fill me up.”

3. 3

   Invite your child to place the toys in one at a time. Count each one: “One, two, three…” Add playful chomping sounds to keep the counting going.

4. 4

   If a number is skipped or repeated, say, “That monster ate a lot! Let’s count how many toys it ate,” and point to each toy as you count again together.

5. 5

   Continue until the bin is full. Count the total once more, then announce in the monster voice, “Burp! I ate 18 toys. I’m full!”

What to notice

• Arranges the toys in a row and points as they count the total Counting and Cardinality
• After hearing the rule, feeds the toys to the monster one by one Attending and Understanding

Tips

• Look for everyday things your child can count, such as fruit, blocks, or shoes.

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Counting one number for each toy fed to the monster gives your child repeated one-to-one experience connecting number words with quantities.