memory matching game

I found this great idea for a memory matching game using cereal boxes a long time ago at plumpudding. It is so easy to make and so fun to play AND a great way to recycle all those expty cereal boxes!

materials-


several empty boxes (I used any kind of expty boxes)
circle pattern
scissors
pencil

directions-
1. trace the circle pattern 2 or 4 times anywhere on each box
2. cut all the circles out
3. place them face down on the floor or table
4. take turns flipping circles over
5. when a match is made, player gets to keep their match

Also check out these cute recycled bookmarks and turkeys that she made with cereal boxes. We made the turkeys last year and plan to make them again this year, too! I'm thinking we will make the bookmarks for the kids in our co-op class.

hard at work!

This is my little guy working on a matching game I made for him! It's not totally finished, but he REALLY wanted to play! If anyone is interested in making one for their little guy, let me know and I will put something together for you to download. You see that empty spot down there on the left? That's where the words to the song goes. It's called Mr. Toolbox and it is sung to the tune of Are you Sleeping?.



Mr. Toolbox, Mr. Toolbox,
Where are your tools?
Where are your tools?
Can you find a *wrench?
Can you find a *wrench?
In your box, in your box.

{*wrench, hammer, tape measure, saw, pliers, screwdriver}

alphabet activity

I made this alphabet flip matching game a bazillion years ago for one of my college classes. On the left side is all of the capital letters and on the right side is all of the lower case letters. The idea is to have your child/student match the lower case letter to the capital letter. The capital letters are not in alphabetical order and neither are the lower case letters. But, I think it would be fine to put the lower case letters in alphabetical order.

review:
I put this in one of my 3 year old's workboxes and she matched about 8 letters before she got tired of it. She liked the idea, but she got tired of flipping through the lower case letter side each time. Looking back, I should have only put 10 letters of each side. That way she would have had a "do-able" number and could have had a sense of accomplishment when she finished. (See, I told you I was learning a lot as I go along!)

materials:
4x6 index cards (unlined)
small notepad (I think I got mine from The Schoolbox)
pre-cut upper and lower case letters
a sturdy piece of cardboard for the backboard
a spiral thingy

educational benefits:
alphabet matching (visual discrimination)