Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Cognitive Development (CD)

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children show understanding of numbers and quantities during play and other activities

Skill Progression: Counting

Age: 54-60 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 54-60 Months.

Magic card tricks. Prior to the activity remove the face cards from several decks of cards and divide the rest into suits, so you have four sets of 1-10 cards for each deck of cards. Divide children into pairs and give each pair of children a set of the 10 shuffled cards. Explain that they all get to learn magic tricks with numbers to perform for their parents or friends. The adult should demonstrate the trick first without explaining what she is doing. This way the children will think it is a real trick and understand how their parent will be amazed. Then explain how to do the tricks before the children do them, using a child for an assistant.

Card trick one: 1) First have each pair of children turn their cards face down and count them. See what total they get. 2) Have the pairs turn the cards over and arrange them in order from 1-10. Cards are then turned over face down in a pile.

When children are counting their cards, listen for any inaccurate counting patterns and see if the partner corrects any errors.

This is a great trick to teach children to do with their parents. Ask the parents for a deck of cards, if available in the home. If not, tell the children they can make cards by cutting pieces of paper and writing the numbers from 1-10 on them. Tell them to arrange their cards without their parents seeing. This way their parents will be really surprised when they know the right number. Tell them to practice before they do it for their parents, so they know they will pick the right numbers. Parents will love this activity!