STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. This week, we are focusing on the A and the M in STEAM with a fun counting activity. Since yesterday was National Donut (or Doughnut) Day, it seems only fitting that for STEAM Saturday, we would practice Counting Donuts!
This wonderful activity comes to us from Stem Spark, and was inspired by the book, Dozens of Doughnuts, by Carrie Finison. Before starting, make sure to read the book together! We’ve provided a read aloud below:
Now that you’ve got your inspiration, it’s time to get ready for some Math! But first, ART! Here’s what you’ll need for this fun project:
- Cardboard, construction paper, or card stock
- Markers or other coloring instruments
- A large glass and small glass (or two other circular items of varying sizes to trace your donuts, or something like a CD, with a hole in the center)
- Scissors
Using your tracing items, trace the outside of your donuts and then the inner holes onto the cardboard or paper. Next, ask your pint-sized Picasso to color the donuts and decorate them any way he/she would like. After your donuts are decorated, label them with numbers. These should be in a multiple of a number. With donuts, multiples of 12 are a fun idea, but you can also use 1, 5, 10, or any other number you would like.
Cut out your donuts. If you have child safety scissors, your child can help with this. If not, it’s best that you take over this particular activity. Now you have your donuts all ready to practice counting! Make different sets of donuts to practice counting by different multipliers.
Maybe when you’re done, you can treat yourselves to… Hmmm… May we suggest a DONUT?
Check out the full activity from STEM Spark here!
As always, get as creative as you want, and above all, have lots of fun learning together!
We’ll see you right back here next Saturday for another STEAM Saturday activity! Scroll through the rest of our website to learn how Critchlow Adkins is Building Brighter Futures for the children and families we serve!
