Name: Colette B (We’re going on an adventure)Product name: All About Me Family Counters and Activity CardsAge of children: 2, 5 and 7Colette is an experienced primary school teacher and mum tothree.  She currently works part time on supply to allow her to be athome with her children and to run her award winning family life style blog, We’re going on an adventure.Â
What were your initial thoughts about the appearance and function of the resource?
I love how brightly coloured they are and how easy they are to handle.  You know from the outset that both the counters and cards are going to withstand being used over and over again (either at home or in the classroom).  I was immediately struck by just how many ways the counters could be used on their own and then with the addition of the cards you’ve ramped up the opportunities for learning even further.
How was this resource used at home?
We started off just sorting the counters by colour – talking about their size and which family member they represented.  We have also sorted them by type, grouped them into families, ordered them by size.  We’ve practiced repeating patterns with the help of the Activity Cards and also looked at some simple algebra with the “missing number†type calculations.
How could it be used in the classroom?
There are so many ways this could be used in the classroom.  For talking about our families and who is in them.  For sorting by colour, type. For grouping into families. For counting, for simple equations, for repeating patterns – the list is endless!
What did you like/dislike about this product?
I love them. My only niggle is the storage pot could do with being a little sturdier but we’ve just decanted them into a stronger lidded box
What are the educational benefits of the resource?
As a product which can be used independently, in groups or in a guided activity – at home or in the classroom to cover such a range of early maths skills I think the benefits of this resource are huge.
How would you rate the long term appeal of this product?
Considering it has been played with by both my two year old and my seven year old I think there is a really good long term appeal to the product – particularly when used in conjunction with the activity cards to work on simple algebra.
Do you feel the product is unique or different from other resources?
Yes, whilst it bears similarities to other sorting resources, I think the “family†element gives it the edge.
Most importantly… did you have fun using this product?
Learn more to learn about Maths Mastery - the teaching approach that helps children develop a deep, long-term, secure, and adaptable understanding of maths.
All About Me Activity CardsAll About Me Family Counters The set of visually appealing double-sided activity cards is a part of our All About Me range and encourage children to learn essential early maths skills whilst learning about themselves and the world around them. Designed to use alongside our award-winning All About Me Family Countersâ„¢. The have been created to meet the needs of teachers and parents following requests for interactive counter activities. The set contains 20 double sided activity cards, one interactive vehicle card and a fold-out, double sided 1-20 number line featuring both UK and European number formations. Activities can be used to teach the following early maths skills, including:
Positional awareness
Patterns and sequencing
Sorting and grouping
Size and colour recognition
Early arithmetic – addition, subtraction and multiplication
The All About Me Activity Cards support a variety of learning styles such as kinaesthetic and visual, with an emphasis on the foundations for learning. Students learn to think mathematically as opposed to reciting formulas or procedures. Parent blogger Colette from We’re Going on Adventure tested the cards with her two children (aged 2,5 & 7) and said:
“I love how brightly coloured they are and how easy they are to handle. You know from the outset that both the counters and cards are going to withstand being used over and over again (either at home or in the classroom). I was immediately struck by just how many ways the counters could be used on their own and then with the addition of the cards you’ve ramped up the opportunities for learning even further.â€
Here are a few examples of the activities included in the set and how they involve the counters to extend the learning opportunities:
Patterns and Sequences Ask children to replicate the pattern on the activity card using the counters. Can they find the missing counter in the sequence? The cards progress in difficulty, moving through the two colour, three colour and four colourm patterns. Once children become confident in completing the colour patterns on the cards encourage them to have a go at making their own, or even try making patterns using the character type.Sorting and Grouping Taking a handful of counters encourage children to sort and match them by colour or type (or both!) by placing them on the corresponding activity cards. To extend their learning, encourage colour recognition and ask children to find things around them that are the same colour and place onto the corresponding colour card? This activity also develops fine motor skills as children hold and release the counters.Early Addition and SubtractionUse the counters to support the concept of addition and subtraction. A number line is included in the set that they can use for support in counting forwards or backwards. Start by telling a story that involves addition and subtraction of family counters and encouraging children to act it out. Once children understand the concept of adding and subtraction, introduce them to what each operation sign means and again encourage them to act out the number sentence using their sequence.SharingSelect an even number of counters to represent families. Ask the children to share the counters equally into the two or three houses that are represented on the activity cards. How many live in each house? Are there any counters remaining? Encourage children to add or subtract more counters. How many more or less would then live in each house? How many would be in each house if there were four houses?Size RecognitionAsk children to create the pattern shown on the activity card. Ask questions such as who is the tallest/shortest to prompt them to find the next character in the sequence. To extend their learning ask children to find their own friends who are taller/shorter within the class or objects that are bigger/smaller than the counters, and organise them in order.Positional LanguageTaking a counter to use as the ‘actor’, ask children if they can put the character in the different situations in the picture scenes on the card, as: under the table, on the swing, next to the dustbin, near the door or far away from the tree. This can also be replicated in real-life on the playground or in the garden. Can they provide instructions to you or a friend? Once they have mastered one-step instructions try a two-step instruction.More or Less?The family counters are waiting patiently for their bus/train. Once it arrives use the purple activity cards to slide beneath the number bus/train card. By sliding in more or less of the card you can represent more or less people on the bus/train. Ask children simple addition/subtraction questions using the visual (for example: “if there are four people on the bus and two get off how many are left?†or “If there are two people on the train and three more get on how many people are now on the train?â€) #LoveLearning
What were your initial thoughts about the appearance and function of the resource?
I love how brightly coloured they are and how easy they are to handle.  You know from the outset that both the counters and cards are going to withstand being used over and over again (either at home or in the classroom).  I was immediately struck by just how many ways the counters could be used on their own and then with the addition of the cards you’ve ramped up the opportunities for learning even further.
How was this resource used at home?
We started off just sorting the counters by colour – talking about their size and which family member they represented.  We have also sorted them by type, grouped them into families, ordered them by size.  We’ve practiced repeating patterns with the help of the Activity Cards and also looked at some simple algebra with the “missing number†type calculations.
How could it be used in the classroom?
There are so many ways this could be used in the classroom.  For talking about our families and who is in them.  For sorting by colour, type. For grouping into families. For counting, for simple equations, for repeating patterns – the list is endless!
What did you like/dislike about this product?
I love them. My only niggle is the storage pot could do with being a little sturdier but we’ve just decanted them into a stronger lidded box
What are the educational benefits of the resource?
As a product which can be used independently, in groups or in a guided activity – at home or in the classroom to cover such a range of early maths skills I think the benefits of this resource are huge.
How would you rate the long term appeal of this product?
Considering it has been played with by both my two year old and my seven year old I think there is a really good long term appeal to the product – particularly when used in conjunction with the activity cards to work on simple algebra.
Do you feel the product is unique or different from other resources?
Yes, whilst it bears similarities to other sorting resources, I think the “family†element gives it the edge.
Most importantly… did you have fun using this product?
