aidemia--modules-lessonstartideas_type	Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson
Which subject	Mathematics
What age group	Preschool / Nursery
What topic
Quantity	1
Any other preferences

Welcome to Our Maths Adventure!

🎈 Balloon Counting Party 🎈

Objective:

Today, we are going to kick off our maths lesson with a fun and engaging balloon counting party! This activity will help us explore numbers, counting, and colours.

Materials Needed:

• Colourful balloons (inflated or pictures of balloons)
• A large piece of paper or a whiteboard
• Markers or crayons
• Small baskets or boxes (optional)

Introduction:

Gather the children in a circle and introduce the "Balloon Counting Party." Tell them that today, we’re going to use our balloons to learn about numbers and counting!

Activity Steps:

1. Show the Balloons:

   • Hold up a selection of colourful balloons (or pictures) and ask the children what colours they see. Encourage them to name their favourite colour.

2. Balloon Counting:

   • Start by counting how many balloons you have. Use your fingers to show each number as you count aloud together with the children.
   • Ask questions like, "If I add one more balloon, how many do we have now?" or "If I give away two balloons, how many will we have left?".

3. Balloon Art:

   • Once you’ve counted, invite the children to create their own balloon drawings on the large paper or whiteboard. Encourage them to add numbers next to their balloons, representing how many they drew.
   • While they draw, walk around and ask each child how many balloons they’ve drawn and note the colours.

4. Group Discussion:

   • After the drawings are complete, gather the children back in a circle. Let each child share their artwork, saying how many balloons they drew and which colours they used. This promotes speaking, listening, and sharing.

Conclusion:

Wrap up the lesson by counting all the balloon drawings created by the children. Reinforce the learning by highlighting the numbers and colours as you count them together one last time.

Extension Idea:

If time permits, you can incorporate a simple game of "Balloon Toss" where children can toss lightweight, soft balls (as pretend balloons) into baskets numbered 1 to 5, promoting physical activity and counting.

Final Note:

End the lesson by telling the children how proud you are of their fantastic counting skills. Who knew learning Maths could be such a blast? 🎉