1-2-3 Come Do An Apple Puzzle With Me Do you study apples? If so, I think your kiddos will enjoy this quick, easy and super-fun apple game. Play as an independent center, or as a whole group activity where children plck a partner. The game will reinforce numbers 1-6 for PK kiddos, while older students can use the 1-12 number puzzle to practice addition. There are several ways to play: * Run off the 6-on-a-page pattern and trim. * There are 3 different apple puzzles for #s 1-6, as well as 3 for #s 1-12. * Students pick a partner or play in groups of 3, taking turns rolling the dice. * Whatever number they roll they color in the matching section on their puzzle. * Older students will play with one dice for numbers 1-6, then use two dice, adding them together, for numbers 7-12. * To reinforce the fact that apples are 3 different colors, I have my students color with a red, yellow, and green crayon. * You can give children a choice of how they want to color, or to practice “color by number” following directions, hang up the poster(s) for them to refer to. * The first child to color in all of the numbers, or the one with the most filled in when the timer rings, is the winner. To play this as a Center Game: * Run off the larger apple puzzles on red, yellow and lime green construction paper, laminate and trim. * Run off the same number of patterns on white card stock, so younger children have a base to place the puzzle pieces on. * Challenge older students to try and figure out the puzzle without using the base template. * Children play the same as above, only instead of coloring a section, they find, and place that puzzle piece over the correct number. * To assist children who are not using a base, print & laminate the “Challenge!” sample posters for them to refer to. Another Idea: * I’ve also included “header” cards, if you’d like to make these as an inexpensive gift for a back-to-school treat bag. * They come in color as well as BW It’s a super-simple, 1st day activity that children can do independently, which allows you to be freed up. Woo hoo! Children are happily engaged putting their own personal puzzle together. When they’re done, they pick a new friend to play the dice game with; using the base that they built their puzzle on, which they’ll now color for the “Roll & Color” dice game. I’ve included a different “Welcome!” apple pattern for this, where the sections are a bit larger, so that you have room to write the letters of each child’s name if you want. You can have these pre-cut, or to make the activity last longer have children cut out their own pieces. Today's featured FREEBIE is an icebreaker activity perfect for the first day or week of school. The M&M or Skittle Game has been around for a while, and goes by as many names as there are colors. There's also a variety of ways to play. These are my versions. I hope you find them useful and an intersting and easy way to get to know your new students, as you build community and cameraderie. Well that's it for today. The grand babes are coming, so it's time to put my beloved "Nana" hat on. Nothing like grandchildren to make you feel young and old at the same time. Wishing you a day filled with happy hugs and giggles galore! "Grandchildren fill a place in your heart that you didn't know was empty."