OH Repost: Make a spider counting book with your toddler

Practicing counting skills and number recognition is easy as "1, 2, 3," when your toddler buys into the process of what you're trying to teach her. Getting her to take ownership in her learning is key. Kids love all things Halloween so why not use this as a motivating theme to get the learning started in a fun and pleasurable way for your toddler?

Check out my Instructable tutorial for making a spooky counting book with your toddler. I got the idea last year when my daughter and I made a similar one last Halloween in a class we were taking. At the time she was only 2 so I did most of the work. Now that she's 3 year old she insisted on doing practically the entire thing herself---what a difference a year makes!

This book requires minimal materials most if not all of which you probably already have at home and hits heavy with tons of delicious learning opportunities like:

*Counting skills
*Number recognition
*Number words recognition
*Practice fine motor skills through cutting, stamping, lacing and writing
*Develop reading self-esteem and risk-taking through practicing a familiar text
*Opportunity to extend the challenge by using advanced counting skills (If there are 8 legs on a spider how many legs on 4 spiders? etc...etc..)
*Practice letter and number writing skills
*A mini-lesson in recycling

I've included step-by-step directions and pictures to help you complete this simple book with your toddler and I've shared a few extension ideas at the end for keeping the learning going way beyond the Halloween night. Happy counting!