Did you know that those tiny conversation hearts which are so popular around Valentine's Day could be a tool for learning? Here are some ideas for how you can take a simple Valentine treat and turn it into a tasty learning experience.
Candy hearts can be used for teaching fractions. Have your child grab a handful of those delicious hearts, not more than 10 for children in early elementary. Ask him to count up the total number of hearts and write that number down. Then, ask him to count the total number of each color heart and record that as well.
Explain that the total number in a whole group is called a demoninator and it goes below the fraction bar. The number that goes above the fraction bar is called the numerator. It represents the total number of each color heart. Help your child write and read the fractions that represent each color in the whole group.
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You can also use candy hearts to teach repeated addition and multiplication. For example, ask your child to count out eight candy hearts. Then ask her to place them into equal groups. She may make 2 groups of 4 or 4 groups of 2. Ask her to write an addition sentence for the groups she made. For example, 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8. If she is not familiar with multiplication, explain that the multiplication symbol x represents groups of. She can write 4 x 2 = 8 to represent that 4 groups of 2 equals 8. You can repeat this activity with any even number, but try not to go above 20 for children who are just learning this concept.
Candy hearts can also be used as place markers in a game of bingo. You can create your own Bingo cards using your child's spelling words or vocabulary terms from any subject area. When playing with spelling words, ask your child to spell a word. If he gets it correct, have him place a candy heart on the space. If not, spell it for him and return to that word later in the game.
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If you're using vocabulary terms, give your child a definition and have him place a candy heart on the matching term. Reward your child for a Bingo by allowing him to eat the candy hearts on the Bingo card. You can play as many times as you like.
Visit http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/5/ to create personalized Bingo cards for your game. Make multiple cards so your child can play against a classmate, an older sibling, or even a parent.
To celebrate Valentine's Day with your child you may also want to visit the Willow Grove Barnes & Noble on Saturday, February 12 for a special reading of Ruby Valentine Saves the Day. This Valentine-themed story time begins at 11 a.m. and includes refreshments and crafts. Have a happy Valentine's Day!
