Sorting Bolts

Provide bolts in a variety of sizes and have your child sort them into sets according to size.

Count the Bolts Game

Cover several styrofoam cups or yogurt containers with construction paper
 and write different numbers on each one.  Encourage your child to count out
 the indicated number of bolts to place in each cup/container.

Hammer Counting

Gather the following materials to make a woodworking area:  wood pieces of differing
shapes and sizes, nails, screws, hammers, sandpaper blocks, wood glue, carpenter
hats, aprons, etc.  Allow supervised children to carefully work with the tools to make
 creations.  As children work, encourage them to name the shapes
 they are working with, count the number of times they hammer, etc.

Building Walls

Materials Needeed:
Shoe Boxes or cracker boxes
Duct tape
Newspaper

Directions:
Have parents save shoe boxes or cracker boxes. They are about the same size. Fill the
 boxes with crumbled up newspaper. Wrap with any color duct tape (small motor skills) .
Invite the children to help build a wall, a castle, a garage or corral. Show them how to stack
 the boxes, now bricks, in a brick pattern. When they have finished count the number of bricks
 it took to make their structure. Be sure to take a picture of the child and their creation.

Building Math

We add in math by counting the blocks as we build, measuring to see which building is taller.

Measurement

Let the children take turns measuring objects in your classroom using measuring tape.
For example, the width of chalkboard, door, window, calendar, table/desk, pencil, and crayon.

Measurement Tools

Display a collection of various sizes and lengths of boards on a table.  Include a variety
 of sizes of unit blocks along with the boards.  Place a collection of measurement tools
(ruler, yardstick, retracting measuring tape, folding ruler, ruler with level, and metal square)
 near the boards.  Encourage the children to explore the various measuring tools.  Discuss how
 the different tools are used.  Children may choose a measurement tool to measure a board or a block. 

Nuts & Bolts

Collect a large supply of nuts and bolts sets. Separate the nuts and bolts into two different bowls.
Arrange the bowls in your math center along with two plastic clear jars and writing utensils. 
 Invite the children to visit this math center in pairs.  Ask one child to put a random number of
 nuts in one jar while the other child puts a random number of bolts in the other jar.  Then
 have each child look at the jar he/she did not fill and guess how many items are in that jar. 
 Have the child write down his/her guess and then count to find out the actual total.

Nut & Bolt Printing (Sequencing)

Gather several real or play nuts and bolts.  Place the nuts and bolts and shallow bowls of
 tempera paint and paper on an art table.  Allow children to press the nuts and bolts in the
 paint and then on  their papers to make designs.  Encourage students to make patterns using
 different colors (yellow nut, green nut, yellow nut, green nut, etc.)
 or two shapes (nut, bolt, nut, bolt, etc.)

Fill the Dump Truck

Cut shapes from assorted colors of construction paper.  Cut ten each of the following shapes:
  circle, triangle, square, star, and rectangle.  Play Fill the Dump Truck.  Mix up the shapes and
 spread them out next to a toy dump truck.  Then give your child directions to follow that involve
 the shapes.  For instance, "Please put ten rectangles in the dump truck."  or "Please put five
 red shapes in the dump truck."  Help your child count out the corresponding number of
 rectangles.  Once he or she finishes, count the rectangles with your child to make sure the
answer is correct.  Let him/her dump out the rectangles and then give a new direction to follow.