Counting Kwanzaa Corn

[30 Minutes]

Getting ready to celebrate Kwanzaa? It is an African-American holiday that begins on December 26th and ends on January 1st. This holiday commemorates traditional African harvest festivals. Help your child learn about the symbols of the holiday while practicing some counting and number skills.

You'll need:

• 4 to 6 empty toilet paper tubes • yellow paint or crayons • green construction paper • scissors • glue or tape • stuffed animals or dolls

What to do:

1. Explain to your child that ears of corn stand for the children present at a Kwanzaa celebration. Suggest that you make some pretend corn and have a Kwanzaa celebration with dolls or stuffed animals.
2. Invite your child to paint or color the cardboard tubes yellow.
3. Help him cut out green construction paper leaves for the "ears" of corn. Let him tape or glue them onto the toilet tubes.
4. Ask your child to select a few dolls or stuffed animals to come to the celebration. Invite him to give each toy one ear of corn.
5. Encourage your child to count the number of toys and the number of ears of corn. Help him to compare the numbers--are they the same or different?

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• Did you have enough corn so that each doll or animal could have one?
• Who would you like to invite to our real Kwanzaa celebration? What would you like to do?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, your child is developing small muscle skills, language and pre-math skills.