Objective

By the end of this lesson, the toddler will be able to understand basic arithmetic concepts related to hibernation and apply them in simple activities.

Materials and Prep

Materials: Paper, crayons, and small objects (e.g., toys, buttons)

Prep: None

Activities

1. Counting Hibernating Animals: Show the toddler pictures of hibernating animals and ask them to count how many they see. Then, have them draw the same number of animals on a piece of paper.

2. Sorting Objects: Give the toddler a mix of different small objects and ask them to sort them into groups based on attributes (e.g., color, size). Count the number of objects in each group.

3. Adding and Subtracting: Use the small objects to demonstrate simple addition and subtraction problems. For example, "If a bear goes into hibernation with 3 friends, how many bears are there in total? If 1 bear wakes up, how many are left?"

Toddler Grade Talking Points

• "Hibernation means animals go to sleep for a long time during winter. Can you count how many sleeping animals you see in this picture?"
• "Let's sort these toys. How many red toys do we have? How many blue toys? Can you count them for me?"
• "Here are some bears. If we put 2 more bears with them, how many will there be? If 1 bear goes away, how many will be left?"