Fire Truck Number Hunt

Let your child take the driver’s seat by practicing number recognition in this simple math game, Fire Truck Number Hunt.

Materials

• Sticky notes (multiple colors optional)
• Marker
• Fire truck toys or other emergency vehicles

Directions

1. Based on your child’s math knowledge, pick a sequence of numbers to practice and write them onto sticky notes. These will be your “houses.” If you have multiple colors of sticky notes, try changing colors each time the tens place changes (10, 20, etc.) to help recognize place values.
2. Stick your houses into a scrambled order on a tabletop or floor. Ask your child to place the houses in order.
3. Now it’s time to flex your storytelling skills. Call your child with an emergency. Tell your child where the emergency is — what is the house number? Then have your child drive a fire truck to that house! Keep calling with emergencies until you’ve visited all the house numbers.
4. To extend this activity, add higher numbers to the game. You can also play it outside! Use chalk to write numbers on the pavement and have children run to each number to help out with an emergency!

Leslie Manlapig is the blogger behind Pink Stripey Socks where she shares tons of recycled crafts and kid-friendly activities. When she’s not crafting, you’ll find her doodling, running around the park or snuggled up with a good book. She lives in California with her husband, preschool-aged son and tons of toy cars.

Iowa PBS STEAM Activities and Crafts provided by PBS KIDS Parents.