101 Number Activities

85
DISAPPEARING DUCKS
Dramatic Play
Materials
Partition
Activity
Set up a simple partition that you and the children can walk behind. This could be a row of chairs, a table,
or a long piece of furniture. Have the children pretend to be little ducks and line up behind you. Lead them
around the room and have everyone recite the following poem. Begin the poem with the number of
children playing. For six players, say the poem as follows, as you and the children waddle in a line around
the room.
Six little ducks went out to play
Over the hill and far away.
Mother Duck said, “Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack!” (softly)
And five little ducks came waddling back.
As you waddle around the room, go behind the partition. Have the child at the end of the line sit down
behind the partition while the other children continue to follow you. Keep repeating the poem, each time
leaving a child behind. When all the children are behind the partition, change the last line of the poem to
say: “And no little ducks came waddling back.” Then recite the verse below and have all the children come
waddling back out again.
No little ducks came out to play
Over the hill and far away.
Mother Duck said, “Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack!” (loudly)
And six little ducks came waddling back.
Adapted Traditional
© School Specialty Publishing

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© McGraw-Hill Children’s Publishing
1-57029-488-7 101 Number Activities
69
Dramatic Play
86
FEED ME!
Materials
Hand puppet
Dish of sunflower seeds
Dish
Deck of playing cards
Activity
Collect a hand puppet, a dish of sunflower seeds (in the shell), and a deck of playing cards with the face
cards removed. Invite a small group of children to sit with you on the floor. Put the puppet on your hand
and introduce the puppet to the children. Explain that the puppet is very hungry. Then have the children
take turns drawing a card from the deck, identifying the number on the card, and “feeding” the puppet a
corresponding number of sunflower seeds.