To make your planter box, use a pencil to trace a planter cup 8 times (or however many you’ll be using) on the box top. Use a craft knife to cut out each circle to create an opening to place each planter cup in.

To make your flowers, cut out a circle for the center of each flower, then cut out petals from another color of paper. Cut enough petals for each flower, up to the amount needed for the highest number of flowers your counting activity will be using. Example: one petal for the first flower, two petals for the second flower, three petals for the third, and so on. Glue the number of petals needed for each flower to a center piece, then glue each flower center to a popsicle stick. Let dry.

Write each number on a sticker and place each next to one of the openings on the box top. Do not place them in number order, but instead mix them up to challenge your child! You can always change and mix them up later. Then place each planter cup in one of the openings and fill with your sensory material. This craft uses soil but you could use beads or other craft materials too. Create a sign that says “Count the Flowers” and glue to the front of the counting activity!

Once the counting activity craft has completely dried, it’s time for your child to count and play! First line up the flowers in front of the box.

If your child can already read numbers, task them with picking up one of the flowers and counting the number of petals it has, then finding the corresponding number in the planter box where they can place the flower.

If your child is still learning to count and read numbers, help them pick up the flowers and count out loud together. Then explain which number each flower belongs to as they place it in the planter. Have fun together and get their imaginations blooming with this counting activity!