Math Discovery Box – Paths to Literacy

By Gwyn McCormack

List of resources for a ‘Maths Investigation and Discovery Box’

Basket with numbered pegs for counting and ordering
Bowl of conkers/ chestnuts (replace with any natural material e.g. pebbles, leaves, flowers)
Basket of assorted shells in various colours, patterns, shapes and sizes for sorting and counting
Ball of play dough

large print numbers on green paper — Math materials include large print number cards showing how to write numerals

Tray of brailled or large print numbers
Pencil/Black Pen and black lined notebook
Perkins braillewriter
Plastic food tray with coloured sand/scented salts for writing numbers in, counting objects into, etc.
Pipe cleaners for threading beads onto, etc.
Teddy bear counters
Egg carton
Muffin tin

discovery box items — Discovery Box materials

Paper cake cases
Empty wooden bowl
Measuring tape
Lollipop sticks and waxing sticks
Textured disks made using the circular ends of a CD pack. Discs covered in textures. Or, cut card circles and add textures to them
Variety of interesting objects to explore (embroidery ring, spider’s web, Icing bag, rings, plastic tubing, jumbo clips
Furry pencil case with glass beads inside
Magnetic board with magnets
Ice cube tray
Bricks of different sizes

discovery box items — Discovery Box items

Boxes (variety of shapes and sizes) filled with beads, Lego, coloured, wooden shapes, bells, felt shapes etc, place in a wooden box for the child to choose from
Russian nesting dolls
Stacking beakers

basket — Basket with Dscovery Box items

On the top of the box, textured circles are attached with Velcro. The child can have fun feeling the textures, pulling them off as they find the matching pair.

box packed and ready to go — Discovery Box packed and ready to go

math discovery box

There are more shared ideas at https://www.positiveeye.co.uk/