Add/Subtract Game: Dinos in a Cave

     I came across a playful way to help introduce addition and subtraction to my 4 year old, Malcolm, called Bears in the Cave. (link provided) With an upside down styrofoam bowl, we cut out an entrance and pretended it was a dinosaur cave.  As it was, all I had this size were miniature dinosaurs.  Still, it's all the same.

     Kids learn the possibilities of how to add or subtract using 5 counters by placing dinos of varying amount (up to 5) in the cave.  

• We made up stories to go with the actions.  (2 dinos were sleepy and they went into the cave)
• We also kept track of the combinations verbally such as:  5 dinos in + 0 dinos out = 5 dinos in all
• Malcolm "helped" me to write down combinations on a dry erase board.
• I'm thinking next time, we'll decorate the cave!