A simple number hunt activity for kids using kinetic sand.
My youngest son is a huge fan of kinetic sand.
And my oldest is a fan of numbers.
So this number hunt activity is the perfect blend of the two.
Now, this activity is simple and easy to set up, but it offers lots of learning, from working on fine motor skills and number recognition to exposing kids to tactile sensory input.
What You'll Need for this Number Hunt Activity
The set up and prep required for this activity is pretty minimal. You just need the following items:
- Little numbers of some kind - We used mini plastic number magnets similar to these.
- Knife (optional), but my three year old insisted on using one and when he insists on something, there's no changing his mind...
Toddlers & Preschoolers Will Love this Kinetic Sand Number Hunt Activity
First, you'll need to hide some numbers in a ball of kinetic sand. Simply form a ball of kinetic sand around a number (or two) and then let the digging and hunting begin!My boys enjoyed slicing the balls open with a knife to reveal the hidden number(s). Especially my three year old who just discovered how fun it is to slice kinetic sand using a butter knife. It is easily his favorite activity to do these days.
Once you slice through the kinetic sand ball, a number will start to appear. What will it be? Encourage your kids to name the number as they uncover it.
Even pinching and digging through the kinetic sand is a great way to work on fine motor skills! Sometimes I would hide one number and other times I would hide a couple of numbers. The boys were always surprised to see what numbers were tucked away in the sand.
Here are some action shots of digging instead of cutting the sand.
Don't have little numbers handy? Try burying letters instead.
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