Pipe cleaner counting

When my husband and I decided to keep our daughter home and not send her to preschool it wasn't just because I was a SAHM.  Even though that was a HUGE part of it, that wasn't the only reason.  In my mind, I felt like it would benefit her more to stay home for preschool rather than send her.  The preschool I would have to send her to is ALL day and EVERY day!  I was a little scared to put her on that bus!  I also wanted more time with her at home. Before long she will be getting on that bus and heading down the road and that will be it.  Trying to hold back the tears...  So, I decided to try my hand at homeschooling her.  Well....easier said than done.  There are days where she is so wound up that I can't get her to sit down for 5 minutes and listen.  I found this neat idea on Pinterest and she really likes it.  All I did was buy beads, pipe cleaners, and I already had index cards.

Cut the pipe cleaners in half. Cut the index cards and put numbers on them.  I went from 1 to 15 for now.

Then, there you go.  An easy way to teach your child to count.  Whatever number the pipe cleaner has on it is how many beads she puts on the designated pipe cleaner!

You know that chaotic time in your house?  Ours is right around dinner time!  The baby is crying, Peter is getting home from school, and she is wanting to be right where I am in the kitchen.  I brought this out and let her work on it and it kept her busy while I could finish getting dinner ready!  She loved it!