Puddle Splash Count

What you need

• a pair of shoes

How to do it

1. Find two or three puddles or wet patches along a path.
2. Hold hands and count together as you stomp into each one.
3. Ask 'shall we find one more?' and keep going as long as they're happy.

Why it matters

Stomping and counting together links big movements to early number words, so counting starts to feel like something bodies do, not just something said.

What they're learning

counting aloud

Saying numbers in rhythm with stomps is the root of counting on fingers and, later, doing sums in their head.

balance control

Stomping without toppling over builds the steady footing they'll need for running and climbing frames.

turn taking

Waiting for you to say 'go' before each splash is an early rehearsal for taking turns in games with other children.

What to look for

Watch for them pausing before each stomp, as if waiting for the count.

A tip

Any wet patch works if there's no puddle handy. A watering can tipped onto the path makes one in seconds.

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