Make a Counting Book!

I have been tutoring one of my poor little ones who had a serious medical problem and can't come to school for awhile.  I have been racking my brain trying to come up with fun activities that I can do with him at his house, AKA things that can be easily transported, are not messy and can sustain a five year old's attention for two hours.  As you can imagine, it is really HARD! 

 

One day we were reading this fabulous book, Count! by Denise Fleming.  He loved the vibrant pictures and simple, repetitive text and asked if he could make his own counting book.  Hallelujah!  I bound a book with eleven blank pages (for the numbers 1 through 10, then a page where all of the numerals are written, just like Count!).  We practiced writing numerals properly, then practiced writing number words.  We also talked about picking a theme.  Denise Fleming picked animals, and my little friend picked toys. 

I apologize ahead of time for the terrible quality phone pictures, stealthily snapped in his dimly lit living room.

I loved the finished product, and so did he.  He was so proud to have a "real book" of his own!  I will definitely be doing this project again in the future with my whole class because it's fun, easy and a great, very personal, final product.