Fill a tub with an assortment of manipulatives kindergarten children will want to use repeatedly. Sorting mats -- purchased or homemade paper or card-stock that has two or four blank boxes or circles for dividing items -- allow children to classify items by size, color, shape, position, texture and number of corners. Items to include for sorting and classifying activities include colored pattern blocks, small silver bells, assorted buttons, colored pom poms, plastic beads and mini erasers. Include pasta shapes such as wagon wheel, spiral, tube and seashell and dye the pasta with food coloring. Everyday items like old keys and bottle caps also work well in math tubs.
Consider providing edible items for counting and sorting activities. For example, put three 3-ounce paper cups and a zippered plastic bag containing three types of brightly colored cereal in the tub. The child fills the cups with cereal, separating it by color, shape or size. Separating the cereal by its color, shape and size helps kindergartners learn the differences between things. Eating the cereal is a fun part of using this math tub when the activities are complete. To prevent the spread of germs, facilitate this activity for individual students.
Pattern activity tubs allow children options like copying patterns, continuing patterns and creating patterns. The list of appropriate items to place in the tub is limited only by your imagination. Let the children make patterns with crayons, blocks, plastic animals or colored lids. Other manipulatives include tiles, pattern blocks and beads. Place crayons and paper in the tub and ask the children to draw a pattern discovered in the classroom. An example is a pattern found on a rug. Place inkpads and small rubber stamps in the tub for the children to create original patterns or to continue a pattern.
Include items that strengthen coin recognition, sorting and counting skills. Make four large circles on a piece of paper and assign a coin value of 1, 5, 10 or 25 cents to the circles. Laminate the paper and place it in the tub. Add real or plastic coins to the tub for the children to sort or count on the mat. Collect a few empty metal containers and fill them with an assortment of coins. Place the containers in a tub with paper and pencils for the children to sort and count the money and record their totals.