We are learning all about counting from 1 - 20 at my house. The six year old is beginning to learn how to spell the words for the numbers.
The four year old is learning how to count past 13.
So, I made this little pile of ice cream scoops on top of an ice cream cone to help them learn. Each scoop has a numeral, dots equaling it's amount and the written word for that number. 
We've been having fun creating our ice cream cones this week! I found the idea for this project here - http://www.first-school.ws/activities/crafts/colors/icecreamcone2.htmSince I needed it to go to twenty, I just printed each of the colored pages twice. Then I used my scrapbook number stickers to label the scoops with the number I wanted along with the amount of dots. Finally, I got out my p-touch label maker and put the word for each letter on the scoop before running each sheet through the laminator and cutting them out. We played with them on the floor and table initially before I taped them to the door jam between my schoolroom and my dining room today.
You may (or may not) be wondering why I put the colors in the order I did. Aren't you lucky? I'm going to tell you why. A mommy friend of mine invited me to join a makeshift preschool co-op for the remainder of the school year for our preschool boys. They've dubbed it Monkey Academy. My first day teaching the co-op will be next week when I'm assigned the letter V, the number 11, the color pink, the shape of a heart and the themes love, relationships and communication. Whew! That's a lot to cover in 2 hours but we're going to do it.
At tlsbooks.com I found a little apples number book that you are expected to print off where each page contains a picture of a tree and a bear holding a numbered apple. The child is supposed to put/color apples on the tree to correspond with the number the bear is holding. Well, I think an entire book of that is a bit redundant so I just printed off the page for 11 and I'm giving each boy 11 apple stickers (again from my scrapbooking stash) to put on the tree after they've colored it. You can find that here - http://www.tlsbooks.com/appletreebook.pdf
Next I found a map of the state of Virginia (where we live) and the boys and I will color it and glue on the state bird, the state flag and the flower/tree. I found the map here - http://www.kidzone.ws/geography/usa/index.htm
The number 11 in my ice cream cone is pink so that the boys can build up to the color and number of our day.
And I found this darling little heart/mouse craft at http://www.first-school.ws/activities/shapes/animals/mouse_hearts.htm
They will be able to color the hearts pink and practice their scissors skills - something every preschool teacher I've ever known has emphasized.
For snack we'll have Veggies and I'll invite them to dip at least one in vinegar. And I'll offer vanilla wafers too.
Finally, I plan to read the Velveteen Rabbit to them. According to the Treasury of Virtue - it's a story about Love. According to "What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know" - it's a story they should hear around this age.
Let's hope that fills two hours!
