• START HERE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • SHOP
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube

CHALK Academy

  • HOMESCHOOLING
    • TOUR & ORGANIZATION
    • TRILINGUAL SCHEDULE
    • FAITH & REFLECTIONS
    • PARENTING
  • TEACHING TIPS
    • Raising Multilingual Kids
    • Verbal
    • Reading
    • Writing
  • ACTIVITIES
    • Animals
    • Clothing & Textiles
    • Colors
    • Earth & Solar System
    • Food
    • Holidays
      • Birthday
      • Chinese New Year
      • Valentine’s day
      • Easter
      • Mother’s Day
      • Father’s Day
      • Dragon Boat Festival
      • Mid-autumn festival
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
      • Dongzhi Festival
    • Me & My Body
    • Math
    • Nature
    • Seasons & Time
    • Shapes
    • Sports & Recreation
    • Transportation
  • CHINESE RESOURCES
    • ACTIVITIES
    • APPS & GADGETS
    • BOOKS
    • DICTIONARIES
    • MUSIC
    • TOYS & GAMES
    • VIDEOS
  • Korean Resources
    • ACTIVITIES
    • ALPHABET
    • BOOKS
    • DICTIONARIES
    • MUSIC
    • TOYS & GAMES
    • VIDEOS
  • Interviews
You are here: Home / Activities / Number & Color Patterns With Recycled Paper Rolls

Number & Color Patterns With Recycled Paper Rolls

By Betty
June 18, 2018

18 Jun
604shares
  • 3
Number and color patterns with recycled paper rolls

Learning opportunities are all around us, and you can teach your child how to count without spending any money!  I love coming up with free and fun ways to use recycled paper rolls.

To teach my daughter number and color patterns, I cut up cardboard toilet paper rolls and used a towel holder as a dowel.

This was one of the very first activities that I set up for my daughter when she was 2!  However, the age doesn’t matter since children are learning different skills at individual paces.  You can do this activity with older toddlers (ages 3-5) who are learning how to count.

Since my daughter had already learned her 123s in English and Korean, we focused on learning Chinese numbers and color patterns for this lesson.

This post may have some affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission which supports my blog and free printables at no additional cost to you. Please see the disclosure policy for details.

Benefits of recycled cardboard paper roll activities

In an effort to reduce waste, I’m trying make a habit of using recycled materials.

Crafting with kids can quickly eat up a lot of paper; therefore, cardboard toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls are perfect for kids’ activities!

Also, we parents are often too busy to shop for new things, so it’s a win-win when your activity supplies involve items you probably have at home!

What you need for the recycled paper rolls activity:

  1. Recycled paper rolls
  2. Black permanent marker (eg, Sharpie)
  3. Paper towel holder
  4. Optional: paint (acrylic paint gives a vibrant color)

How to prepare the recycled paper rolls activity:

  1. Cut paper rolls
  2. Label with numbers
  3. Optional: Paint a few rolls of each color.  I recommend skipping this step for children who are first learning numbers so that they are not distracted by the color.  Alternatively, you can focus on color patterns and not label with numbers.  Mixing colors with numbers will be easier when the foundation has already been established.
  4. Arrange paper rolls on paper towel holder (eg, dowel) in different patterns!
Number and color patterns with recycled paper rolls

In the below photo, my daughter is arranging the rolls in numerical rainbow order!  Rainbow order is her favorite pattern!

Paper roll number and color patterns
Number and color patterns with recycled paper rolls

Here’s another pattern that my daughter made.

Teaching suggestions:

  1. Model counting out loud for your child and ask him or her to count out loud:
    一,二,三,四,五,六,七,八, 九, 十…yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ, liù, qī, bā, jiǔ, shí…
  2. Explain to your child that counting out loud helps make a habit of counting carefully without rushing.

Have you tried counting and making patterns with paper rolls?

If you try this activity, please let us know in the comments below! What age(s) are your kid(s) and how did it go? We’d love to hear about your learning experience!

On Instagram and Facebook, tag a photo @chalkacademy and use the hashtag #ChalkAcademy so our family can check out the action! Or email me a photo at [email protected]!

More math activities for preschoolers

  • How to Count in Chinese and English the Montessori Way
  • 10+ Math Resources for Children Learning Chinese
Fun Reading Games with Cardboard Rolls
Click here for 20+ activities with cardboard rolls!

Happy learning, friends!


1 Comment

About Betty

I'm a Chinese-American mom who is having fun teaching my children Mandarin Chinese while re-learning the language myself. I love coming up with creative, hands-on, and educational activities, and I hope these ideas help your children have fun learning Chinese!

« Eric Carle 画一个星星给我 Draw Me a Star – Book Review & Activity!
Fine Motor Activities with Jewel Stickers »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Dr. Betty Choi CHALK Academy - 2

Hi! I’m Betty, a Chinese-American mom, believer, pediatrician, and writer.  I’m having fun learning Chinese with my children, and I love sharing multilingual resources and teaching tips!  I hope these ideas can help your family or school! Read More…

Effective Ways to Praise Kids Instead of "Good Job" (Chinese and English)

Effective Ways to Praise Kids Instead of “Good Job” (Chinese and English)

Disney songs and soundtracks in Chinese, Korean, English

Favorite Disney Songs and Albums in Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and English!

10 Kids Books About Preparing for New Baby Sibling in Chinese & English

10 Kids Books About Preparing for New Baby Sibling in Chinese and English

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any content without express and written permission from CHALK Academy is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts, pdfs, images, and videos may be used only with permission, provided that full and clear credit is given to CHALK Academy / Betty Choi with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

  • Home
  • About CHALK Academy
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe
授人以鱼,不如授人以渔。
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day;
Teach a person to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
COPYRIGHT CHALK ACADEMY 2017 - 2021

Powered by Easy Cloud Solutions
604shares