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Countdown

…5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 Blast off!

Basic braille Activity

  • Comparing
  • Fine motor skills
  • Numeracy

Level: 1

Number of players: 1

Duration: 10

Skills:

  • Compare and order numbers

  • Name, read and write numbers

  • Develop strategies to succeed

Build a rocket to send to space. Follow the countdown to choose the right bricks.

Goals

To identify and to write numbers 0 to 9, in ascending and descending order.

The adult prepares

  • 1 baseplate with a number-sign brick

  • 10 number bricks (0 to 9) in a bowl

The children play

1

Tell the child to build a rocket with all the bricks, starting with number “9”.
Each brick must represent the number below the previous one.

2

When you’ve placed the zero brick, launch the rocket!

We are going to make an activity. But first of all, I’m going to put one brick on the table.
Can you read it? It’s a special brick. What does it mean?
A number sign?
Yes. It means that we are going to work with numbers.
Okay, so I have a bag, that’s for you, with a lot of bricks.
Can you open the bag and put the bricks on the table?
Now, your mission will be to build a rocket. But you have to respect the rule and it will be like a countdown.
So the first brick on the table will be number 9. Then the second one will be number 8, number 7… Okay?
So can you start with the first brick which is 9?
Tell me. Is it 9?
Always put it in the correct position.
-Yes.
Okay. So that’s the first one.
Now what will be the second brick that you’re looking for?
8.
-Yes.
And whenever you find it, you place it on top of 9.
Okay.
Okay, so we have 9.
We have 8.
What is the next one?
7?
-Yes.
There we go.
The 1.
And we need 0.
Great.
So that’s your rocket. Can you do the whole countdown?
So, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
Blast-off!

Facilitation tips

  • Explain what a countdown is.

  • To make it easier, pre-build the base of the rocket with the first two bricks (9 and 8).