Bookbug Session Plans: Maths Week Scotland

The Hello Song

Benefits

Familiar start – lets everyone know a Bookbug session has started.

Tips

Smile and use names if you know them.

Two Little Dicky Birds

Benefits

Using your hands and fingers helps with understanding what is involved in counting.

Tips

Use your fingers and hands and encourage families to do the same.

What's in my bag today?

Benefits

Builds anticipation, captures attention and creates curiosity.

Tips

Have pebbles/small stones, a fish/net, and a shoe/stick in your bag. Count your pebbles as you bring them out of the bag. Count them back in again.

Counting Stones

One stone, two stones, three stones four,

Five stones, six stones sitting on the floor.

Seven stones, eight stones, nine stones, ten

Put them in a row and count them all again!

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Three, four, knock at the door

Five, six, pick up sticks

Seven, eight, lay them straight

Nine, ten, a big fat hen.

Benefits

Lots of repetition, using hands and objects all help with learning to count.

Tips

Use your fingers to count and show numbers. Encourage everyone to join in with actions in 'Buckle My Shoe'.

'Tall & Short' by Jonathan Litton, illustrated by Fhionna Galloway

Benefits

This story shows lots of maths concepts like size, weight and speed.

Tips

Have fun with animal noises and actions and encourage children to join in. Use gesture and your voice to show size, weight and speed.

A Big Red Bus

Forwards & Backwards

Benefits

Repetition and fun actions help with understanding size, speed and direction.

Tips

Have lots of fun moving about and encourage children and adults to join in you. Show how you can gently move babies too by modelling on Bookbug.

Five Currant Buns

Three Craws

Ten Red Apples

Benefits

The repetition in each verse reinforces the concept of 'taking away' – the only change is the number of buns.

Tips

When counting down buns, count how many are left after each one disappears. You can do this on your fingers if you don’t have buns or apples!

Twinkle Twinkle

Benefits

Lovely for bonding as grown ups and wee ones cuddle up.

Tips

Point up above to the sky and make a diamond shape with your hands.

The Goodbye Song

Benefits

This familiar song lets everyone know the session is over.

Tips

Thank everyone for joining in – use names if you can but only if you can include everyone!