This activity is one of a set of trial Early Years Foundation Stage resources. For further information and links to others in the set, please see the introductory page.

 
You may wish to download and print one of these three observation sheets (1, 2, 3) which link to this activity.
 
 

Resources Play dough/plasticine/modelling clay/salt dough Way of timing one minute e.g. egg timer, clock with second hand, 'pinger'

Activity How many snakes can you make (in one minute)? How many snakes can you make (before I say 'stop')?

Questions to ask How many snakes do you think you can make in one minute? How many snakes did you make? Who has made the most? Do you think you would make the same number of snakes next time?

Possible observations Accurate counting Use of vocabulary associated with number e.g. more than, less than, most, least ...  Understanding when a period of time starts and ends Use of vocabulary associated with time e.g. next, before, longer, shorter, sooner ...

Follow-up A very simple version of snakes and ladders game using children's own snakes Build a 'house' for a snake Some children might predict how many snakes they could make in two minutes You could time other 'events' such as threading beads on a piece of string, travelling somehow outside ...   For a very similar activity which focuses on measuring rather than timing, see Caterpillar Measuring