Eggs and Chips

Doing the eggs and chips activity is a marker point for me with early maths. I read about this activity in a book, whilst I was in my HE researching period, when the boys were three and Ia was no more than a pregnancy in progress. Today I did egg and chips with Ia, as I have done with all the children I have been involved with at that age. The way in which the child responds to egg and chips can tell you a lot.
To play egg and chips you need lots of cut out egg and chip pictures and 5 plates. The object is to set up different combinations of eggs and chips on each plate so that each plate holds a different combination and so that there are 6 items on each plate. The child has to do this themselves with only an absolute minimum of input from the adult. You can’t show them how to do it. Then, when they’ve arranged the items you ask them how they could record this onto paper, and again let them record it anyway they prefer.
I found that Ia got off to a good start but later needed to be reminded a few times of the total allowed on each plate. She was good at self correction, although she was clearly tempted to take the activity beyond a maths puzzle and into a story about a family meal (this plate is for the dad…).
Her choice of recording was to draw the plates, each within its own box, so a clear layout choice! I asked her if it would be possible to record it with numbers too, and she was able to write the combinations. MaashAllah. Eggs and chips is always so interesting.
Sorry the photo is not so good, but I really didn't expect to be able to post it!