Hands-on Activities

Dumper Ten-Frame

When the dumper tips, the balls fill a 10-frame for easy counting!

Scroll down for tips on how to make one yourself.

DIY cardboard dividers in a clear storage bin automatically organize balls into a 10-frame! We used our big ride on toy to dump the balls, but it is also fun to just toss them in by hand.

I was so excited when our little guy came up with his own extension of the activity by adding the balls in the bin to the balls in the dumper!

DIY Tips:

The dividers are made of cardboard rectangles (about twice as tall and three times as wide as the balls) folded into U-shapes. Arrange the dividers so the balls can fall easily into the slots - this may take some time to get just right. Use a larger piece of cardboard (I used a flattened box) to hold the dividers up against the edge of your container. Secure everything in place with tape.