Bowling Alley

Set up the pins, roll the ball and count what falls! Today we turn the hallway into a bowling alley with five numbered cups or bottles. It's a big-movement way to practice counting to 5 on the last day of dinosaur week.

What you need

• 5 empty plastic bottles or paper cups

• A marker or number stickers

• A soft ball

• Painter's tape to mark the lane and the rolling line

• Optional: a little water or sand in the bottles so they don't tip too easily, with caps on tight

• Optional: tape a dinosaur picture to each pin

How to do it

1. Number the pins. Write 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the pins. Let your child help find each number.

2. Set up the alley. Stand the pins in a triangle or a line at the end of a hallway. Tape a rolling line a few steps away.

3. Roll! Your child rolls the ball at the pins.

4. Count what fell. "How many fell down? Let's count: one, two, three!"

5. Read the numbers. Have your child read the numbers on the fallen pins. "You knocked down 2 and 5!"

6. Set it up again. Let your child stand the pins back up in order from 1 to 5.

Why we love it

Bowling mixes big body movement with counting, number reading and taking turns. Putting the pins back in order from 1 to 5 is great number practice too.

Tips from our table

• Move the rolling line closer for two-year-olds so they get lots of wins.

• Older kids can count how many are still standing, or add up the numbers on the fallen pins.

• Make it dinosaur bowling: "Roar" every time a pin falls.

Shop these items

Everything mentioned in this post, in one place. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

• Clear 9 oz cups

• Crayola washable markers

• Number stickers

• Soft foam ball

• ScotchBlue painter's tape

• Shop everything for Week 5: Dinosaurs

• Starter supplies: the basics we use most weeks

• See every week in our Amazon storefront

More for this week: see all our Dinosaur activities, Letter E activities and Number 5 activities.

Every child is different. Please use your own judgment about what's safe and right for your family. Always supervise children during activities and while eating, and adjust foods for allergies, dietary needs and your child's age and chewing ability. Sprocket & Sprout shares these ideas for fun and learning only. We are not responsible for any injury, allergic reaction, damage or mess that may result from trying them. This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.