These carrots were a recent find at the Dollar Tree, and when I saw them, I knew I could use them for some kind of neat activity. They come with three carrots in a pack for $1.There were located in the same area with plastic Easter eggs. This activity would work well with Easter or Spring themes.
I decided to make a letter search game by putting rice and letter beads inside. Each carrot has 4-5 letter beads inside. There is one bead for each letter of the alphabet somewhere in one of the 6 carrots. The lids fit tightly, but I put a band of clear tape around them just to make sure they don’t come open. The carrots are translucent, so it is easy for the children to see the letters inside. They have to shake or turn the carrots to show all of the letters.
I made these Carrot Letter Search mats to go with the activity, so the children can record the letters they find. These could be used by either marking the letters with a bingo chip, a flat floral marble, a bingo marker, or by drawing an “X” with a marker. I made printable uppercase and lowercase mats.
Download the Carrot Letter Search Printable
Download: Carrot Letter Search Uppercase
Download: Carrot Letter Search Lowercase
What skill are children learning with this activity?
They are practicing visual discrimination skills by searching and matching letters, as well as letter matching skills.
Alternate Carrot Game Activity
These carrots could also be used for a counting activity. Place a different amount of colored plastic beads in each carrot, and have children count how many beads are in each one. They could match them to numeral cards and put them in numerical order.
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Too funny! I was there yesterday, saw them and thought I bet I could use those for something. I looked at my full basket and decided to pass them by since nothing immediate came to mind. I’m going back tomorrow! Gotta try this—Thanks!
I am so jealous. I hate the UK, I’m moving to America. Can I sleep on your sofa? Lol. But I love the printables you’ve offered, I’ll come up with something to do with them. Thanks 🙂
This is a great idea. I love the carrots. Maybe I need a trip to the dollar store….
yeah, me to! 🙂
I just wanted to thank you for EVERYTHING you do and share! I have been in the early childhood field about 18 years (starting in a daycare in high school, kindergarten for awhile, and now teaching public preschool). I felt like I was fizzling for reasons beyond my control but since I have been frequenting your site I have reflected more on my teaching and my children’s needs and I have felt more renewed and more inspired to do what is right for my young kiddos!
Thanks for the comments, everyone!
Raina, that makes me feel so good! So sweet of you to say!
Such a neat idea and your printables you designed are wonderful.
After Easter, I will certainly be out at the shops and stocking up on discounted goodies for next years learning and fun.
I went back to the Dollar Tree and they were all gone! 🙁 I’ll remember this next year, though!)
I love this idea and so far I am loving this website. Can’t wait to get homw tonight to finish looking.
Thank you for taking the time to share!!! Your students are blessed to have you has their teacher and I must say that your site is one of the most comprehesive I have found. I love the way you post pictures too!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
I need to come to the US on a Dollar Tree shopping spree 🙂
I have read and seen so many nice little ittybittys being used for homeschool purposes… when is the next plane leaving?
Great site !!
a Belgian fan !
i printed these carrots off and am putting them in plastic Easter eggs and going to doing a letter hunt for a 3 yr old during this Easter Season
Great idea Casey! It’s always interesting to see how other people come up with new ways to use things.
Such a cute idea!!! Wonderful for developing figure ground perception or looking for details in a cluttered space. We need that skill to find our pencil in the pencil box. Could you also use these as a table bowling game if they are small placing numbers on the outside of the carrots? A large marble or small Jacks ball would work again if the carrots are the right size.
You can always use jelly beans to mark off the letters on the letter search mats as well:)
We are going to use the carrots and foam shapes from the Dollar Tree to learn about the sounds of the alphabet with mini objects. I am going to print the alphabet letters on the foam shapes with a marker and put mini objects inside the carrots. Then, I will have my kiddos hand me the letter that the objects start with for sound recognition in initial, middle, and final positions. The foam shapes are of a bunny, carrot and egg, too cute! We will use them for number recognition as well. Thank you for sharing your idea, it has blossomed into more inspiration! Thought you would like to know what you inspired. Thank you Bunches!
These would also be perfect to make a File Folder Matching Game! Thank you for them.
Karen,
I love your website. It has helped me through this school year as I have home schooled the preschoolers that I love. It has encouraged me to make the final decision which is to teach summer school over my summer break. 🙂
Such a great idea. I will definitely do this activity in my class. Very good for my learners with sensory problems. Unfortunately non of these type of resources are available in our stores but I will improvise by using the shaped sauce containers. Thank you very much for all the lovely ideas.
Where do you buy the alphabet and numerical beads?
I got them at Michaels. They also have them at Hobby Lobby.
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful resources! You lighten my load!
I just signed up on your weekly email list…and I literally can’t stop cruising through your site! Your ideas are extremely creative and easy to implement as my family home educates. I have a 10, 9, 7 & 4 year old whom I home-school, but I felt that my 4 year old wasn’t really having fun while learning. Your site has opened my eyes to a wealth of creative, fun activities that I know my little one will thoroughly enjoy. I want to personally thank you for all of the hard work that I can only assume went into creating all of these fantastic ideas. Keep up the great work!!