Check-in

I have a fun way for the children to "sign in " for the day. I have an apple chart  filled with index cards. They have the children's names printed on them. When they come in the room, they take their name card to their table. We count and review cards left in the apple chart. Cards left should be absent children.  We do some quick problem solving before the cards go back in. An example would be: We have 26 children in our class. There are 2 cards left. How many children are here today?  The children then replace their cards into the chart.We always count the cards again when the chart is all filled up. I try to switch that up a little  bit, too. We don't always count from 1 to 26. Some days we count up from 8 or 11... and some days we count down. It's a quick, easy way to interject some more math into our day!