resources for shape,maths

Happy to share some info picked up on a course last week.
If you have a shop named Au Natural in your area I have bought today some wonderful resources!
A selection of 6 boxes of diff sizes for £6 (will be great for our 3d shapes next week I am going to put different things in each to discover and ofcourse then fitting the boxes in each one
Differnt balls,cold stainless steel balls,wicker balls,rattian balls,china balls of diff sizes only £2 each will put the balls in each box to discover together at circle time
magnetic butterflies,I have bought 6 as it was by 3 for 2 at £1 each also a baking tray to use with them
beautiful fabric butterflies on pegs

[Narnia]

Sadly we don't have one of these shops near us,BUT Ikea sell a set of 12 round boxes, which come in graduating smaller sizes (so they fit inside each other, or stack) and they are available in a set of different colours, or plain gold.....all for a couple of quid! In fact, when I bought mine, they were only 1 pound each set.I numbered one set and the children love finding enough objects to match the number,,,,,,,,and i sometimes fill them ready for the children to discover.I try to surprise them, the tiny box sometimes has 12 things in it, for instance,12 small feathers,or buttons, while the one box might be the biggest one in the set and there might be a teddy in it.Then vice versa.Trying to teach them that the biggest might not hold the most and the smallest might not hold the least...........

[Toadess]

I also went on a course last week using the boxes theme.(maths). They suggested a box with different lenghts of ribbon in, I placed the ribbon all around the box so that the ribbons looked the same size when I put the lid on. the children then pull a piece of ribbon out and guess if it will be short/long. (I would use a very sturdy box with lid).
The kids loved it keeping them busy for ages