Help your Year 1 child explore place value through a fast-paced bundling game.

Cotton Bud Race is a hands-on game that encourages children to build numbers using tens and ones as they race towards a target. Each time they collect ten cotton buds, they bundle them together into one group of ten, helping them move from counting everything one by one towards seeing tens as a useful unit.

Simple to set up and easy to adapt, you'll receive a parent-friendly guide with clear instructions, practical learning tips and ideas to extend the play as your child's confidence grows. The activity is designed to be flexible. Use cotton buds with elastic bands or string for bundling, then roll a standard dot dice to collect, count and group them as you play.

Skills Explored

• Building and describing numbers using tens and ones
• Place value
• Counting forwards and keeping track of totals
• Grouping objects into tens

You'll Need

• Cotton buds
• Elastic bands or string
• A standard dot dice (1–6)

Digital Download

This is an instant digital download. No physical product will be posted. Once your purchase is complete, you'll receive immediate access to your file, ready to enjoy at home.

These resources are for personal use only and are designed to support learning within your own family or household. They may not be copied, shared, altered or resold.

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