Physical
Items required: a variety of coins (a roll of each); pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters. Four or five piggy banks. Several sets of coin templates, one for each participant.
Gather participants around the table and greet each. Present each with a piggy bank. (Small cardboard boxes or tube boxes with slots cut into the lid would work as well.) Tell the players that they each have a coin box or piggy bank. Next give each participant several coins of different denominations. They are simply required to place the coins into their banks in no certain order. Those who are able to perform the activity on their own can be given more coins. Those who require hands-on help can use fewer coins.
Since very few directions are needed for this activity, you could ask questions of the participants such as, “As a child, did you have a piggy bank?” “Do you remember earning a penny by helping your mother or dad?” “Did you ever get paid a penny for a gopher tail?” Remember to keep the questions simple, with few words and a yes or no answer.
Cognitive
Items required: coins of various denominations; a coin template “flat” for each participant.
The template can be simply made by using covers from shoe boxes. These covers provide sides so coins won’t slide off and they are shallow so easy to see inside. Divide the upturned cover into four sections by placing three cardboard strips across the lid as shown.
Make the templates by using realistic pictures of coins found on the internet. Place a picture of pennies in the first of the four squares, a picture of nickels in the second, then dimes and quarters. Give each participant their own box lid. Then give each participant two of the same coin and ask that they place the coins in the appropriate space. When this is accomplished, give each participant two more coins.
Randomly choose players to give you a specific type of coin. “Mary, give me a quarter”…..”Jo, give me a nickel”…..etc. until all participants have responded to your requests two or three times. To end the activity, ask all participants to return coin to a canister that you will pass around to them.
