Tu B’Shevat Nature Spindle Box

My preschooler has recently shown a big interest in numbers and counting so I thought a wonderful Tu B’Shevat inspired counting activity would be to create a Tu B’Shevat Nature Spindle Box. We are completely play-based over here but if a child shows an interest in something, there is always a way to make it feel fun and playful. This Tu B’Shevat Nature Spindle Box will be such a great tool for us to have to support his interests in a fun way.

What You’ll Need

• Cardboard box (long enough to make 10 compartments and wide enough for a just-right stick)
• Glue gun
• 45 sticks
• Paint (optional)
• Number stickers (optional), sharpie or paint

Putting It Together

1. Cut the lid pieces off your box.
2. Cut 9 strips of cardboard to fit inside your box as the compartment dividers (there will be 10 compartments). I was able to do this from the box lid pieces. I did not have my pieces go all the way to the top of the box frame because I thought that would be too deep and hard to maneuver the sticks inside.
3. Measure your total box length and divide by 9 to determine where your interior dividers will go.
4. Glue the interior divider pieces on your measurements with a glue gun.
5. Paint your box, outside and inside, if desired.
6. Once dry, add the numbers 0-9, one number per column. I used our beloved LeeLaaLou number stickers but you could write or paint the numbers.
7. Gather 45 sticks. To make it extra fun, gather them as part of a Tu B’Shevat Nature Scavenger Hunt! You’ll want as straight of sticks as possible. You might need to trim them to fit the width of box with landscaping cutters.
8. Invite your child to sit with you. Lay out the sticks. Point to the 0 column and explain to your child that this is the number zero which means there is nothing. Then go through the columns, and numbers, explaining each one. Invite your child to count out the stick(s) to match each column.
9. If desired, you can also use the sticks for doing math facts like simple addition and subtraction.
10. You can also practice which number is one more or one less than a given number.

Finished & Loving It!

Because my preschooler is currently super into numbers and counting, he was really excited to do this activity with me. All the kids had helped gather the sticks as part of our Tu B’Shevat Nature Scavenger Hunt and they loved that we made an activity out of them.

A spindle box is such a wonderful way to introduce the number and concept of zero, as well as practicing associating each numeral with the right number. The spindle box is often used in Montessori learning and is usually used with an actual spindle. A spindle is usually made from wood and is used in spinning fibers into yarn. They often have a thicker part in the middle. But of course natural sticks from a fun time outside work just as well!

I love how this activity is a tactile way to practice counting and associating numerals with their quantity. And because you have the 45 sticks, a child can see if they’ve made a mistake if they run out of sticks early or have any leftover. It’s a fun activity to do together with a parent, or independently once the child understands how to do the activity.

And I absolutely love using natural products whenever we can. It’s meaningful for us to take what we’ve experienced outside in nature and bring it into our home as an additional learning experience.

It’s very easy to connect Tu B’Shevat and the many wonderful things trees give us to this activity. Even when trees have dropped their branches, these branches are still useful in many ways! And I also like that by using the cardboard box, we re upcycling and reusing something, practicing the Jewish value of bal tashchit, which also relates to Tu B’Shevat and the importance of being custodians of the earth.

Do you have any plans to incorporate your child’s current interest with some Tu B’Shevat learning and play? I’d love to know!

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for up to date posts and pin our Tu B’Shevat Hub where we will post all the new activities!

Want a fun and engaging way to start your Tu B’Shevat learning? Use our Tu B’Shevat Montessori-Style 3 Part Cards to learn about the holiday!

Check out our recommended books from our Bookshop.org Shop

The following sites are amazing resources for learning more about this beautiful holiday:

PJ Library: Tu B’Shevat

Reform Judaism: Tu BiShvat

BimBam: Tu BiShvat

Chag Sameach!!

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