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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Guess how many?

How many pine cones are in the bucket? Guess first, then count to see how close you were.

  • 15 min total
  • Low mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Indoors or out
  • Any season
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 4 min to fill · 10 min to guess and count · 1 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A clear jar or small bucket
  • Nature treasures: pine cones, conkers, stones or leaves

Let's begin

Five simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Fill the jar with one kind of treasure.

  2. Together

    Everyone guesses how many are inside. Write it down.

  3. Together

    Tip them out and count them together.

  4. Whose guess was closest?

  5. Try again with bigger or smaller treasures.

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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