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Counting for preschoolers


40 Counting Games And Number Activities For Preschoolers

The basic foundation of math is understanding numbers and quantities. One of the best ways to develop these understandings, or number sense, is through handling objects and counting them.  We can listen to preschoolers recite numbers in order, but we want them to apply that to counting objects and understand that those numbers represent quantities of items. Counting games and activities encourage preschoolers to “play” with numbers and quantities and build math skills and number sense in natural ways. These ideas can help you build math and counting skills with preschoolers.

Counting Games and Activities

These 40 preschool math games include counting games and various number activities. They are perfect to help build counting skills and math skills in your preschoolers and kindergarten students.

1. Dog Bone Counting Game (Pre-K Pages) – This is a fun, hands-on counting game for students in your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom.

2. Farm Animal Counting Activity (Pre-K Pages) – What could be more fun than Counting Feet with farm animals?

3. Printable Counting Book (Pre-K Pages) – Identifying and naming numbers can be a difficult skill for young children in preschool and kindergarten.

4. Homemade Counting Board Game (Pre-K Pages) – This homemade game can help preschoolers develop math concepts while playing a game together.

5. Mouse Counts Game (Pre-K Pages) – Mouse Count inspired this activity that helps children practice counting to ten while also working on their fine motor skills – and it’s lots of fun too!

6. Fire Truck Counting Game (Pre-K Pages) – In this activity, children will explore fire trucks and firefighters with a counting game.

7. Penguin Counting Game (Pre-K Pages) – This Penguin Counting Game is the perfect addition to any winter theme, lots of fun for young children and great practice for counting, number sense, and one-to-one correspondence.

8. Ocean Theme Counting Activity (Pre-K Pages) – The best preschool activities allow children to be interactive and hands on while they explore new concepts. We’ve developed a fun, easy to prepare  ocean theme counting activity to do just that.

9. Nursery Rhyme Number Game (Pre-K Pages) – This nursery rhyme activity relates to “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and encourage number recognition and counting, important math concepts.

10. Digital Counting Activities Using Google Slides (Teaching Mama) – This resource has digital counting activities, which is perfect for the preschool and kindergarten age.

11. Button Counting (Busy Toddler) – Grab a deck of cards for this fun button counting math activity.

12. Football Counting Game (Sunny Day Family) – With a die, football printable, and some yogurt Danimals it’s a fun counting game your preschoolers will love.

13. Snowman Hole Punch Counting (JDaniel4’s Mom) – Use your hole punch to create these snowmen and work in a fun counting activity to go along with it.

14. Ladybug Busy Bag (Preschool Inspirations) – Work on counting with your preschoolers with these adorable paper ladybugs.

15. Cookie Counting Game (Still Playing School) – Have your kids practice counting chocolate chips with these paper chocolate chip cookies.

16. Counting Snowballs (Fun-a-Day) – This easy counting cotton balls activity is a great math activity for your preschoolers.

17. Race to Fill the Cup (Mom Inspired Life) – Have fun filling a cup with these adorable erasers.

18. Count and Compare (Stir the Wonder) – Use these fun Farm Animal Rainbow Counters to inspire young children interested in animals or to go along with a farm theme!

19. Little Miss Muffet Path Game (Preschool Spot) – This fun activity is based on the nursery rhyme, Little Miss Muffet.

20. Tally Marks with Pencils (Munchkins and Moms) – Have fun practicing making tally marks with #2 pencils.

Counting Games and Number Activities For Preschoolers

More preschool math games to enjoy! These counting games and number activities will be definitely enjoyed by your preschoolers and build their math skills.

21. DIY Counting Boxes (Parenting Chaos) – Label containers with numbers and then have your preschooler fill each bucket with the labeled number of items.

22. Play Dough Numbers and Counting (Little Pinch of Perfect) –  This activity is simple to set up and a great way to expose young kids to numbers and lets them visually see the difference in amounts. The activity can be adapted for different skill levels by making smaller or larger numbers.

23. Passing Car Count (Prekinders) – In this activity, we watched for red & blue cars as they passed by on the street. Children recorded the cars they saw by marking dots on their sheet with a corresponding color crayon.

24. Ways to Teach Counting (Prekinders) – Here are 15 ways to teach counting skills in Pre-K.

25. Ants on a Log Game (Teach Preschool) – DIY “ants on a log” counting game with the children then invite the children to draw their own ants on a log…

26. The Math Box (Teach Preschool) Create a simple math box and then watch as your preschoolers love filling it and practice their counting skills.

27. Counting and Addition Tray (Imagination Tree) – Set  up an open-ended maths activity for kids using counting manipulatives, play dough and a dice, in a dip tray!

28. Simple Montessori Counting Activity (My Mundane and Miraculous Life) – This simple counting activity with rocks, your child can work on number recognition.

29. Things to Count With (Pre-K and K Sharing) – Repurpose what you have and count items with your preschooler!

30. How Many Blocks Long? (Brick by Brick) – This is a fun activity where your preschooler can see how many block longs they are and practice counting as they do it.

31. Make Groups of Numbers (Teach Me Mommy) – This simple counting activity is easy to setup, can be played with one or more children and it is fun too!

32. Count and Smash Activity (Stir the Wonder) – The great thing about play dough besides that it is just fun, is that it is also a great way to work on fine motor skills, work in some math skills, and get some sensory input and it can be used in many ways for hands-on learning!

33. Activities with Counting Blocks (Educators’ Spin on It) – These are 8 math and counting activities for your preschooler to enjoy.

34. Where the Wild Things Are Game (Mom Inspired Life) – While playing, children practice counting, learn one to one correspondence and even get some fine motor practice.

35. Listen and Spray Game (Fantastic Fun and Learning) – This activity is great for counting practice but also for fine motor practice.

36. Race to Lose a Tooth Game (Toddler Approved) – This fun dental theme inspired activity with marshmallows is a fun counting game for your preschoolers to enjoy.

37. Roll and Count (Buggy and Buddy) – Here’s a counting math game for kids perfect for practicing one-to-one correspondence. It’s super easy to make and lots of fun for the kids!

38. Count Forward and Back Game (Fantastic Fun and Learning)- This preschool math game would be perfect during St. Patrick’s day and March in your classroom.

39. Build a City Game (Learning 4 Kids) If your preschooler loves playing with Legos then they will love this math game.

40. Mystery Mitten Tactile Counting Game (Preschool Toolbox) – Gather some real mittens and come play a tactile mystery mitten counting game to encourage early math intuition with tactile support!

Also check out the free Winter Play Dough Counting Mats and our other thematic counting mats.

Follow my Counting Pinterest Board for more great ideas!

40 Awesome Number Activities for Preschoolers

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16 Dec

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Number activities for preschoolers don't have to be boring and just worksheets, make them fun so your preschooler will love math!

I love math. I’m a nerd, yes. But I love anything to do with numbers.

I really do hope I can pass this along to my kids by making learning activities about numbers and counting fun for them and not a chore.

As I’m typing this, Henry’s shouting excitedly as he’s counting how many things on his sprayer…though I’m not really sure what he’s counting exactly. He made it to 39 though!

Because I’m a huge math nerd I searched for easy and fun number activities for preschoolers.

My Favorite 40+ Number Activities for Preschoolers!

Try these activities to help preschoolers learn their ABCs!

Recognizing Numbers Activities for Preschoolers

Identifying numbers can be a learning experience for preschoolers (and younger!). Many of the ABC recognition activities can also be adjusted for numbers.

My kids love these 12 number activities for preschoolers to recognize numbers.

  1. Turn a number into sensory art – perfect for the 100th day of school!
  2. Go on a hunt for numbers and match it with the same number!
  3. Follow a number from start to finish in a maze.
  4. Trace numbers, really big!
  5. Little Family Fun created a parking lot with numbers.
  6. Pop! Find the number and pop it!
  7. Find and match playing cards.
  8. Have target practice with water balloons and numbers, like Motherhood on a Dime
  9. Make art! Do this paint by number canvas art.
  10. Use stickers and printable number cards to play hide and seek, from Teach Mama.
  11. Draw and paint over numbers with q-tips, like Toddler at Play!
  12. Clip and match with giant numbers from You’ve Got This Math!
Activities for Number Recognition

Counting Activities for Preschoolers

Learning there’s a sequence to the numbers and what comes next. Try these 18 number activities to help preschoolers learn to count.

  1. Connect the dots! A simple past-time activity that reinforces the order of numbers.
  2. Upcycle a box into a puzzle of numbers!
  3. Create a maze of numbers to drive through. Can they count their way to the end?
  4. Stacking up boxes and counting how high you can go!
  5. Make a craft together with multiple pieces. Have your child do the counting!
  6. Count cars of a particular color while on the road, or semis, or vans, whatever suits their interest!
  7. Create a learning game with your ABC mat and number blocks. Choose a number block and pound the corresponding times with a hammer on the corresponding number mat!
  8. Let your child run an experiment and measure how much something holds! How many cups fit?
  9. Make puzzles with a picture. Label sections of the puzzle in numerical order. Cut apart and have your child put it back together again, from Growing in PreK.
  10. Use friendly animal crackers to practice counting and number recognition, like I Can Teach My Child.
  11. Measure objects (or yourself!) and count how big they are, from The Imagination Tree
  12. Count objects around the house. No Time For Flash Cards wants to know “How many doors do you have?”
  13. Play any board game, or make your own! Little Family Fun creates a fish race game!
  14. Count with LEGO! Do Play Learn likes to label a paper with numbers and count out the LEGO next to it.
  15. Snack time! Use dice and fruit snacks and play until you eat them all up, like Kids Activities Blog.
  16. Have a bean bag toss on the stairs, number them!
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Counting Activities for Preschoolers

One to One Correspondence Activities for Preschoolers

Knowing your numbers is one thing and knowing how to count is another. But being able to put them into context that they each have meaning is done with one to one correspondence.

Get ready for preschool with 35 name activities!

I love these 12 number activities that help a preschool practice one to one correspondence.

  1. Head out into nature and explore flowers. Count and compare flower petals! 
  2. Go on a hunt for a number and match it to its corresponding dots.
  3. Build towers of blocks on a number mat, with the correct number of blocks high!
  4. Spark your child’s interest with their interests! A farming approach of loading grain bins with the corresponding number of pieces of “grain. ”
  5. Have a newspaper throwing game and count up the newspaper balls, or how many you make, or miss!
  6. Make something in the kitchen together, or do an experiment and let your child measure out and do the counting.
  7. Sort through objects by color, and count how many you have of each!
  8. Fill a dump truck with objects (like Dominoes!) and count how many you can fit in there, like Inspiration Laboratories.
  9. Estimate first for some fun and then count item, from Teach Preschool.
  10. Have a counting race in the front yard and pick dandelions in the process!
  11. Roll a die (or two!) and practice one to one correspondence as kids build towers with blocks.
  12. Use a dice and small objects (like pom poms or corn kernels) and count them and fill up a tray.
One to One Number Activities for Preschoolers

Counting and number books that will get preschoolers excited about numbers:

  • The Baker’s Dozen: A Counting Book
  • I Spy Numbers
  • One Big Building: A Counting Book About Construction (Know Your Numbers)

Do you actively work on numbers and counting with your child? Share your favorite activities!


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About Jamie Reimer

Jamie learned to be a hands on mom by creating activities, crafts and art projects for her three boys to do. Jamie needed the creative outlet that activities provided to get through the early years of parenting with a smile! Follow Jamie on Pinterest and Instagram!

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Counting to 10 for Kids - Printable Worksheets

Here are a few Counting to 10 activities for kids that will help you learn how to count and perform simple arithmetic operations and draw figures according to a given pattern in an easy and relaxed way. All tasks can be downloaded in the attachments at the bottom of the page. After that, print them on the printer, arm yourself with pencils and go!

These 10 counting coloring pages for kids help preschoolers learn math faster and easier. Children are very fond of such tasks, so they can easily complete them. But parents should be careful not to let the child overwork and lose interest in learning. As soon as the enthusiasm of the baby begins to fall - immediately stop the lesson! nine0003

  • The first task is to count the number of dragons and then circle and color the appropriate number above them.
  • In the second task, 6 houses are given. Every house has a number written on the roof. The task of the child is to enter numbers in the empty cells in such a way that the sum of the numbers on each floor of the house is equal to the number that is written on the roof of this house. Paint the houses in different colors. And color the floor with the correct sum of numbers in a different color to distinguish it from other floors. (To complete the task, the child must not only know how to count up to 10 in the form of counting objects, but also be able to determine the composition of numbers - for example, 10 consists of 5 and 5, of 4 and 6, of 3 and 7, etc.)
  • In the third task, you need to carefully look at the figure that is drawn in the cells and draw exactly the same figure next to it. To complete this task, you need to count how many cells a particular fragment of the picture occupies and, counting the same number, draw a copy of the figure. Then the figure needs to be colored in an arbitrary way.

You can download tasks for counting up to 10 for children in attachments

Fun counting up to 10 - Math tasks

To make counting up to 10 really fun for your children - do not hesitate to download our tasks and learn with pleasure! This exercise consists of four tasks. Before you start practicing, prepare a simple pencil and eraser, a box of colored pencils and, of course, a printed sheet with a math activity downloaded from the attachments on our website.

  • In the first task, the child has to color the geese in such a way that there is one more colored geese going to the left than the geese going to the right. nine0008
  • In the second task, you need to color the pictures so that the number of colored balls is two less than the number of colored clowns. To complete the tasks, the child must know the count to 10 in order to count all the clowns and balls.
  • In the third task, you need to draw a figure according to the model. In this case, it's a leaf. After the child completes the task, ask him to draw next to him exactly the same leaf, but falling down. That is, it should visually flip it. nine0008
  • In the fourth task, you also need to copy the pattern, and then paint it in arbitrary colors.

You can download tasks for counting up to 10 in the form of mathematical tasks in attachments

Math counting up to 10 for children - count, color, draw

To make mathematical counting fun for a child, it must turn into a game. Therefore, it is very important to present the assignments not as learning, but as a fun activity with colored pencils. And remember - no pressure on the child! nine0003

Here are 4 math tasks up to 10 for children of preschool and primary school age. In each of them, the child must first count the pictures, and then color the required number, guided by the condition of the tasks.

  • In the first task, you need to color the pictures in such a way that there are exactly the same number of colored planes as there are colored riders on horseback. (To complete the task, children must freely count to 10)
    • nine0007 In the second task, you need to make sure that the number of painted flowers is one more than the number of painted swans.
  • In the third task, the child must draw a rocket according to the model. Then draw the same rocket, but flying in the opposite direction - to the left. Color the triangles in the rocket red and the rectangles grey.
  • In the fourth task, you need to copy the pattern according to the specified sample and color it.

You can download tasks for the mathematical account in attachments

Count and color the pictures. Name the geometric figures

  • In the first task, the child needs to count and color the pictures in such a way that there is one more colored snowflakes than colored raindrops. (If the child has difficulty, repeat the count to 10)
  • In the second task, you need to count and then color the pictures so that there are two less colored dolphins than colored seahorses. nine0008
  • In the third task, you need to copy and color the given shapes, then name the familiar ones.
  • In the fourth task, you need to finish the pattern-figure, that is, draw its mirror image (second half). After that, the child needs to name those geometric shapes that make up the drawn pattern.

You can download the task in attachments at the bottom of the page

Other tasks in pictures for printing will also be useful to you:

Mental counting within 10 - Pictures with tasks

Here we have prepared for you mental counting within 10 in the form of mathematical tasks in pictures. These tasks form children's counting skills and contribute to more effective learning of simple mathematical operations.

Count to 20 - Printable Picture Challenges

Count to 20 with fun printable puzzles! All you need is to choose any set of puzzles in pictures, download them as attachments and print them on a printer. nine0003

Copybook numbers for printing - Download and circle

10

In these interesting tasks, children will learn what ordinal counting up to 10 is. And those who are already familiar with this concept can show their knowledge with the help of this exercise. nine0003

Coloring pages with tasks for counting within 10

So that children can quickly and with interest master counting within 10, we have prepared for you fun coloring pages with tasks. Each task contains pictures for coloring - this stimulates the child to complete the task correctly.

Counting up to 5 - Pictures with tasks for kids

Here we have posted for you counting up to 5 - pictures with math tasks for kids, thanks to which your children will practice not only their counting skills, but also the ability to read and write , distinguish geometric shapes, draw and color. nine0003

As well as educational games for learning numbers and practicing counting skills:

Educational game - Count pictures - Count up to 10

In this game, the kid must count the number of objects on the game screen and click on the corresponding number. After that, he will see and hear the ordinal count up to this number.

Game - Find all the numbers in order and randomly

Here the child needs to be attentive to find all the hidden numbers in the picture. The game also uses an ordinal score. nine0003

Game - Find the largest and smallest number

In this game, the child needs to choose the largest or smallest among the proposed numbers. After the correct answer, he will hear the ordinal count up to this number.

Ordinal and quantitative account for preschoolers

11/24/2020

To teach a child to count even before he becomes a first grader? Easy! To do this, you need to awaken in a preschooler an interest in mathematics and simple calculations. Of course, the game will help in this! Playfully, you can learn not only to count, but also to distinguish a quantitative account from an ordinal one. Forgot what it is and what is the difference? We invite you to refresh your knowledge. nine0003

Mathematical counting is an action for counting something. The school teaches ordinal and quantitative counting. Let's talk about them.

Contents:

  • What is a quantitative account
  • What is an ordinal account
  • Ordinal and quantitative accounts - 5 differences
    • Targets
    • Numerals
    • Questions and answers
    • Direction
    • Meaning
      • nine0013
    • Reinforcement games
      • "On the clouds" with an ordinal score of
      • Game for quantitative and ordinal counting - Rainbow arc
      • Game - Luntik's birthday
    • Helpful Hints

    What is a quantitative account

    A quantitative account implies the answer to the question: "How much?".

    As soon as the child remembers the question, he will understand what is required of him. Of course, information is best absorbed in the form of gaming exercises. nine0003

    Example: Place objects in front of the baby. Ask him a question, give him the opportunity to count and answer.

    The game can be gradually made more difficult. For example, adding or removing some of the items, grouping according to characteristics, etc.

    What is an ordinal score

    An ordinal score is associated with the question: "What is the score?".

    It's simple. Again, the game and objects, preferably something different from each other, for example, felt-tip pens. Ordinal from the words "order, in order", this will help the child remember the main question. Ask him to determine the serial number of any of the items. nine0003

    To complicate the game tasks, swap items, take away or add new ones, inviting the child to explain how and why the serial number changes.

    Ordinal and quantitative accounts - 5 differences

    Only an account is common between them. You have to count to get the answer to the question in the end. Everything else is different:

    • targets;
    • numerals;
    • questions;
    • direction;
      • nine0007 value.

    Difficult at first glance. For a preschooler, it may even be incomprehensible, but if you play a little, everything will become clear!

    Goals

    A quantitative account is used to count something. The end goal is to determine the total number. An ordinal count is needed to determine the number of an item in an ordered set.

    A simple example. Arrange the fruits in a row: apple, pear, tangerine, orange and pomegranate. A quantitative account will help us calculate how many fruits are on the table - 5.

    Ordinal is needed to determine the ordinal number of each fruit in the row. The apple is the first, the pear is the second, the tangerine is the third, the orange is the fourth and the pomegranate is the fifth. The same can be done from right to left, the serial numbers of fruits in this case will change.

    Numerals

    Ordinal counting is impossible without ordinal numbers (indicate the order of an object in a series of sequences), and quantitative counting is impossible without quantitative ones (indicate the quantity).

    For example, one, two, three are quantitative, the first, second, third are ordinal numerators. nine0003

    Questions and answers

    It is easiest for children to remember how the ordinal count differs from the numeral count by asking questions. "How much?" - numeral, "what, what number?" - ordinal.

    This example game can be played all day long until the child memorizes the information. Ask questions about everything around him. For example:

    How many legs does a stool have?

    How many fingers are on the hand?

    How many rooms are there in the apartment?

    or

    What floor are we on?

    What candy do you eat?

    Direction

    To calculate how many items in total, it does not matter how to do it from right to left or vice versa. The goal is to determine the total. You can find out the number of an item in a set only after specifying the direction. Ordinal numbers change depending on whether you count from right to left or vice versa.

    Example:

    Can you show the third bird from the right?

    What color is the second house on the left? nine0003

    These are tasks for determining the sequence number with direction. Explain to the child that the total number of objects does not change when the direction changes.

    Meaning

    The quantitative score indicates the totality of items, and the ordinal score helps to determine the place of each.

    Games for reinforcing the material

    "On the clouds" with an ordinal score

    An interesting game for reinforcing the ordinal score with the smallest. To play, you will need any small toy smaller than an A4 sheet. The toy is the main character of the game. She will ride on fluffy clouds. nine0003

    Ordinary white sheets of A4 format are suitable for the role of clouds. By the way, by inviting your child to imagine the sheets in the form of funny clouds, you will push him to dream up a little.

    So what needs to be done. Lay out the sheets-clouds in a row. Place the toy on any of them. Start asking questions:

    How many clouds do we count?

    Are all clouds the same?

    Can you show me where the toy sits?

    How can we find out which cloud she is riding? nine0003

    Answering the questions, the child will count the clouds, he will be able to find out for himself that the toy is sitting on the first, second or third. You can play this game for a long time. The toy will soon get bored on its own cloud, it will want to transfer to another one, and then to the next one, and so on. As you play, keep asking your child probing questions.

    Number and Ordinal Counting Game - Rainbow Arc

    You will need multi-colored identical objects. Ideally 5-7 colors. It can be anything - from building blocks and cubes to carved figures from cardboard, balls, plastic plates, etc.

    To reinforce quantitative counting, simply ask your child to count objects. Complicate the tasks by grouping them by color or some specific features.

    When practicing ordinal counting, invite your child to name the number of an object by color and vice versa. For example:

    What color is the third ball in a row?

    What is the blue cube on the right?

    Show me the second clothespin from the left, what color is it?

    Change objects, direction of counting, number before the child begins to lose interest in what is happening. nine0003

    Game - Luntik's birthday

    If the child does not know or does not like Luntik, you can replace him with any other cartoon character. So how to play.

    Together with your child or on your own, you need to cut out 5 identical balloons on a stick from cardboard. Under one draw a birthday cake. The purpose of the game is to fix in the mind of the child the idea that the serial number always points to a specific object and depends on the direction of the count.

    The essence of the story is as follows. Luntik has a birthday. All the guests decided to give him a balloon. But someone could not resist and prepared a birthday cake for the birthday boy. Luntik knows that a surprise awaits him. The caterpillars told him about this in secret. But apart from the fact that the guest who brings the second ball will have a surprise, he does not know anything! nine0003

    Task: Find the second ball and make sure that Luntik gets a cake with it. To begin with, try to do it for the birthday man. For visibility, let him begin to count from the wrong end, skip the balls or swap them. The main thing is to clearly show the baby that the direction of the account affects the final result.

    Variations of the game are different.

    Learn more