Learn numbers for preschoolers
Learning Numbers in Preschool - Fantastic Fun & Learning
Learning numbers in preschool is a continual process of hands-on experiences and opportunities for real life counting. As kids are counting numbers they are learning many important skills. This collection of preschool number activities will give you a terrific springboard for helping preschoolers learn numbers.
Tips for Helping Kids Learn About Counting Numbers
Although counting may seem like a relatively simple process, there are actually a lot of steps to learning to count.
For starters children have to learn and memorize the numerical sequence for rote counting so they know the numbers to say as they count a set of objects.
They also need to understand one-to-one correspondence and be able to touch one object for each number they are saying as they count a set.
As they begin to count sets kids also need to learn that the set represents a quantity, and the last number they say when they are counting the objects in a set corresponds to that quantity. This is know as quantification.
And they must also recognize that if we add or remove an object from the set this changes the quantity, so we must count carefully and count again if we change the objects in the set.
Finally they must learn to recognize the written format of numbers and connect that concept to their rote counting and other knowledge about counting numbers.
As you can see it’s much more complicated than it seems on the surface, but we make it easier and more meaningful when we provide kids with a lot of hands-on counting opportunities throughout their learning and play.
For additional information about teaching numbers in preschool, visit these great teaching resource books.
Preschool Number Activities
Below are some tools that work well for a wide variety of number activities.
This list of DIY math manipulatives is also very helpful.
Hands-on Number Activities without Printables
There are so many hands-on ways to help kids who are learning numbers and counting.
We can practice counting throughout the day in many ways:
- as we wait for something
- as we prepare snacks and meals
- as we gather objects
- as we sing songs
- as we take steps
On Fantastic Fun and Learning we’ve also shared many fun hands-on ideas for counting numbers. The options in this first section are all done without printables. If you’re looking for some free printables to help kids learning to count, I’ve added those in the next section.
In this listen and spray counting game, little learners listen for a number to be called and then spray it that many times with a spray bottle. It’s great for toddlers and preschoolers!
Wiggle to 1. Tiptoe to 2. Have fun with alliteration, and get kids up and moving with this fun counting game that emphasizes number recognition.
Tea anyone? During our tea time theme we practice counting and comparing tea packets.
Set up a caterpillar sensory bin. Then use it for a variety of caterpillar counting activities.
Continue the spring sensory fun with a counting seeds gardening sensory bin.
Use play dough and number stamps to create a counting garden.
Or head outdoors with some chalk to create your own sidewalk chalk counting garden.
Race to get the gold in this rainbow counting game.
Count Rainbow Fish’s beautiful scales in this play dough Rainbow Fish counting activity inspired by Marcus Pfister’s popular book.
Make your own pumpkin faces with this fall pumpkin counting activity.
Turn old egg cartons into a fun counting activity with these bat number matching sets.
Create and count antlers for this reindeer counting game.
Feed the reindeer in this reindeer counting pretend play activity.
Help the penguins cross the ice in this winter counting sensory bin.
Printables for Counting Numbers and Sets
On Fantastic Fun and Learning we also have a lot of free printables that give kids the opportunity to practice counting and number recognition.
Some of them are nonseasonal and can be done any time of year. While others are more seasonal in nature. Many are also from our preschool lesson plans, as we prefer to include a wide range of skills and activities in each thematic unit.
With these dinosaur play dough mats, kids practice creating sets to match a specific number.
Exercise those fine motor muscles as you match the correct number of caterpillar “eggs” to leaves.
Use these rain theme counting cards to count out objects in a rainy day sensory bin.
Or have some creepy crawly fun counting worms in this spring sensory bin activity.
Grab some beach theme manipulatives and practice counting with these beach counting mats.
Count out snowballs to match the numbered snowmen in this winter counting activity.
Create your own printable book to read over and over again with this snowflake counting book.
Have fun creating your own play dough “chocolates” in this chocolate box counting activity.
Practice number recognition and sequencing 1-20 in this Valentine Scavenger Hunt.
Use this number scavenger hunt to help kids learn to read and write numbers to 20.
Use our roll and color math games to practice counting numbers and sets. There are a wide variety of options to choose throughout the year.
Printables for Teaching Different Ways to Represent Numbers
As kids become more comfortable creating sets of objects and recognizing numerals, we can extend their learning by introducing additonal ways to represent numbers.
The following printables are helpful for introducing this concept.
Insect Counting Mats
Spider Counting Mats
Gingerbread Counting Mats
Seashell Counting Mats
More Resources for Learning Numbers
Counting books are an excellent resource for learning numbers. Kids enjoy reading many of them over and over again. Here is a list of our favorite counting books for kids.
There are also more ideas for counting numbers in this collection of counting games.
The counting games and puzzles below are kid-tested and teacher approved.
What next?
As kids become proficient at counting numbers we can continue helping them develop number sense by:
- working on concepts like one more and one less
- comparing amounts
- beginning to add and subtract
40 Awesome Number Activities for Preschoolers
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27 Apr
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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.
- Turn a number into sensory art – perfect for the 100th day of school!
- Go on a hunt for numbers and match it with the same number!
- Follow a number from start to finish in a maze.
- Trace numbers, really big!
- Little Family Fun created a parking lot with numbers.
- Pop! Find the number and pop it!
- Find and match playing cards.
- Have target practice with water balloons and numbers, like Motherhood on a Dime
- Make art! Do this paint by number canvas art.
- Use stickers and printable number cards to play hide and seek, from Teach Mama.
- Draw and paint over numbers with q-tips, like Toddler at Play!
- 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.
- Connect the dots! A simple past-time activity that reinforces the order of numbers.
- Upcycle a box into a puzzle of numbers!
- Create a maze of numbers to drive through. Can they count their way to the end?
- Stacking up boxes and counting how high you can go!
- Make a craft together with multiple pieces. Have your child do the counting!
- Count cars of a particular color while on the road, or semis, or vans, whatever suits their interest!
- 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! - Let your child run an experiment and measure how much something holds! How many cups fit?
- 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.
- Use friendly animal crackers to practice counting and number recognition, like I Can Teach My Child.
- Measure objects (or yourself!) and count how big they are, from The Imagination Tree
- Count objects around the house. No Time For Flash Cards wants to know “How many doors do you have?”
- Play any board game, or make your own! Little Family Fun creates a fish race game!
- Count with LEGO! Do Play Learn likes to label a paper with numbers and count out the LEGO next to it.
- Snack time! Use dice and fruit snacks and play until you eat them all up, like Kids Activities Blog.
- 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.
- Head out into nature and explore flowers. Count and compare flower petals!
- Go on a hunt for a number and match it to its corresponding dots.
- Build towers of blocks on a number mat, with the correct number of blocks high!
- Spark your child’s interest with their interests! A farming approach of loading grain bins with the corresponding number of pieces of “grain.”
- Have a newspaper throwing game and count up the newspaper balls, or how many you make, or miss!
- Make something in the kitchen together, or do an experiment and let your child measure out and do the counting.
- Sort through objects by color, and count how many you have of each!
- Fill a dump truck with objects (like Dominoes!) and count how many you can fit in there, like Inspiration Laboratories.
- Estimate first for some fun and then count item, from Teach Preschool.
- Have a counting race in the front yard and pick dandelions in the process!
- Roll a die (or two!) and practice one to one correspondence as kids build towers with blocks.
- 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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Learn Numbers and Counting for Kids on the App Store
Learn Numbers and Counting for Kids is an educational app for learning numbers and counting for kids quickly and easily.
Pros of our game "Learn numbers and score for children":
+ without advertising
+ free 4 digits
+ 7 entertaining and fascinating games for quick memorization of numbers
+ voiced by the child 9000 + to facilitate the memorization of the numbers are divided into 3 LESSON
+ DEVELOPS MEMORY, LOGICAL THINKING, FINE MOTOR SKILLS, ATTENTION, SPEECH
+ the ability to write the studied numbers
+ verbal encouragement for each correctly completed task
+ simple interface understandable to the baby
Description of games contained in the game "Learn numbers and score for children":
1) acquaintance with numbers
In this game, the child meets with numbers, hears their sounds and images. For each number, balls corresponding to the number are given. With the help of the arrows to the right and left, the baby himself flips through the numbers, repeating after the announcer and memorizing them. For ease of memorization, only a few numbers are given in each lesson to study.
The transition to a new lesson (with new numbers) occurs automatically after the successful completion of the studied and already past numbers in the "Check Yourself" game, please note that only one mistake is allowed. Thanks to this, the child proceeds to the next numbers only after mastering the previous numbers.
2) FIXING THE NUMBERS
In this game, the child is given a number and 3 contours of numbers, looking at the number itself, the child must move it to the corresponding contour, after which it is painted over. Then a new digit is given until all 3 contours of digits are filled.
3) WRITING NUMBERS
Here the kid learns to write numbers, for the correct writing each element of the number is equipped with an arrow showing the direction of finger movement and two circles: yellow for the beginning of the movement, red for the end. Difficult to write numbers are divided into elements.
4) DIGITAL BALLS
This game is for reinforcing learning numbers in a playful way.
Balls with numbers appear on the screen and a task is given - a number that is pronounced and written in the middle of the screen in the sun. The child needs to find the required number on the ball and click on it, the ball will burst. The task is considered completed after bursting 7 balloons. After that, the task - the number changes and new balls with mixed numbers are given. Each time the numbers change randomly.
5) FUNNY ROCKETS
This game is also to reinforce the studied numbers in a playful way. The screen represents the sky where rockets are rising carrying numbers. The task is given - a number that is pronounced and written in the sun. The numbers with rockets are constantly flying up and the kid needs to have time to find the required number on the rocket and click on the rocket.
6) COUNT THE BALLS
In this game, the child learns to count. Several balls and three numbers are given. The child must count the balls and choose the appropriate number from the bottom of the account.
When you click on the balls, the number is announced in order.
7) TEST YOURSELF
In this game the learned numbers are checked and a new lesson is opened. All the numbers are given on the screen and the number is pronounced out of order, the child must click on the spoken number. If the answers are correct, a new lesson will open. Attention, only 1 mistake is allowed.
Our application "Learn Numbers and Counting for Kids" does not contain any ads, so some of the content is paid. Numbers 0, 1, 2, 3 are FREE, the rest are PAID.
We recommend that you play the games in the order described above, ie. start learning with the game ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE NUMBERS, then CONNECT THE NUMBERS, WRITE THE NUMBERS and DIGITAL BALLS, then FUNNY ROCKETS and at the end CHECK YOURSELF.
Also in the menu it is possible to select the required group of numbers to select the most appropriate learning and repetition strategy.
After completing all these games, your kid will easily and reliably learn numbers and counting!
Dear users, thank you for choosing our application.
Please send any of your suggestions and comments to [email protected], we will try to make the application even better.
Best regards, For kids.
Educational games Learn numbers for kids
Contents
- Learn Numbers Sheep Cards
- Write Numbers
- Circle the Correct Numbers
- Lego Numbers
- Learn Numbers Games for Kids
- Name!
- Make the number
- SCHERICS BACTS
- Foundings
- Pantomime
- Coarse
- Gymnastics according to numbers
- Find error 055
- Learning Numbers Board Games for Kids
- Mixed Dominoes
- Print Learning Numbers Tasks for Kids
- Digital Maze
- Counting up to 10 with Fingers
Educational Numbers Games Selection for Kids: Learning Numbers and tasks. Print out children's tasks with numbers for preschoolers.
Children aged 2-5 usually do not yet know all the numbers, but only say or “recognize” some of them.
Kids confuse a number and a number, a number and a letter, they confuse numbers with each other: zero and the letter 0, G and 1, 2 and 5, 9and 6, 1 and 4, etc. Often violate the sequence between adjacent numbers from a series.
Certain difficulties arise in some children when the result of the count must be indicated by a number or the figure must be correlated with the required number of items.
Lessons "Learn numbers" for preschool children will allow you to easily and quickly eliminate such problems in a playful way.
Here: games for children "Let's learn letters".
Learn Numbers Sheep Cards
Educational cards are visual material, convenient for explaining any topic. Therefore, it is successfully used in the study of numbers.
Copy-book numbers
Here: Print additional copy-book numbers for children.
Circle the correct numbers
Lego numbers
Learning numbers games for kids
Name it!
Figures made from different materials are considered: paper, cardboard, fabric, printed on cards of different sizes and colors, written or printed, etc.
In the process of such a lesson, you can find out what numbers the child knows and where he saw them.
Make a number
It is proposed to lay out numbers from circles, sticks, cubes, triangles, mosaics, mold them from plasticine, clay. You can cut out numbers from velvet or plain paper, old newspapers or magazines, fabrics and stick them on.
Numbers by cells
It is necessary to paint over the cells, as in the sample, and get numbers from 0 to 9.
Finders
Cards with numbers are laid out on the table. The child receives a card with a number. You have to find yours.
Pantomime
The adult draws a number in the air with his finger, and the child guesses it, then they switch roles.
Laughers
By drawing or drawing, the figures turn into "little men", "animals" or other funny figures.
Gymnastics by numbers
An adult offers (squat, jump) to a child as many times as the number indicates.
Find the mistake
The child is shown two cards. The kid needs to determine whether the image of the number on one card matches the number of circles, triangles or objects on the other card.
Memory with numbers
The child examines cards with numbers and memorizes them. The adult swaps them. The kid points out what has changed. If any card is removed, the child guesses which number is gone.
Tangram “Numbers”
Sensorics will help you remember writing numbers: write numbers, mold from plasticine, lay them out from buttons, pompons, figurines, sticks ... Here are the numbers from the tangram.
More tangram tasks here.
Number 9 coloring pages0110
You can take coloring pages with numbers and invite your child to color them. The child will be interested in creativity, and at the same time consolidate knowledge about the new figure.
Here: Print out the number coloring tasks.
So that the coloring process does not bore the child, you need to use various interesting techniques for this
- color the numbers not only with pencils, but also with paints, wax crayons, stamps;
- lay out numbers from sticks, cubes, mosaics, buttons, peas, pebbles;
- model figures from plasticine,
- color with fingers using finger paints;
- use non-traditional drawing techniques: cotton swabs, crumpled paper, blots, etc.
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