Preschool maths ideas

Preschool Math Games and Activities to Engage Young Learners

Preschoolers have lots of important math skills to learn before they start kindergarten. Counting, number sense, sorting, patterns, comparing size, and so much more—these are all concepts toddlers need so they can move on to more advanced math concepts. These preschool math games and activities help kids master those skills in ways that are just as fun as playtime!

1. String beads on pipe cleaners

This is one of those classic preschool math games that has so many benefits for young learners. They get fine motor control practice along with learning to count, recognize numerals, and put numbers in order. All you need are pipe cleaners and beads.

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Learn more: Laughing Kids Learn

2. Monster Dice Match

Rolling dice gives kids a chance to practice counting and subitizing. Get the printable for this free matching game at the link.

Learn more: The Measured Mom—Monster Dice

3. Build and count

You’ll find lots of dice-related preschool math games out there. In this one, kids roll the dice and then stack blocks together. They finish by counting the blocks all together, an early intro to addition.

Learn more: Hands On as We Grow

4. Flip Uno cards to make a match

Get some memory practice while you learn numerals. Uno cards, with their bright and cheery colors and large numbers, are perfect for this, but regular playing cards work too.

Learn more: Primary Playground

5. Tag the number

We love that this game gives kids a chance to move! Tape up numbers on the wall (or write them on a whiteboard). Then have kids roll a die and run to tag the number that comes up. You can play this game in other ways too, like calling out the numbers randomly yourself, or taping the numbers in a variety of places around the room.

Learn more: This Reading Mama

6.

Stack building blocks and build a city skyline. You’ll get a different result every time, making this one of those preschool math games kids can play again and again.

Learn more: Cinta + Co.

7. Race to fill the cup

So simple and so fun! Grab a bin of math cubes or small toys and some plastic cups. Kids roll a polyhedral die (you can also try flipping playing cards or Uno cards) and place that many items in their cup. The first to completely fill their cup wins!

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls—Fill the Cup

8. Hunt for numbers

Combine a sensory experience with some number practice. Fill a bin with sand, then bury playing cards for kids to find and match up.

Learn more: Busy Toddler/Number Hunt

9. Bounce a balloon

Everyone loves playing with balloons! Roll a die, then see if you can bounce a balloon into the air that many times without letting it hit the ground.

Learn more: Confidence Meets Parenting

10.

This is just like the original Cootie game, but no need to buy anything! Just cut beetle pieces from construction paper, then roll a die and see if you can be the first to assemble your bug!

Learn more: Teach Beside Me

11. Create shapes with sticks

Toddlers need to master their shapes, and this is a clever way to do it. Put together sets of wood craft sticks (use the same color for each shape) and let little fingers turn them into triangles, squares, and other shapes.

Learn more: Team Cartwright

12. Send bears into hibernation caves

Make “caves” from plastic bowls, then send little toy bears into “hibernation” in each one! Learn how the game works at the link.

Learn more: Pocket of Preschool

13. Park numbered cars

Vroom vroom! Number your toy cars to match the slots in a cardboard parking lot. Kids will have fun zooming them into the right places.

Learn more: B-Inspired Mama

14.

Dominoes are fantastic math learning tools. This game is a sneaky introduction to addition, as kids count up the total number of dots on each domino and put them in the proper place.

Learn more: Busy Toddler—Domino Line-Up

15. Copy ice tray patterns

Seeing and matching patterns is a key skill for preschoolers. Placing pom-poms into ice cube trays with plastic tweezers helps them work on fine motor skills too.

Learn more: Planning Playtime

16. Rubber Duck Math Race

In this game, kids race to see who can be the first to get their rubber duckies to 10 (or any number you choose). They roll a die and lay out tiles to move their duck. The twist? To get to 10 at the end, they must roll the exact number they need—no going over! Preschool math games like this help kids master counting to 10 and counting on.

Learn more: Happy Toddler Playtime—Rubber Duck Race

17. Feed the LEGO monster

Sort LEGO bricks by color, shape, or number of dots. Then compare the number that wind up in each bag to learn the concept of “more or less.”

Learn more: Toddler Approved

18. Drop blocks into tubes

Upcycle some empty cardboard tubes by labeling them with numbers. Then drop small items like blocks or caps into the tubes to match the numbers.

Learn more: Happy Toddler Playtime—Tube Counting

19. Compare numbers to music

Prep for this game by using dot markers on paper plates as shown (visit the link below for more examples). Each kid takes a plate and uses it to “drive” around the room as you play music. When the music stops, they find a nearby partner and compare what they see on each other’s plates (e.g., “8 dots is more than 4 dots. 1 green dot is less than 4 green dots.”). Then start the music up and repeat!

20. Hold a shape scavenger hunt

Preschool math students are learning to recognize shapes in their environment and also to categorize and sort. This scavenger hunt does it all! Send them out to find objects in the room that match the shapes. Then count and compare to see how many you have in each category.

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls—Shape Scavenger Hunt

If you loved these preschool math games, be sure to check out 20 Simple and Fun Preschool Science Experiments and Activities.

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Hands-On Math Activities for Preschoolers

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. See my disclosure policy for details.

Math is so fun to teach to preschoolers because there are a lot of daily activities that incorporate math. Preschoolers don’t need worksheets for math…they should learn through play and hands-on activities.

1. Patterns with Bears

Counting Bears are a great math manipulative to use with preschoolers. You can sort, count, or use them with patterns.

I created some pattern cards to help with this. The first page is an AB pattern, meaning two colors alternate in the pattern. The second page is an ABC pattern, meaning three are three colors in the pattern. For this activity, your preschooler will set the colored bear on top of the matching color to create a pattern. On the ABC pattern cards, the last circle is left empty. That is for your child to tell you what color it should be.

You can get the color patterns printable at the bottom of this post.

Math Skill: Patterns and Relationships

You can find more pattern activities here.

2. Sorting Colors with Bears

Sorting is a skill preschoolers should work on a lot. One way to sort is by color. We do this with our counting bears and a sorting mat.

You can get the sorting mat printable at the bottom of this post.

You can even use colored tape and pom poms to practice sorting! Add in some tweezers for some extra fine motor practice.

We also love counting mats! These are great for learning to count and working on one-to-one correspondence.

Math Skill: Patterns and Relationships

3. Money Muncher

A fun way to work on sorting is with the Money Muncher! It’s also a great activity for fine motor skills. To see all the fun details, click here.

Math Skill: Patterns and Relationships

4. Sorting Jelly Beans

Anytime we work with candy, my kids love it! You can sort M&Ms or jelly beans or whatever! To see how we did this with jelly beans, click here.

You can get the jelly bean sorting printable at the bottom of this post.

One more idea for sorting is by using toy animals. Have them sort by different characteristics, such as land animals and sea animals.

Math Skill: Patterns and Relationships

5. Graphing

Graphing is always good to introduce to preschoolers. It doesn’t have to be complex, but you can do a simple activity like graphing the types of transportation on a bar graph and use small pictures or toys (or I used erasers from The Dollar Tree).

Make graphing hands-on using apples! Even young preschoolers can begin learning about graphing with this activity.

Check out this free gumball graphing activity right here.

Math Skill: Patterns and Relationships

6. Shape Wheel

This is a fun activity for learning shapes! Just print this shape wheel and draw the same colored shapes onto clothespins. Have your child match the clothespin to the shape on the wheel. This is great for working on fine motor skills!

You can get the shape wheel printable at the bottom of this post.

Math Skill: Geometry

7. Shape Sorter

An easy way to practice shapes is with a Shape Sorter! I bought these shapes at Michaels Craft Store many years ago, but these 3D geometric shapes would be a good option if you’re interested in creating a Shape Sorter. Check out this post for details on how to make this easy math activity.

Math Skill: Geometry

8. Noodle Shape Cards

A neat sensory activity and a fun way to learn shapes are with noodles! See the post here to download the free shape cards.

Math Skill: Geometry

9. Foam Sticks

Learn shapes in the tub with these foam sticks! You can see how we did this here.

Another fun way to practice shapes is with the cookie shapes matching activity!

And my favorite way to teach about shapes is with my shape rhymes!

10. Dice Game

This is a really fun game! I took this Melissa & Doug wooden toy and put white circle stickers on the top of the pegs. I wrote numbers 1-6 and had 2 stars. I had my son roll the dice and whatever number it landed on, he would pound with a toy hammer. If the number he rolled was already down, he hit the star. Not only was this fun for him, but he was able to “subitize”, which simply means to recognize numbers instantly without counting the dots.

Math Skill: Number Concepts

11. Star Number Cards

Practice counting and recognizing numbers with star number cards. This one is great for working on one-to-one correspondence and fine motor skills.

You can get the star number printable cards at the bottom of this post.

Math Skill: Number Concepts

12. Ladybug Math

We made these adorable ladybugs and they were a hit! Not only were they fun to play with, but we did a lot of counting and sorting with them. Read all about it here.

Math Skill: Number Concepts

13. Balloons

Learn the order of numbers with this really fun game involving balloons! Check out the details here.

  Math Skill: Number Concepts

14. Estimating with Water

We learned about estimation with a dropper with some fun, hands-on water activities.

Math Skill: Measurement

15.  Pouring and Comparing

We practiced pouring skills with rice into these beakers. Then I had my son line them up from biggest to smallest. Using comparative words like big/small or empty/full help teach preschoolers about simple concepts of measurement. This is simple and you could elaborate on this activity.

One more easy way to practice measurement is with Unifix cubes. Place different lengths of tape on the floor or poster board. Then have your child use Unifix cubes to measure the lines. This is a simple way to practice counting, measuring, and comparing lengths.

Math Skill: Measurement

Lastly, check out this really easy and fun way to practice counting!

If you’re looking for digital math activities, make sure to check out my counting activities using Google Slides.

If you’d like to download the 5 free printables I shared in this blog post, just click on the button below!

Preschool Math

2. Information
3. Sunflower Group
4. Preschool Math

Preschool Math

The problem of teaching children mathematics has been of interest to scientists for many centuries. In the 17-19 centuries. Ya. A. Komensky, I. G. Pestalozzi, K. D. Ushinsky, Montessori and others came to the conclusion about the need for special mathematical training for preschool children. The formation of their knowledge about size, measurement, time and space was considered from the point of view of practical expediency. This period of the formation of the methodology is called empirical, since the main ideas of mathematical development generalized the personal experience of teachers.

A huge contribution to the methodology of mathematics was made by I. G. Pestalozzi. He called his theory of education elementary, because he believed that the development of a child should begin with the simplest elements and move to the complex. He developed a system of exercises arranged in a certain sequence in order to set in motion the desire for activity inherent in the natural forces of man. Following Y. A. Comenius, I. G. Pestalozzi attached importance to visualization in teaching as a means of developing a child’s ability to compare objects in the process of observation, identifying their common and distinctive features and the relationships between them. In order to facilitate the child's observations and streamline them, he singled out the simplest elements that are common to all educational subjects and therefore are the starting points for any subject. I. G. Pestalozzi suggested starting the initial teaching of counting from a unit: on the basis of a combination of separation of units, to give children visual representations of the properties of numbers.

At the beginning of the XX century. there was a need for a detailed study of the mechanisms that make it possible to teach mathematics to preschoolers. At this stage, the formation of the theory and methodology of the mathematical development of preschoolers began, the content, methods and techniques of working with children were determined.

Mathematics has a unique developmental effect. Its study contributes to the development of memory, speech, imagination, emotions; forms perseverance, patience, creative potential of the individual. Mathematics is one of the most difficult academic subjects. The potential of a preschool teacher lies not in the transfer of certain mathematical knowledge and skills, but in familiarizing children with material that gives food to the imagination, affecting not only the purely intellectual, but also the emotional sphere of the child. The preschool teacher must let the child feel that he can understand, learn not only private concepts, but also general patterns. And most importantly, to know the joy in overcoming difficulties.

Teaching preschoolers the basics of mathematics is given an important place. This is due to a number of reasons: the beginning of schooling from the age of six, the abundance of information received by the child.

Achieving successful assimilation of educational material allows the use of various methods, techniques and teaching aids. The choice of teaching methods depends on the goals and objectives set, the age of the children, the content of the material being studied and the stage of the lesson.

At present, new approaches to the development of cognitive interests in mathematics in preschoolers have been developed.

The age capabilities of children in mastering mathematical content have increased, the school's requirements for the mathematical preparation of preschoolers have increased, social conditions and the attitude of adults to the upbringing and education of children have changed. Educators have ample opportunities in choosing mathematical development programs, in using a variety of models and technologies for teaching preschoolers.

At preschool age directly - educational activity begins to develop in the process of playing, so the child must learn by playing.

In our kindergarten, in the process of forming elementary mathematical concepts in preschoolers, we use a variety of teaching methods: practical, visual, verbal. This contributes to the fact that children have an interest in learning, develop creativity, initiative, perseverance, self-control, which, in addition to intelligence and acquired skills and abilities, constitute the creative orientation of the individual. Interest is often caused by increased difficulty, non-standard game, the need to solve the problem.

In the game, our educators model such logical and mathematical constructions that help accelerate the formation and development of logical thinking structures in preschoolers. During the game, we create favorable conditions for the application of mathematical knowledge, their active and independent use. Children develop an interest in mathematical content.

Teaching mathematics to preschool children is unthinkable without the use of entertaining games, tasks, and entertainment. The teachers chose a place in the group where they placed the game library. This is a bright place, there are tables nearby, where you can comfortably sit down with an interesting game.

Many bright educational games attract the attention of children. The frequent change of games maintains the constant interest of children in the toy library. Our educators have made manuals, didactic games of mathematical content, card indexes of games with Gyenesh blocks and Kuizener sticks. Compiled a series of notes on working with children in the classroom. They included games and exercises for the development of attention, fantasy, imagination and speech of the child; games for the classification of objects by purpose. For example: "Fourth Extra", "Magic Bag", "Geometric Lotto" and many others. To develop attention, the ability to draw logical conclusions, in working with children, we use logical tables. We directed the mathematical content of the work to the development of the cognitive and creative abilities of children: the ability to generalize, compare, identify and establish patterns, connections and relationships, solve problems, put them forward, foresee the result and the course of solving a creative problem. To do this, we involved children in meaningful, active and developing activities in the classroom.

We offer children independent gaming and practical exercises outside of class, based on self-control and self-esteem. For example, games: "Find the place of the object", "Transparent square", "What has changed".

A series of games were included in the work with children: “Fold the square”, “Fold the circle”. They develop the ability to make a whole out of parts, contribute to the development of imagination, constructive thinking, willpower, the ability to bring the work started to the end.

To develop attention, the ability to draw logical conclusions, in working with children, we use logical tables. Children examine and analyze the rows of figures, and then choose the missing figure from the proposed samples.

For orientation in space, we use a planmap in our work, according to which children consolidate knowledge: right, left, up, down, forward, back. Working with a planmap teaches children to build their story in sequence, for example, "How to get to house A."

To develop children's memory, attention, logical thinking, sensory and creative abilities; learn to count, count the right amount, get acquainted with spatial relationships and magnitude; Voskobovich's games help to correlate the whole and the parts.

Each group has a center for sensory development, where children, together with the teacher, explore objects, highlight color, size, shape. They develop fine motor skills of the hands, enrich the tactile sensitivity of the palms, form the visual memory of the imagination.

Walks and excursions are the richest source for expanding the mathematical horizons of children. While walking along the street, in the park, in the forest, attention is drawn to the number, size, shape, spatial arrangement of objects (count how many cars have passed; compare the height of a tree and a house, the size of a dove and a sparrow; name three objects of different lengths , width, height; explain where the new house is being built, how many floors; what shape are the birch leaves?).

We teach children to apply mathematical knowledge in various situations, we create conditions in which children realize the need to apply their skills and solve the problem on their own.

Organized the work of the studio of educational games, where we use games and tasks with Gyenesh blocks. For example, such logical tasks with blocks as "Collect the chain". This game develops the ability to see the rhythmic sequence of actions, the ability to highlight several features (color, shape, size).

The children really enjoyed the train game. Blocks served as tickets for it, and cards encoding these blocks lay in places on the train.

Our parents were very interested in working with Gyenesh logic blocks, and we held a consultation for them on this topic, as well as a workshop on the "Let's play" manual, where we talked about the need to create home games libraries, what games to buy and how to play them with children . Parents responded to our wishes and equipped home game libraries.

The children of our kindergarten began to show an increased interest in sign systems, modeling, perform arithmetic operations with numbers with pleasure, are more independent in solving creative problems and evaluating the result.

We believe that only by joint efforts in the work of the kindergarten and the family it was possible to achieve certain results in the development of children.

As a result of our work, children have become more active in the classroom, use complete answers, their statements are based on evidence, children have become more independent in solving various problem situations. They have improved memory, thinking, ability to reason, think. Children develop cognitive abilities, intelligence, instill the skills of a culture of speech communication, improve aesthetic and moral attitudes to the environment.

Preschool age is the beginning of a long road to the world of knowledge, to the world of miracles. After all, it is at this age that the foundation for further education is laid. The task is not only how to learn how to properly hold a pen, write, count, but also the ability to think and create. A huge role in mental education and in the development of the child's intellect is played by mathematical development.

Methods of mathematical development of preschool children as a science and subject

1. Methods of mathematical development of preschool children as a science and academic subject

5. Mathematical development of preschoolers includes

CONTENT OF SECTIONS

7. The development of logical methods of thinking

mathematical representations in each age group

9. Tasks of the methodology of mathematical development of children

10. Connection with other sciences

11. Connection with other sciences

12. Connection with other sciences

13.

14. Communication with other sciences

15. Connection with other sciences

16. The role of teaching mathematics for the development of a child's personality

17. “Modern technologies of mathematical education of preschool children” as a subject of

18. Fundamental ideas

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