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Pre-schoolers are quite curious and enthusiastic. They tend to explore ideas and objects independently.
If you are looking for some creative ideas to introduce numbers to your little one, here are some fun math activities for pre-schoolers that you may try. These activities are engaging and do not require any expertise or worksheets.
12 Math Activities For Pre-schoolers
Engage your child in these simple and playful math activities to help them learn the basics of math, such as counting, matching, and sorting, and improve their memory, fine motor, and cognitive skills.
1. Roll and dot the number
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Roll and dot is a simple and fun activity for children to learn and recognize numbers.
Materials required:
- Dice
- Dot marker
- Paper printed with numbers 1 to 6
How to do:
- Roll the dice and identify the number represented on them by counting the dots.
- Look for the number on the printable paper.
- Circle the number with a dot marker.
- Continue these steps until all the numbers are identified.
2. Counting bears number strips
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Counting bears on number strips is a great way for pre-schoolers to learn and identify numbers while playing with the colorful bears.
Materials required:
- Printable number strips with circles 1 to 10.
- Counting bears
How to do:
- Place the counting bears on the table and put the number strips next to them.
- Count the circles on the strips and place an equal number of bears on them.
3. Build and Measure Block Centre
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Let your child explore measurement by building towers and measuring their height. This activity can also be beneficial for comparing the heights.
Materials required:
- Wooden blocks
- Measuring tape
How to do:
- Place the blocks one over the other to form a tower.
- After the tower has been built, measure the height using a measuring tape.
- You can also place the measuring tape on the wall and challenge your child to build a tower as tall as the tape.
4. Button sorting cups
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Sorting the colored buttons is an amazing way for pre-schoolers to identify colors and number them. It also develops fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and concentration.
Materials required:
- Colored buttons
- Colored cups
How to do:
- Place the buttons on the table and put the colored cups next to them.
- Pick the buttons and put them in their respective colored cups.
- Continue the activity until all the buttons have been sorted.
- Ensure every cup is filled with the right number of buttons. This number can be decided at the beginning of the activity.
5. Tree play dough number mats
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Playdough number mats help children improve their counting skills. By decorating the tree with playdough fruits, they will learn to identify numbers and count.
Materials required:
- Tree playdough number mat
- Playdough flowers and fruits
How to do:
- Identify the number on the mat.
- Count the number of fruits or flowers and place them on the tree.
6. Colors and patterns
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Colors and patterns is an interesting activity for children as it keeps them occupied and helps them in identifying colors and numbers. This hands-on activity also helps develop children’s fine motor skills.
Materials required:
- Popsicle sticks
- Dot stickers
- Marker
- Pom poms
How to do:
- Color the dot stickers to match them with the color of the pom poms.
- Paste them on the popsicle sticks to form a pattern.
- Place the pom poms on the dot stickers to match the colors.
7. Counting math tray
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This is a super simple counting activity that develops fine motor skills and number recognition in young children. This fun activity does not require any early preparation.
Materials required:
- Foam numbers
- Clothespin
- Tray
How to do:
- Place some foam numbers and clothespins in a tray.
- Pick up a foam number and identify it.
- Clip the correct number of clothespins on the foam numbers.
- Repeat the same process for the remaining numbers as well.
8. Ladybirds in a leaf
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Perfect for nature lovers, Ladybirds in a Leaf is a creative math idea for children to learn counting and number recognition. It is easy to set up and can be played anywhere.
Materials required:
- Numbered leaves
- Mini ladybird erasers
How to do:
- Take out the numbered leaves and arrange them randomly.
- Identify the numbers on each leaf.
- Count the mini ladybirds and place them on the respective leaves.
- You may use printed ladybirds instead of erasers.
9. Symmetry with Lego bricks
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This is an adventurous activity for pre-schoolers as it allows them to experiment, test, and form new ideas while learning symmetry. It develops fine motor skills and dexterity.
Materials required:
- Lego building blocks
- Lego base plates
- Painter’s tape
How to do:
- Place the tape down the middle of the base plate.
- Arrange the Lego blocks at one side of the tape, leaving the other side blank.
- Let your child complete the other side by matching the blocks.
10. Car color sorting
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Bring the concept of color recognition and sorting by numbers to your child’s playtime with some toy cars.
Materials required:
- Colored toy cars
- Colored chalk
How to do:
- Draw circles with different colored chalks.
- Place the cars near the circles.
- Encourage your child to sort the cars by colors and put them in colored circles.
- You can also ask your child to number each car.
11. I spy shape glasses
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Take your children on a shape hunt by using spy magnifying glasses. This is an interesting hands-on activity that develops shape recognition in them while interacting with the environment.
Materials required:
- Black card stock
- Ziploc bags
- Glue
- Scissors
How to do:
- Make your spy magnifying glasses by cutting out a template of magnifying glasses from the card stock.
- Cut out a circle from the template for the glass portion. Use Ziploc bags as the glass in the magnifying glass template.
- Cut out a shape from a piece of paper and color it. Place it in between the plastic layers of the Ziploc bag.
- Now cut the Ziploc bag in a circle and stick it to the magnifying glasses. Your spy shape glass is ready to use.
- Go for a shape hunt and trace the shapes around you by using the I spy shape glasses.
12. Fish in a bowl
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Fish in a Bowl is another exciting and fun game where children learn and practice number recognition as well as counting.
Materials required:
- Bowl
- Fish toys
- Numbered papers
How to do:
- Arrange 10 bowls on a table.
- Label the bowls with numbered papers from 1 to 10.
- Place some fish toys near the bowl.
- Ask your child to recognize the number, count the fish, and put them into the bowl accordingly.
These math activities for pre-schoolers can be a fun and interesting way to introduce basic math concepts to them at a young age. By using toys, papers, or blocks, your child is sure to learn numbers and have oodles of fun along the way. It will not only keep them engaged and fascinated but also help them develop math and fine motor skills.