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Playful Learning Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

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The Ultimate Collection of Preschool Math Activities

July 15, 2019 by Sheryl Cooper

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Inside: Preschool math activities do not need to be complicated. Every day there are opportunities to expose young children to math in fun, hands-on ways!

Preschool math activities can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying to figure out what part of your day to place them. Believe me, I’ve tweaked our schedule so much in the past 19 years! I tried math trays during centers time, large group math activities during circle time, and even math activities during small groups time. Eventually I came to a perfect solution, which I will share later in this post.

What is the best approach for offering preschool math activities?

Let me just get it out there that I did not like math as a child. Now, that was a long time ago, and thankfully teaching has come a long ways. But forcing a child to sit and do worksheets and flashcards can be boring. In fact, some children will quickly decide they don’t want to have anything to do with it.

I am a strong believer in allowing young children to use their five senses during learning activities, math included. They could be sitting and staring at numbers on a sheet of paper, or on an index card, OR they could be exploring numbers while sorting, measuring, counting, reading, singing and cooking. They could be counting the pieces that are involved in an art project, or while putting together shape puzzles with friends, or using the play cash register in the dramatics area. Math can be done at school or at home, indoors and out, while on a walk around the neighborhood, even while in the grocery store.

I do use some printable math activities in my classroom (see the link towards the end of this post for some freebies), but I am very mindful that these are to be included with other hands-on manipulative activities.

The Ultimate Collection of Preschool Math Activities

 

 

 The Ultimate Collection of Preschool Math Activities

 

When is the best time to offer preschool math activities?

If you were to walk into my preschool classroom, you’d notice learning taking place all over the classroom, and not just at one part of our day. I mentioned above that I’ve tried math trays during centers time, large group math activities during circle time, and math games during small groups.

Math does not have to be limited to a specific part of your day.

What I learned is that math can be done during all three of those times, and other times as well. And so,  this is how we engage our preschoolers into the world of math. Lots of hands-on activities that can be done independently, in large groups, and more intimately in small groups.

Preschool math activities can be done any time of the day, throughout the day.

So, let me share some fun ways that we have engaged our preschoolers:

Sorting

These are the obvious sorting activities, but there are so many others that just seem to happen naturally throughout our morning. Putting things away in proper bins, sorting what goes into the trash and what goes back into the bag at snack time, sorting the colored markers when putting them away.

 

Preschool Color Game Using Legos

 

Sort Legos by Color

Spring Color Sorting Activity that Goes with Your Gardening Theme

Sort Flowers by Color

Hanging Rainbow Sorting Activity for Preschoolers

Sort Colors to make a Hanging Rainbow

Fun Preschool Color Sorting Bear Activity for the Light Table

Sort Bears by Color

 

Rainbow Activity for Preschoolers

 

Sort Rainbow Macaroni for a Necklace

Fun Rainbow Sensory Bin

Sort Pom Poms and Other Pieces in the Sensory Bin

Fun Color Sorting Fish Sensory Bin

Sort Fish by Color in the Water Table

How to Create Rainbow Collage Art for Classroom Display 

Sort Pieces to make a Rainbow

 

preschool valentines activity

 

Sort Hearts by Color

 

learning letters

 

Sort Letters

 

Measuring

 

So much math is being learned while we do even the simplest activities involving measuring! How many? What shape? How full? How much?
How to Make Easy Apple Muffins with Toddlers
Measure How Much Batter to Use for Muffins
cooking with kids

 

Measure Scoops of Vegetables for Soup
great gift for mom

 

Measure salt for a Mother’s Day gift.
Letter Beads Discovery Bottles

 

Measure Rice for a Rainbow Discovery Bottle
how to make a terrarium with kids
Measure Rocks for Terrariums
scented play dough

 

Measure Salt to Make Play dough
Winter Discovery Bottles for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Measure Liquid for Discovery Bottles
Planting Seeds with Kids

 

Measure Soil for Seeds
BUBBLE PAINT

 

Measure Soap to Make Bubble Paint

 

Including Math with Art

One of my favorite ways to add some simple counting is during art projects. How many legs? How many eyes? How many circles? I often add a number line so they can place the items on the line while they count. (This is great 1:1 correspondence, too.)

How to Put Together a Frog Art Activity that Builds Counting Skills

Count the Frogs on the Log

 

 

Count the Spider’s Legs

ladybug 6

 

Count the Legs on the Ladybug

 

Thankful Turkeys

 

Count the “Feathers” on the Turkey

 

snowman art

 

Count the Circles for the Snowman

Shapes

 

We learn about and draw shapes in many ways. In our journals with stickers, puzzles, overhead projector, cookie cutters at the play dough table, etc. While we do have a “shape of the month”, I feel the same about it as I do “letter of the week”. Why devote one specific time for each one? We are exposed to all of them each day!
Toddler Triangle Shapes Activity that Also Builds Fine Motor Skills
Press Triangles into Playdough
Build Fine Motor Skills with this Toddler Shapes Art Activity
Stamp Shapes with Toys
How to Put Together Toddler Circle Art with Paper Tubes
Stamp Circles with Paper Tubes
Shape Sensory Bin for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Explore Shapes at the Sensory Bin

How to Put Together a Simple Toddler Circle Activity that Gets them Moving!

Hunting for Circles

Learning Colors and Shapes Activity
Sort Shapes by Color

 

Counting

 

We count all morning long, in so many ways, during large groups, small groups, and independently.

 

small group activities for preschoolers 5

 

Color and Number Recognition in Small Groups 
Preschool Counting Activity for Spring

 

 Spring Counting Activity
 
Spider Snack Activity
Pumpkin Seed Counting

preschool apple sorting free printable

Apple Sorting and Counting

Apple Counting and 1:1 Correspondence

 Literacy Activities

There are so many picture books include math. I love to use these books for circle time activities, or during small groups.

Love Monster Counting Craft for Preschoolers

Counting how many pieces went on the Love Monster.

Preschool Math Activity with Groovy Joe

Counting scoops of ice cream after reading Groovy Joe Ice Cream and Dinosaurs.

Preschool Math with Bear Count

Count along with the book Bear Counts.

 

Finger plays are another wonderful way to add counting to your circle time!

 

Favorite Fingerplays for Preschoolers

 

Here is our favorite collection of finger plays, plus activities to go with them: Favorite Fingerplays

 

 

My favorite collections of math activities:

Independent Math Activities

Math Activity Trays for Preschoolers
Hands-On Math Tray Activities
Simple Counting
20 Ways to Teach Counting to Preschoolers
20 Ways to Teach Counting to Preschoolers
Using Toys
Learn how to count in preschool
Learn How to Count with Toys
Keeping Math Fun
how to make math fun for preschoolers
How to Make Math Fun for Preschoolers
 Seasonal
Apple Counting Activities
Apple Counting Activities
Winter Math Ideas for Preschoolers - Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
12 of the Best Preschool Math Activities for Winter

 

Counting Books:


 

Counting Songs:


Counting Printables:

Free Toddler Preschool Math Printables

 

The Ultimate Collection of Preschool Math Activities

Hop on over to my math pin board for even more math activities!

 

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Filed Under: Math, preschool, Preschool Math, Printable Tagged With: math, preschool, printables

About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 20 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

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Welcome! I'm Sheryl Cooper, teacher of 2 and 3 year olds for over 19 years. Read more about me here!

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