Numbers are everywhere. Anything and everything you see around you would probably not be possible if we didn’t learn how to count and solve mathematical equations.
That’s what your kid can do. If they foster a love for math, your kid can grow to be an innovator that can change this world for the better.
That’s why we ought to get them started at an early age. As a parent, you can support this at home by conducting different activities with numbers for preschoolers.
Activities With Numbers for Preschoolers
Your child can learn several math skills, even at the preschool level. It can range from recognizing numbers to counting and even addition and subtraction.
Here are some activities that should help them grow fond of numbers:
1. Chalk Garden
The Chalk Garden is an outdoor activity. Nonetheless, you can turn it indoors using markers and a large piece of paper instead of chalk.
To begin, you need one set of colorful chalk. On the pavement outside your home (make sure not to do this on the street as it can be rather dangerous), write the numbers 1 to 10.
Make sure that you also leave ample space between each number. Then, draw a circle around each number while leaving plenty of space.
Once you’re done, instruct your child to illustrate a flower by drawing petals on each of the circled numbers.
The number of petals should correspond to the number that’s within the circle. You can also ask your child to try and make the petals as symmetrical as possible.
Voila! Just like that, you’re already teaching your child numerical values while having a beautiful garden of number-flowers.
This activity is an excellent way to develop your child’s counting skills, visual math skills, and even fine motor skills.
The main purpose of the activity is to establish a direct correlation between the recognition of a number and the value behind it.
2. Monster Maker
To achieve the best results in this activity, be sure to prepare the following materials:
- Large sheet of paper
- Glue (be sure it’s child-safe)
- Different colored markers
- Googly eyes
- A pair of dice
Your child will use these materials to create a monster while establishing a stronger connection with numbers.
First, grab the large sheet of paper and draw an oval-shaped body that will serve as the base of the monster. Make sure that it’s also relatively large.
Then, write the following body parts on a small portion of the paper:
- Arms
- Legs
- Eyes
- Tails
- Horns
- Teeth
You can also add different elements or ask your child if they would like to add more features to their monster.
Then, ask your child to roll the dice. They will then draw the appropriate number of a specific body part according to the number on the dice.
For instance, if you began with the arms and the dice rolled a four, your child will have to draw four arms alongside the monster’s oval-shaped body.
The googly eyes and the glue are to be used once you reach the eyes of the monster. Repeat the process until the monster is complete.
You can further improve their math skills by naming the monster according to the number of body parts it has.
Ask your child to count the number of body parts and write the monster’s name under the drawing, like “Monster #24” or “Experiment #33.”
3. Cup Stacks
For this activity, all you need are the following materials:
- A sheet of paper
- Marker
- Stackable cups
On the other hand, if you don’t have any stackable cups available at home, you can use any other stackable object like Legos.
To start, grab the sheet of paper and draw a long horizontal line. Draw five short vertical lines from the start to the end of the horizontal line to create a number line.
Below the vertical lines, write the numbers 1 to 5. You can also modify this by drawing 10 or 15 vertical lines if you want to.
Then, your child will go down this line and stack cups or Legos that match the corresponding number on the line.
You can also ask your child to add the stacks they’ve completed as they go further down the number line.
One of the main purposes of this activity is to demonstrate that even though numbers are abstract concepts, they can be represented by real objects.
This reinforces the mathematical concept of one-to-one correspondence.
Additionally, the representation of the numbers as physical objects demonstrates the difference in the numbers’ values, how some numbers are bigger while others are smaller.
4. Parking Garage
Some kids develop a fascination with dinosaurs, while others love construction vehicles. On the other hand, some kids adore toy cars.
This next activity is a great way for them to learn more about numbers. First, you need to prepare the following materials:
- Sheet of paper
- Post-Its
- Marker
- Toy cars
What you need to do is to use the Post-Its to label the toy cars with corresponding numbers from 1 to 10. Next, draw a simple “parking garage” on a sheet of paper.
The parking garage should have individual rectangular spaces to fit a toy car. Each parking space should also be labeled with numbers 1 to 10.
You can also make the activity more challenging for your child by randomizing the numbers on the parking spaces instead of going chronological.
Once the parking garage is ready, your child has to park the cars in their corresponding parking spaces, identified by the numbers on the car and the numbers on the parking garage.
This activity is a great method to improve your child’s number recognition skills. You can also use this activity to practice your child’s addition skills by swapping the cars for Legos.
Use the same parking garage, but this time, ask your child to stack Legos according to the number on the corresponding parking space.
5. Number Painting
The Number Painting activity is a great game if you’re looking for a colorful, fun, and creative way to develop your child’s number and math skills.
First, you need to prepare the following materials:
- Non-toxic paint or ink
- Disposable cups
- Q-tips
- Sheet of paper
To begin, use a pencil to write the numbers 1 to 10 on a sheet of paper. Next, pour little amounts of paint or ink into the disposable cups and make sure you use different colors.
Ask your child to grab a Q-tip, dip it into the ink, and trace the numbers on the sheet of paper. They can also draw different elements and let their imagination run free.
However, you still want them to develop their number skills. Ergo, it would be more beneficial to them if the elements they draw correspond to the number they’re working on.
For instance, if they’re tracing the number “6,” they can draw six butterflies in the space next to it.
Aside from improving their number recognition skills, this activity helps develop their psychomotor and writing skills.
6. Hauling Numbers or Number Shopping
For this activity, you will need the following:
- Small countable objects (dominoes, marbles, Legos, and any similar toys)
- A container (dump truck toy, small basket, and any similar toy)
To begin, you need to set two points in your play area and name them Point A and Point B. You can be creative with it and use different names if you want to.
Point A should contain all the small countable objects. Then, your child will have to use the dump truck or the small basket to gather as many objects as they can.
Your child will then have to bring the objects gathered from Point A and transport them to Point B. Once at point B, ask your child to unload the objects and count them as they do so.
This activity is an excellent way to develop your child’s counting skills while still having fun!
7. Number Matching
This activity is relatively easy. First, you need to prepare the following:
- A large sheet of paper
- A marker
- Toy numbers (1 to 10)
To get started, grab the large sheet of paper and draw ten boxes. In each box, draw small dots ranging from 1 to 10 dots.
You can also randomize this to make it more challenging. However, make sure that no two boxes have the same amount of dots.
Then, your child will count the number of dots inside each box and place the correct toy number on top of it.
This activity develops your child’s counting skills as well as their number recognition abilities.
If you don’t have toy numbers, you can just ask your child to write the correct number beside each box. This way, your child can also develop their writing skills.
Fun but Educational Activities for Your Preschoolers
We understand that these activities with numbers for preschoolers may take some time and effort.
However, that’s the best way to guarantee that your child’s learning experience is not just efficient but also enjoyable. After all, children learn best when they’re having fun.