Feed the sharks makes an epic preschool counting activity! Grab your dot stickers because this counting activity for preschoolers is a blast. My three-year-old strengthened his counting skills and improved his number sense through play, which is exactly how we want children to learn. Preschool activities should take less than five minutes to set up and be fun for the child.
RELATED: This simple activity is one of the 50 math activities I have listed in this organized roundup.
Why counting is important
Children must touch the objects as they count. By Kindergarten, children will most likely be asked to understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.
But what do these math terms mean? This means we want preschoolers to practice pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object as they count.
We do this by asking our children to touch the object and count out loud.
RELATED: Sticker activities make an excellent addition to fine motor ideas.
Why this preschool counting activity is a huge hit
We played this math activity three times in one afternoon. Each time with more vigor for larger numbers and confidence in counting.
Preschool activities like Breakfast Invitations are the best because they allow us all to use our brains in the morning rather than dragging children away from the television. Been there, done that. It always drained their creativity for the rest of the day. Use my predictable routine with kids to help guide your days.
Supplies
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White Paper Roll
This paper is a staple in our home. Place it on the table or a verticle surface. So many uses!
Washable Markers
Share these markers with your kids, or keep them for yourself. I am not one to judge; I like my own pack too.
Dot Stickers
Draw little fishes on these dot stickers for your child to count.
Preschool counting activity set up
All my creative drawings start on Google. This helps me better understand how to draw quickly and simply without being an artist.
- Draw four sharks on the white paper.
- Add numbers you know your child will feel successful with. (round two can bump things up)
- Draw simple fish on each dot sticker.
- Place the dot stickers next to the math activity.
- Invite your child to put the matching number of fish stickers into each shark’s mouth.
PRO TIP: there is a LOT OF POWER in repeatedly counting with numbers 1-10. We want kids to understand what each number name truly represents. Kid activities need repetition.
Keep preschool counting activities simple
Sometimes, it can be tempting to shoot for the moon – Now, add 27 fish! Let’s wait for a second and dive deep into 1-10. Show that eight is still eight, regardless of how the stickers are arranged.
RELATED: Looking for math supplies for your home? Be sure to check out this list of math toys.
Allowing some creativity and flexibility is key.
Children need to take ownership of their play and learning. What my 3.5-year-old said as he added color and stickers was inspiring. By the time he was finished, it was a creative explosion of storytelling.
Try these other counting activities to help practice:
RELATED: Want even more great number games for kids? You will find this activity and other math-related games from Red Tricycle.
Who has time to search for ideas?
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FAQ
Teach counting in a fun way by including movement and play. Consider themes children get excited about and make simple preschool learning activities to learn and review.
Inside this post of 40 math activities for kids, you will find play-based, hands-on math activities for preschoolers. Kids learn by practicing counting, graphing, measuring, learning shapes, and sorting through play. These are the best math activities for toddlers and preschoolers.
Use Google! Type simple shark drawings in the search bar to get started.
Feed the Sharks; a Preschool Counting Activity
Materials
- Dot Stickers
- Markers
- White Paper Roll
Instructions
- Draw four sharks on the white paper.
- Add numbers you know your child will feel successful with. (round two can bump things up)
- Draw simple fish on each dot sticker.
- Place the dot stickers next to the math activity.
- Invite your child to put the matching number of fish stickers into each shark’s mouth.
The blog shared is really good read with such an interesting counting game for kids. What I personally liked is, setting up this game is very simple but the fun & learning involved for kids is immense. While they are enjoying this game, it helps in developing their counting as well as creative thinking in a fun way. I am so excited to involve my kids in such great learning activities. Thanks for making indoor play so much exciting for kids.