Preschool Counting Games - Number Recognition & Counting

One of the basic responsibilities of a preschool teacher is teaching numbers and counting. These are a few of the preschool counting games that I have used for years with great response from my preschoolers.

Give these a try and also use your imagination to make variations on these to meet your childrens level of ability and interests.


Number Uses
Try this at circle time when you have the direct attention of your class. Make a list with the class about all the times you might use numbers. Talk to them about how numbers show up everyday, from things like telephone numbers, street addresses, prices on things in stores, radio stations, etc. Ask them when they remember seeing numbers and if they remember their own telephone numbers, house number, classroom number, etc.

Counting Items
Hold up flashcards with different amounts of items. You can have 7 hats or 3 ice cream cones, etc. Ask students how many items they see and walk them through the counting process.

You can hold up signs or book covers and ask them how many of a certain letter they see, for example: How many “A’s” do you see on this page?

Number Word Recognition
Write the numbers 1-6 on the board. Under each number, write the word for that number. You will also need each number and each word written on separate pieces of paper. Have your class say the number and point out the word to them as they say the number. Next, cover the board (or erase it) and take your individual papers out. Hold up a number and ask what the number is. Then take a word and ask them if they can remember the word or the number it represents. You can actually place these in random order on the floor and ask the children to put them in order with the correct word under the correct number.


If you like these preschool counting games, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them on my Blog.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Preschool Counting Games - Number Cruncher and Number Hunt

Teaching preschoolers with games is a perfect match. These preschool counting games require them to be involved physically as well as mentally.

Any time you can engage your preschool kids in an activity is teaching them how to listen to directions, follow sequences, and to work as a team in addition to learning the mental skills you are teaching.

Number Cruncher
In this game, one student is the cruncher and everyone else is a number. Give each child a number to hold and the cruncher must go around and try to tag the numbers, but they must get the numbers in order. For example, the cruncher must get 7 before he can get 8 or 9. When all the students have been “crunched,” you can pick a new cruncher and start from scratch.


Number Hunt
Make a set of number cards, 1-5 or 1-10, depending on your children’s abilities. I like to make the cards resemble a shape, for example I use circles and decorate them to look like cookies and put one number on each card. Hide these cards around the room before they arrive.
To start this, tell them that the number cookies are hidden around the room and that they need to find them. Once they find the numbers, they will need to decide if they have found them all. To do this they will need to put them in order. For older children, they will know how to count to ten but for younger ones you can have the numbers on the board and they can match their “found” numbers to the ones on the board to see if they have found them all.

If you like these preschool counting games, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.

If you prefer lessons which have ideas for the Toddler Age, go here to the second volume of lessons. There is an entire bonus section devoted to TODDLERS.

http://www.preschoolwhiz.com/v2.html

Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them on my Blog.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com