Spider Rings Game: Roll the die (I like to put them in these condiment cups for shaking, to prevent dice being lost on the floor) and put on that many spider rings. First to fill up their fingers wins! | Tally Cards: Popsicle sticks with cards showing numerals and tally formations- a great way to get them familiar with sets. Counting Chains: Cards with numerals and die sets, and a hole punched in the bottom for linking chains. Feed the Squirrel: I had a bucket full of wooden beads (that looked like acorns) so I made some cards with squirrels and numerals. Feed each squirrel the right amount of acorns. |
Die cuts are great for making your own games!
Counting Raindrops:
Each card has a different number of raindrops. Students find the cloud with the matching numeral.
Feather Counting:
Program each turkey with a numeral, students place that many feathers on the turkey.
Counting Raindrops:
Each card has a different number of raindrops. Students find the cloud with the matching numeral.
Feather Counting:
Program each turkey with a numeral, students place that many feathers on the turkey.
Feed the Frog:
Each frog has a different numeral, students feed that many flies to the frog. I found the flies half-off at the Dollar General after Halloween.
Snowman Counting:
Program each snowman card with a different numeral, and the students place that many snowflakes on the card. (These are wagon-wheel noodles spray painted white.)
Printable version found here.
Each frog has a different numeral, students feed that many flies to the frog. I found the flies half-off at the Dollar General after Halloween.
Snowman Counting:
Program each snowman card with a different numeral, and the students place that many snowflakes on the card. (These are wagon-wheel noodles spray painted white.)
Printable version found here.
Print your own pictures from Google Images to complement your theme. Program them with different numerals, and supply 'markers' to count. When I made these particular activities, our printer was low on ink. So, rather than print out multiple pictures, I just printed one and made numeral markers for each one. |
Apple Counting:
Apple tree pic, numeral markers, and red pom-poms for apples.
Chuckie's Hair:
I had to buy a mixed box of noodles for one kind I needed. I couldn't let the rest go to waste- but what to do with the curly orange ones? Well, they reminded me of Chuckie from Rugrats, sooo.....
Shell Counting:
Pic of the beach, numeral markers, and pasta shells
Count the Fire Out:
Students put out the fire by counting the right number of water drops (blue pom-poms)
Apple tree pic, numeral markers, and red pom-poms for apples.
Chuckie's Hair:
I had to buy a mixed box of noodles for one kind I needed. I couldn't let the rest go to waste- but what to do with the curly orange ones? Well, they reminded me of Chuckie from Rugrats, sooo.....
Shell Counting:
Pic of the beach, numeral markers, and pasta shells
Count the Fire Out:
Students put out the fire by counting the right number of water drops (blue pom-poms)
Counting Clip Cards:
A picture of things to count, numeral choices, and a clothespin.
Pom-Pom Count:
This is a water bottle ice cube tray from the dollar tree. I placed numeral stickers in the holes, and found a use for all of those teensy pom-poms that come in a mixed bag!
A picture of things to count, numeral choices, and a clothespin.
Pom-Pom Count:
This is a water bottle ice cube tray from the dollar tree. I placed numeral stickers in the holes, and found a use for all of those teensy pom-poms that come in a mixed bag!
Flash Card Numeral Match:
I made another game with the rest of this flash card set. These were the number word cards that are hard to use with non-readers. I placed them in a bag with numeral markers (drink lids with numerals glued on), so that the kids could cont the items and match the numeral. (Bonus- they are being exposed to the number words, even if they can't read them yet!)
Animal Counting:
cards with pics of animals, and corresponding numeral markers (drink lids again).
Animal counting cards found here.
For several of my activities that involve numbers and letters, I use a manageable amount of cards. I make the activities for 0-20/Aa-Zz, but only place a part of those in the bag at a time. It keeps the number of pieces down (and therefore the number of pieces lost is limited...) and makes the activity suitable for a short period of wait-time. It also means I can put different parts of the activity in the bag when I want to change it, without having to introduce a whole new activity.
I made another game with the rest of this flash card set. These were the number word cards that are hard to use with non-readers. I placed them in a bag with numeral markers (drink lids with numerals glued on), so that the kids could cont the items and match the numeral. (Bonus- they are being exposed to the number words, even if they can't read them yet!)
Animal Counting:
cards with pics of animals, and corresponding numeral markers (drink lids again).
Animal counting cards found here.
For several of my activities that involve numbers and letters, I use a manageable amount of cards. I make the activities for 0-20/Aa-Zz, but only place a part of those in the bag at a time. It keeps the number of pieces down (and therefore the number of pieces lost is limited...) and makes the activity suitable for a short period of wait-time. It also means I can put different parts of the activity in the bag when I want to change it, without having to introduce a whole new activity.
Pony Bead Counting:
I cut several chenille stems in half, then put duct tape on the bottom and wrote a numeral. Students place that many beads on the stem. Bonus- pony beads do not fly off of the pipe cleaners!
Pizza Factory:
I found these printable recipe cards here, and my local Partnership for Children happened to have a die cut of pizza and toppings! Students make each recipe by counting the different toppings.
Foam Numbers:
I had these bath toys from when my little one was a little one. Put them in a bag, and they become a game- placing the numerals in order!
Counting Puzzles:
I found this one online here, but you can make your own with any picture that fits your theme. And, to level it up, you can make the numerals 11-20. Glue the photo onto cardboard, and cut apart with an exact-o knife or box cutter when dried to make it extremely sturdy!
I cut several chenille stems in half, then put duct tape on the bottom and wrote a numeral. Students place that many beads on the stem. Bonus- pony beads do not fly off of the pipe cleaners!
Pizza Factory:
I found these printable recipe cards here, and my local Partnership for Children happened to have a die cut of pizza and toppings! Students make each recipe by counting the different toppings.
Foam Numbers:
I had these bath toys from when my little one was a little one. Put them in a bag, and they become a game- placing the numerals in order!
Counting Puzzles:
I found this one online here, but you can make your own with any picture that fits your theme. And, to level it up, you can make the numerals 11-20. Glue the photo onto cardboard, and cut apart with an exact-o knife or box cutter when dried to make it extremely sturdy!
Dominoes:
This can be a one or two person game. Kids can either play classic dominoes, or can use for STEM bags (see STEMulating Transitions).
Egg Counting:
Classic Easter activity, matching the numeral to the set. Tip- Use only one or two colors of eggs per bag. This makes it much easier to figure out which bag the pieces go in, and allows you to use more than one set in the box. (Lesson learned the hard way!)
Card games:
War- I removed all of the face cards and special cards, leaving only the numerals. This is a two person activity, of course, and children must determine which number is greater or more. Due to the difficulty, I only placed two of each number in the set, limiting it to 16 cards.
Go Fish- Again, I removed all of the face/special cards, leaving only the numeral cards.
You will also want to use cards from two different decks if you use these at the same time. I used red cards for War, and blue for Go Fish for easier clean up.
This can be a one or two person game. Kids can either play classic dominoes, or can use for STEM bags (see STEMulating Transitions).
Egg Counting:
Classic Easter activity, matching the numeral to the set. Tip- Use only one or two colors of eggs per bag. This makes it much easier to figure out which bag the pieces go in, and allows you to use more than one set in the box. (Lesson learned the hard way!)
Card games:
War- I removed all of the face cards and special cards, leaving only the numerals. This is a two person activity, of course, and children must determine which number is greater or more. Due to the difficulty, I only placed two of each number in the set, limiting it to 16 cards.
Go Fish- Again, I removed all of the face/special cards, leaving only the numeral cards.
You will also want to use cards from two different decks if you use these at the same time. I used red cards for War, and blue for Go Fish for easier clean up.