Preschoolers and toddlers will love these Gift Counting Mats! This hands-on activity is fun and can be used multiple times. This activity focuses mainly on the numbers 1 – 20, though there are blank pages for you to increase their learning.
Materials Needed
- white paper
- printer
- laminator
- colouring pencils
- scissors
- lead pencils
- eraser
- play dough
This activity can be used in a multitude of ways:
- Print out the coloured counting mats and the coloured gifts. Laminate the mats and the individual gifts. Have your child count out the correct number of gifts and place them on the table.
- Print out the coloured counting mats and laminate. Have your child create their own gifts out of playdough and place the correct number of gifts on each mat. They can also create their own numbers out of playdough and place them on the number.
- Print out the black and white counting mats and the black and white gifts. Have your child colour and decorate the mats and gifts with paints, crayons or markers before cutting out and laminating them. Have your child count out the correct number of gifts and place them on the table.
- Print out the black and white counting mats and the black and white gifts. Have your child colour and decorate the mats and gifts with paints, crayons or markers before cutting out and laminating them. Have your child create their own gifts out of playdough and place the correct number of gifts on each mat. They can also create their own numbers out of playdough and place them on the number.
- Counters. Instead of using the gifts, children could use playdough to create their own balls or petals, or buttons, pompoms or any other counters or markers.
- There is a blank coloured and a blank black and white counting mat which can be used for counting numbers larger than 20. Use a dry erase marker or playdough to make a number for them and they can add the correct number of gifts on the table.
- Extra learning with the blank mats. Once children have completed learning their numbers, they can use the blank coloured or black and white mats to work on simple addition and subtraction sums. They can use the gifts or create shapes out of play dough to use as counters. An example is – place two black and white gifts and then add three coloured gifts. Add the gifts together and you have five.
To download your copy of this printable pack, click on the link below:
*** Gift Counting Mats ***