Gingerbread Math

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This is a great game for counting skills, basic math facts and number identification.  There isn't a printable version of the gingerbread man on the site, but I made my own pretty quickly by copying a gingerbread template and then adding my own numbers.  I did 2-12 so that my kids could use two dice and practice not just counting the dots on one die, but also adding together the dots from two.  (They still count the dots, but then I reinforce the basic math facts by saying, "Four on one die plus three on the other equals seven.")

When the child rolls a particular number, he or she marks it off on the gingerbread man.  (You can use a dot marker, but I just had the kids color over it.)  I put three of each number on the paper to keep the game going.  However, I've found that the kids tire of the game after a few rounds, so next time I may just put one of each number on there.  I think my kids will enjoy it more as they get older.

Counting box

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The original version of this game focuses on fine motor skills.  The children use tweezers to pick up beads and put them in the carton.  I plan to add that to this activity in the future, but for now I just used it as a counting game. 

The kids put one bead in #1, two in #2, and so on.  I didn't have enough for them to keep all of the bead in there as the numbers got higher; I plan to add some beads so that they can do it that way.  

Math Spiders

Math Spiders

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This is one of my favorite activities that I've done with the kids recently.  Both kids are able to count well, and know their numbers and are learning to add and subtract.  I want them to be able associate these skills with the simple math equations they'll encounter in school.  I think these math spiders are a wonderful visual to reinforce these concepts.


I made an entire set of math spiders that I can email to you if you want them.  Each one has a number (4-10) in the center, and then several math facts (i.e., 3 + 3,  2+ 4,  4+2) surrounding them.  

First I had the kids count out the correct number of Cheerios in the center.  Then we moved the Cheerios on to the various math facts (3 Cheerios + 3 Cheerios = 6).  I had them count the Cheerios and tell me how many they had altogether.  We played with all of the different math facts, and also used the visual to subtract ("If you have 6 Cheerios and eat 3, how many do you have left?") They would eat the 3 Cherrios, then count the remaining Cheerios.  Both kids really seemed to get the concept, and I am hoping that by using this game often we will be able to memorize the math facts on each math spider.