Here is a simple game to help your preschooler learn how to count, learn number recognition and identify larger and smaller quantities. You can play this game with a partner or solo. In another variation, you can have your child count and place the number of Pom Poms in the ice cube tray compartment with the corresponding number. No need to go out and buy a thing, feel free to substitute an egg carton for the ice cube tray and circles cut out of construction paper for the Pom poms. Have fun counting!
Pom Pom Counting Activity
What You Need:
- Old ice tray
- Sharpie markers
- Pompoms (about 1/2″ in diameter)
- Paper and pencil
What You Do:
- Use a sharpie to write the numbers 0 through 10 randomly in the bottom of each compartment of the ice tray. It’s okay if some numbers show up more than once, as long as every compartment has a number at the bottom.
- Select two players, and help each player count out 5 pompoms, for five rounds.
- Have the first player toss one pompom into the tray. Remove the pompom and have her identify the number underneath; encourage her to remember the number.
- Then the next player goes and does the same thing. Then have both players figure out which number is the higher number by counting to ten.
- The player with the higher number is the winner of the round! Play for five rounds, and whichever player wins the most rounds is the winner of the game. There’s no need to stop playing after round five if kids are having a fun time playing! Keep going with the game as long as they want! This game helps with number recognition, which will be an important skill in kindergarten.
- Your child can also play this game by herself for practice counting and identifying numbers.