Counting 0-5 Lesson Plans for Preschoolers

Learning to count requires so many skills! These counting 0-5 lesson plans for preschoolers will help your preschoolers learn to identify, count, and order numbers. With hands-on and engaging activities, plus a detailed scope and sequence for the whole unit, this is one math skill that will be a breeze to plan for.

Preschool Counting 0-5 Activities

These counting lesson plans for preschool will walk you through teaching preschoolers one to one correspondence, number order, number identification and much more.
This post will give you a detailed look at the counting 0-5 unit in the daily mathematics lessons for preschoolers.

When teaching young children, you have to plan for a large range of abilities. Preschool children learn and grow at different times, so when I sit down to plan lessons, I am challenged to develop appropriate activities that meet needs of all of my learners.

That’s why I created a preschool math curriculum so that I can ensure that the lessons, activities, and centers are designed to develop the math skills of every. single. learner. I knew it needed to spiral and review key concepts multiple times throughout the year, gradually increasing in difficulty. This approach is ideal because it covers math topics throughout the entire year. This allows children more time for mastery and an opportunity to increase the rigor of each lesson.

One of the most critical units of the whole curriculum is counting. Children begin with exposure to numbers 0-5. This sets the stage for how numbers work and the understanding that numbers represent a quantity. Developing number sense is the foundation for our preschool students and you’ll see many examples of how we infused it into our lesson plans on counting for preschoolers.

These counting lesson plans for preschoolers are perfect for helping you plan engaging and developmentally appropriate lessons and activities for your preschool students without loads of prep and time.

Related Reading

FAQ About Counting 0-5 with Preschoolers

How do children learn to count?

Children have an innate sense of number. They hear numbers and counting from birth when parents inevitably say, “Two more minutes!” All kidding aside, learning to count is the first stage in math development and it is easily fostered with everyday counting practice and hands-on practice.

How do you teach number sense to preschoolers?

Number sense refers to the understanding of how numbers work, not just simple counting. It will take some time for children to master these important skills. Number sense develops through multiple skills and requires lots of practice and repetition.

How do you teach counting in a fun way?

Preschool counting activities are embedded in daily life! Count the cars parked in the parking lot or the flowers growing in the weeds. Using hands-on manipulatives and fun counters can turn simple counting activities into counting games that your preschoolers beg to play. Singing math songs and reading books about math concepts also gives children extra math practice.

These counting lesson plans for preschoolers focus on learning the numbers 0-5 in a concrete and hands-on way.
The first of three counting units, this unit focuses on developing number sense and one to one correspondence for numbers 0-5.

Related Reading

Counting 0-5 Hands-On Supplies

This curriculum is designed to be low-prep and utilize the same supplies during each math unit. Buy it once, and use them over and over again for different learning purposes! Take a look at some of the resources we use for each unit. These items are staples for any early childhood math curriculum.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I may earn a small sum if you click through and make a purchase.

Learning Resources Baby Bear Counters – 102 Pieces,…
  • PRACTICE COUNTING, SORTING & MORE: Develop early math skills, counting, sorting, and color…
  • HANDS-ON TACTICAL LEARNING: These teddy bear counters are great for hands-on tactical learners.
  • 102 BEAR COUNTERS WITH ACTIVITY GUIDE & STORAGE: Set includes 102 bear counters in 6 vivid colors,…
Learning Resources Snap Cubes – 100 Pieces, Ages 5+…
  • COUNTING TOYS: Teach children to count to 100 by ones and tens while building fine motor and math…
  • MATH LINK CUBES: 10 different kid-friendly colors, these cubes are terrific for grouping by color…
  • CONNECT ON ALL SIDES: Cubes link together on all sides of each cube with circular cutouts so kids…
150 Pieces Big Bright Buttons for Kids 8 Vivid Colors…
  • Large Quantity: you will receive 150 pieces of large buttons for crafts, enough to meet your daily…
  • Material and Size: these big buttons are made of plastic, bright and not easy to fade, providing you…
  • Educational Toys: the craft buttons can help children practice distinguishing colors and shapes;…
hand2mind Plastic Attribute Blocks Student Kit,…
  • ATTRIBUTE BLOCK GEOMETRY SET: Our hand2mind attribute shapes come with a shape template and plastic…
  • GREAT FOR PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES: Our attribute blocks help teach early learners sorting, matching,…
  • EARLY MATH MANIPULATIVES: Attribute blocks are key math manipulatives for young students in…
Sale
LEARNING ADVANTAGE Six-Color Spinners – Set of 5 – Game…
  • A HANDY RESOURCE — Replace lost or broken board game spinners with these practical tools. Or,…
  • MANY APPLICATIONS — Use Six Color Spinners to create your own games or make decisions. These write…
  • SIX BRIGHT COLORS — Use the colored sections to help kids visualize probability and random events….
12-Pack of Arrow Game Spinners in 4 Rainbow Colors, 3…
  • Go For A Spin: Take these colorful arrows for a spin during your next game. These spinners are a…
  • 5 Bright Colors: Outfit up to 4 players with red, yellow green, and blue spinners
  • 12 Arrows Included: Each pack comes with 3 arrows in each of the 4 colors with classic pointed arrow…

All About Counting 0-5 Lesson Plans

These counting lessons for preschoolers are designed for up to a five-day-week program, but activities within a week can be removed and skipped for two or three-day-week programs. There are lots of counting 0-5 activities that encourage fine motor skill development and of course, learning to recognize numbers and practice one to one correspondence.

Discovery Activities/Math Photo Cards

The discovery activities are so much fun! Each week contains a real photograph or illustration for the children to interact with. The photo relates to the concept and encourages oral language and math vocabulary development. Plus, the vibrant photos expose children to different places, animals, and cultures. It’s easy to see that math really is everywhere in our daily lives!

The math photo card example below shows multiple hot air balloons floating in the sky. This colorful photo offers a chance for young learners to count how many hot air balloons they see, as well as identify the two balloons that are the same pattern. Each photo card includes mathematical points, teaching tips, and engaging questions to encourage your children to think about each photo through a mathematical lens.

These math photo cards help children see how math takes place in the world around us.

Daily Dip

The daily dip is a review activity to reinforce previously taught skills. You will notice valuable teaching tips throughout the review lessons. These tips offer insight to help execute specific strategies in
the lessons. This section is optional depending on time and student needs but is certainly a valuable component of each day.

The photo below shows examples of the first week of the counting 0-5 unit. You’ll notice that the activities include sorting and matching which were learned in the previous unit to ensure exposure and practice to math skills all year long.

Using the daily dip as part of the counting lesson plans for preschool helps build number sense and number automaticity.
A sample of multiple days of the daily dip/teach and engage components of the math counting 0-5 curriculum.

Teach and Engage

The teach and engage section is a brand new daily lesson for your students packed with new learning. This component of the curriculum includes lots of modeling and student interaction. Each lesson includes a bonus section that offers tips on how to make the lesson more challenging and provides extensions for children who are ready for more difficulty.

Counting 0-5 Centers for Preschoolers

Counting 0-5 centers and games are invaluable in preschool. We have included lots of counting games for preschool that allow children to independently practice with engaging manipulatives. Remember independent centers should always be supervised in preschool and kindergarten.

Spin and Build Five Frame Counting

This center is fun for preschoolers because they love to spin spinners. This five frame practice activity also encourages early subitizing skills which is when children start to recognize the pattern of dots represent a number (without having to count). Simply spin the spinner and invite the child to add that many game markers to the five frame. The child is building one to one correspondence while engaging in a rainbow of math fun!

Spin and build counting center used with the counting lesson plans for preschool known as daily lessons in math.
Counting Center 2-1 – This printable preschool center builds one to one correspondence and early subitizing skills.

Counting Cards

This game has two levels of difficulty – perfect for differentiating for your students. Children can use the counting cards up to five to help build one to one correspondence. If you have students who are ready to move beyond counting to five, we have included number cards up to twenty. To use, invite children to match the teddy bear counters and count as they go. Trace the number with a dry erase marker using the formation line guides.

counting cards for learning numbers 0-10, available with the counting lesson plans for preschool
Sorting Center 2-2 – This center focuses on matching, building one to one correspondence, and number identification and recognition.

Number Playdough Mats

This center is print and play and sure to be a class favorite! Using playdough, children will form and mold the number at the top and then count out that many playdough balls. One way my class likes to play is to create the playdough balls and then smash each one as they count. It’s fun for them and encourages them to count slowly and carefully as they smash!

This playdough counting mat is a great center addition to the counting lesson plans for preschool. There are mats for the numbers 1-20 for students to practicing shaping the number and counting that many objects.
Sorting Center 2-3 – This center focuses on recognizing numerals and developing one to one correspondence.

Collecting Bears Grid Games

This color sorting and counting math activity invites children to roll a die and find matching counting bears for each space. Then they add that number of teddy bear counters to their grid. This invites them to practice counting as the roll the die and expose them to the dot pattern on the dice for easy recall later. Play ends when they have filled their board!

The goal of this game is to collect bears as you roll the dice and count. This center is part of the counting lesson plans for preschool and is a preschool kid favorite.
Sorting Center 2-4 – This center focuses on color matching and one to one correspondence in a fun and hands-on way.

Dot Counting Cards

In this hands on counting activity, preschoolers will count all the dots on the number, then count out that many game marker chips. Placing each one on top of a dot circle, invite the child to count again. This center includes cards from 0-20. To keep things interesting, change the items used to count such as pom-poms, large sequins, counting bears, counting cubes, cereal, etc.

Dot counting cards are great for one to one correspondence and helping preschoolers with number recognition. This center is available in the counting lesson plans for preschool.
Sorting Center 2-5 – This center helps children identify similarities and differences among animals. This helps them to sort by different attributes and challenges their sorting skills.

“Show Me” Five Frame Counting Cards

This five frame learning activity encourages number recognition and learning that numbers can be represented in different ways. Preschoolers will learn how to use tally marks and fingers to show a number. Using game markers or other counters, children can show the quantity in various ways.

Preschoolers will learn to count with tally marks and fingers with this preschool center available in the counting lesson plans for preschool.
Sorting Center 2-6 – This center focuses on learning different ways to represent a number.

Number I Spy

This engaging and visually interesting math game invites children to match the squares with the correct number of items. Each card has five matches for children to find using game markers. As a bonus, you can make this center self-checking by marking the back of each correct square. This card is available for numbers 0-20.

This number I spy is a fun preschool math game where children search and find the squares with the correct number of items. This center is available in the counting lesson plans for preschool.
Sorting Center 2-7 – This independent center encourages children to find the matching number of objects in a challenging and interesting way.

Dice Counting Cards

Using colorful dice and game markers, this counting game reinforces counting skills and number identification. Invite children to roll the dice and then count out the number by adding counters to the ten frame. Then have the students trace the number with a dry erase marker by following the formation lines.

These dice counting cards are great for subitizing and learning dice patterns for number recognition. This center is available in the counting preschool lesson plans.
Sorting Center 2-8 – This center invites children to count and write while reinforcing ten frame skills.

Math to Literacy Connections

We have also included eight optional literacy activities that infuse math picture books. Children learn through colorful illustrations and storytelling. These eight picture books bring counting to life and build upon other math skills (sorting, colors, patterns) as well.

Grab these fantastic books about counting 0-5 here!

Sale
Bear Counts (The Bear Books)
  • Wilson, Karma (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 26 Pages – 07/04/2017 (Publication Date) – Little Simon (Publisher)
Sale
Elmer’s First Counting Book
  • McKee, David (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 10 Pages – 01/01/2012 (Publication Date) – Andersen Press USA (Publisher)
Sale
Pete the Cat: Five Little Ducks: An Easter And…
  • Hardcover Book
  • Dean, James (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Sale
5 Wild Numbers
  • Words & Pictures (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 10 Pages – 05/17/2018 (Publication Date) – Happy Yak (Publisher)
Five Green and Speckled Frogs
  • Constanza Basaluzzo (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 24 Pages – 02/17/2025 (Publication Date) – Scholastic Inc. (Publisher)
Fingers for Lunch
  • Lewis, Brandt (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 12 Pages – 04/05/2016 (Publication Date) – LB Kids (Publisher)
Sale
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
  • Hardcover Book
  • Litwin, Eric (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Sale
Piggies (Board Book)
  • Wood, Audrey (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 30 Pages – 10/18/2016 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Get Your Counting 0-5 Lesson Plans for Preschoolers Here

The daily lessons in counting 0-5 are completed and ready to use! Filled with daily lesson plans, centers, activities, and even literacy connections, this counting unit is all you’ll need for your preschool lessons.

Math Lesson Plans for Preschoolers

Creating a comprehensive math lesson plan for preschoolers requires careful consideration and planning. A full math curriculum should encompass all five disciplines in mathematics: number sense, operations, geometry, measurement, and data analysis.

It’s crucial to introduce children to these concepts in a fun and engaging manner. It’s also crucial to teach preschool math systematically. Here are more posts about math lesson plans for preschoolers and how to teach preschool math.