Don’t Feed The Raccoon! Plus 12 Other Number Identification Game
Looking for a crazy fun number identification game? This Don’t Feed to Raccoon game is a must-add to your counting activities for preschoolers. It will literally have your preschoolers rolling in giggles while practicing number recognition 0-20.
This counting game is low prep, but high fun and learning. Let’s dive into the details of this silly, snack-happy raccoon game your kiddos will want to play again and again! Oh, and we’ve made it into a printable, too!
Number identification can be difficult to teach to children in meaningful ways. Simply matching the numeral and the quantity is not enough. Which is why this game is so loved by my preschoolers.
Don’t Feed the Raccoon combines learning with pretend play. It’s one of our favorite preschool math activities because it keeps kids coming back for more while laughing and learning their teen numbers, and we all know that kids learn best if they are having fun, and it’s literally impossible not to have fun with this number game.
The idea is simple: kids take turns pulling number cards and reading the number aloud. If they draw a “feed the raccoon” card, then—chomp—they have to feed the raccoon some of their fish cards! Into the raccoon’s mouth they go.
It’s silly and hands-on, and it builds familiarity with those tricky numbers 11–20. You’ll be amazed how quickly they start recognizing and remembering those numbers with just a few rounds of this game. Plus, it fits in so well with loads of unique preschool theme ideas.
Read this: Feed the Robot Alphabet and Counting Game
What Kids Learn From Don’t Feed the Raccoon Number ID Game
SKILL #1: Number Recognition
Number recognition is one of the most important math skills in preschool and it takes a lot of repetition, so make it more fun with a game! The more kids see and say numbers, the better they get at matching each numeral to its name. With a little practice and play, they’ll start spotting numbers faster—and with way fewer mix-ups!
SKILL #2: Social Interaction
This game is all about taking turns, listening, and giggling with peers. t’s a fun way to build teamwork while sneaking in some practice with patience and good sportsmanship. Social games like this help kids learn to follow rules, celebrate their friends, and stay interested even when they’re waiting for their turn. Read more about the social benefits of playing board games.
Read this: Don’t Feed the Monster Alphabet Game
Number Identification Game – Don’t Feed the Raccoon!
In this silly and educational game, kids read teen numbers and also do a little bit a counting, while doing a whole lot of giggling!
What’s Included
- Raccoon printable mat
- Number cards 0-20
- fish cards
- Printable game directions
Additional Materials
- empty pasta box or something similar already has
- white and black paint
- white dot stickers, or white paper circles
- fish counters (optional)
To Make the Raccoon Box
Painting a box to look like a raccoon is optional since the printable comes with a raccoon mat, but it does make the game more hands-on and physical for the kids.
- Cut a wide oval (sideways) into the box. This will be the mouth.
- Paint the pasta box gray by mixing black and white paint. Apply at least two coats (possibly three), allowing each coat to dry fully.
- Lightly sketch raccoon features on the box with a pencil, then paint them black. Don’t forget the tail!
- Add white dot stickers for eyes and draw in the pupils. Or add large googly eyes.
- Print and laminate two sets of the “Don’t Feed the Raccoon!” game cards.
The Set-Up
Invite players to sit in a circle around a table or on the floor. Place the raccoon in the center of the circle. Give each player ten fish counters.
How to Teach Number Recognition Using “Don’t Feed the Raccoon!”
The Object Of The Game
The object of the game is to collect as many number cards as possible while keeping all your fish cards (or fish counters if using instead). The player with the most number cards at the end of the game wins. The game ends when the first player runs out of fish counters.
How To Play
Each player takes turns drawing a card, which is face down, and identifying the number on it. (To keep the game moving quickly, it is helpful to have an adult hold the draw pile and offer it to players when it is their turn). The player gets to keep the card.
But, if a “Feed the Raccoon” card is drawn, the player has to identify the number on that card (numerals 1, 2, or 3) and then feed the raccoon that quantity of fish counters. It is especially fun if the raccoon “comes to life” when he is being fed, and the teacher gives the raccoon box a little shake while getting fed the fish counters. Once a player runs out of fish counters, the game is over.
But…your kiddies will want to play again…and again…and again.
Modification for Students Struggling with Number Identification
I hate it when preschoolers are learning new material or reviewing difficult material and are penalized when they do not know the answer. I think it causes them to feel discouraged and embarrassed.
So, in this game, the player gets to keep the number card whether or not they identify the number correctly. If the player does not know the number, I will help him out. Throughout the game, I will ask the struggling students to identify a number card already in their personal pile, in addition to the one they most recently drew. This way, they get a bit of extra practice, but they are not penalized by being set up to automatically lose the game, and they will also keep coming back and asking to play this number identification game again and again and again.
Read this: Feed the Bunny Easter Counting Activities
Add This to These Preschool Theme Ideas
- Forest Preschool Lesson Plans
- Nature Preschool Lesson Plans
- Fairytales Preschool Lesson Plans
- Nocturnal Animals Preschool Lesson Plans
And of course this game fits in with your Back to School Preschool Lesson Plans if you’re doing some Kissing Hand activities.
Number Identification Games for Preschoolers
Need even more number identification games? Me too! I can never have enough of them! Here are some more of our favorites.
- 5 Number Identification Printables
- Christmas Number Identification and Counting Games
- Summer Number Identification Activities Pack
- Dot Number Identification and Counting Cards
- Preschool Math Number Recognition Worksheets 0-20
- Desert Number Identification Playdough Mats
- Printable Counting Game 6-10
- Number Game: Flip Color Hearts
- 23 Simple Number Identification Activities
- Easter Egg Number Identification Activity
- Bingo Dauber Number Identification Activity
- Nancy Numberface Craft
- Number Formation Connect-the-Dots
- Slime Monster Counting Activity
Get Your “Don’t Feed the Raccoon!” Printable Here
Think your preschooler are going to love this number identification game? Ypou can grab it by clicking the link below.
>>> Don’t Feed the Raccoon Number Identification Game <<<
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
Hello!
I’m teaching Japanese preschoolers. They find a bit difficult to recognise teen numbers so I was wondering if there was a game to have them recognise them. I found your game. I also have a game to feed a penguin, Which is really helpful. I’d like to play your game but, honestly I still don’t understand how to play it. Could you explain me what are the printable numbers, for what are the fishing counters, and why do they have to draw
Thanks
The basics of the game is that each preschooler is given ten fish. They draw cards, identify the number and then discard. But if they draw a Feed the Raccoon card, they have to feed the raccoon a fish. The game ends when a preschooler feeds all his fish to the raccoon.
I just wanted to thank you for posting this awesome game! I am a middle school Spanish teacher, and I was looking for something to do to help my 6th graders learn their Spanish numbers. This game was perfect! I used some fake Euro coins as my tokens, and just modified the game cards to say “Feed the Raccoon” in Spanish. I also have a few students with severe learning disabilities, and even they were able to play by identifying the numbers in English and doing their best with the Spanish. Everyone had fun “feeding the raccoon” (even though it’s not such a good thing!) And I keep thinking of more ways I could use it even with my upper grade levels for vocabulary recognition and production, sentence formation, etc. There are so many possibilities and I am excited to try out new expansions soon.
A few adaptations I made to the way I made my game: For the box I used a small Amazon Prime box and wrapped it with gray butcher block paper. I cut out a hole for the mouth and drew on the rest as you did. I used some good clear packaging tape in small strips to adhere the paper to the mouth on the outside and inside, that way it won’t rip when the kids put their tokens in. I felt like using the paper (if you have access to it) is probably faster than painting the many coats you talked about (although probably also easier to rip or mess up). I know I’ve seen a normal cardboard colored butcher block paper at the dollar store, and I think brown would give the same effect as gray. I didn’t have enough time to make five boxes though, which I knew I needed to make small enough groups for a class of 28. I didn’t have the boxes but I really wanted to try the game! Necessity is the mother of invention – I printed off a full-page picture of a raccoon with its mouth open and put it in a white binder with a clear pocket on the front. The kids just stood the binders upright and put the coins in the top slot. I almost like this method more because the five boxes would take up a lot of space in my classroom, and the binders already stack up quite nicely.
So again, thank you so much for posting this great idea!! It worked out wonderfully – all of my students were engaged the whole time!! I’m glad I found you on Pinterest!!!
Thank you so much for commenting and telling me about how you used this idea in your classroom! I love hearing from my readers! Your solution to the bulky boxes is genius! And you’re right, this game can be modified a number of ways. I’d love to hear more about how you use it in your classroom!
This looks like a super fun game! but what is a fish counter?
You can use any small fish shaped toy. I like the set of fish counters from Learning Resources. It is the same set I used in my ocean themed sensory bin. You can get the specific link in this post. https://stayathomeeducator.com/ten-ocean-themed-preschool-activities/