Fun and Effective Lesson Plans for Preschool Math

Teaching preschool math doesn’t have to be complicated. Preschoolers are busily exploring the world around them, and math can be a joyful part of that exploration. We want to help you understand how to create fun and effective lesson plans for preschool math by understanding the key concepts of mathematics. We are excited to share with you a wide variety of fun preschool math activities as well as the best ways to integrate these into your weekly lesson plans.

Play is a child’s natural way of learning, and it’s no different when it comes to math! By introducing math concepts through fun and engaging activities, we can help preschoolers develop a solid foundation for future success. 

Here at Stay-at-Home Educator, we believe math can be an exciting adventure for preschoolers. Our preschool math curriculum has exciting activities and lesson plans to make learning enjoyable and effective.

Our Pre-K curriculum is carefully designed to provide a strong foundation in math through a comprehensive 40-week spiral approach. This ensures that key concepts are revisited and reinforced throughout the year, allowing for deeper understanding and mastery.

With a proven track record of success, our curriculum clearly outlines the specific math skills to be taught, the optimal sequence for introducing them, and the most effective teaching strategies. This structured approach provides teachers with a clear roadmap for guiding children’s learning and ensuring they are on track for math success.

How Do Preschoolers Learn Math Best?

Preschoolers are natural explorers, and learning should be an exciting adventure. To help develop a love of math, we must create an environment where children can actively engage with numbers and concepts. 

Here are some key principles to guide your approach:

• Create a Math-Rich Environment: Fill your classroom or home with manipulatives, games, and books that will help your preschoolers engage in math often and organically.
• Integrate Math into Daily Life: Make math a part of everyday routines by counting objects, sorting items, or measuring ingredients.
• Hands-On Learning: Use concrete objects to help your preschoolers visualize and understand abstract mathematical ideas.
• Facilitate, Don’t Dictate: Guide children’s exploration, ask open-ended questions, and celebrate their discoveries.

By following these principles, you can create a fun learning experience that will help your preschoolers develop a strong foundation in math.

What Math Concepts Should Preschoolers Learn?

Preschool is crucial for developing a solid understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts. There are key areas that should be introduced at this early stage: 

• Number Sense: Number sense is the basic foundation of preschool math. It includes recognizing and counting numbers, understanding one-to-one correspondence, and developing basic addition and subtraction skills.
• Shapes and Spatial Sense: Developmentally, in the area of geometry, preschoolers should be able to: identify basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle), understand spatial relationships, and explore shapes in their environment.
• Measurement: Measurement in preschool is fairly basic and fun. It includes comparing objects using comparative language (bigger/smaller, heavier/lighter) and introducing non-standard units of measurement.
• Patterns: Pattern-study in preschool typically focuses on AB and ABBA patterns. Preschoolers work on recognizing and extending patterns using various materials and in different subjects (math, art, music).
• Graphing: Preschoolers develop early algebra skills through sorting and classifying objects according to their attributes.

Lesson Plans for Preschool Math

Here at Stay-at-Home Educator, our Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics is designed to make math learning an exciting adventure for preschoolers. Our program offers a comprehensive and playful approach to teaching essential math skills. Each day, children will encounter engaging activities that introduce new concepts, reinforce previously learned ones, and create a deep understanding of numbers and patterns. 

By connecting math with everyday life and encouraging independent exploration, we empower children to become confident and critical thinkers.

Here are the different unit concepts in our curriculum:

Comparing & Sorting Preschool Lessons

This comprehensive sorting unit offers a year-long roadmap to mastering classification skills. With daily routines, engaging activities, and ready-to-use math centers, you’ll have everything you need to help your students become sorting experts.

Through a wide variety of activities, children will develop the ability to group objects based on shared attributes such as size, color, shape, and more.

Here are some key sorting skills that preschoolers can learn:

• Sorting by color: Identifying and grouping objects based on their color.
• Matching: Pairing objects that are identical in appearance or have similar attributes.
• Comparing: Examining objects to identify similarities and differences.
• Ordering: Arranging objects in a specific sequence, such as from smallest to largest or from oldest to newest.
• Classifying: Grouping objects based on shared characteristics, such as shape, size, or color.
• Sorting by size: Arranging objects from smallest to largest or vice versa.
• Sorting by shapes: Grouping objects based on their geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, triangles, or rectangles.

Check out these free Sorting Activities for Preschool:

• Rainbow Trees Sorting Activity
• Fruit and Vegetable Sorting

Counting 0-20 Lesson Plans for Preschool

This counting Unit 0-20 is designed to make learning numbers fun and effective. With 26 engaging printable activities, your preschoolers will develop a strong foundation in counting and number recognition.

Here are some of the included counting activities:

• Spin and Build Five Frames
• Counting Cards 
• Number Playdough Mats
• Collecting Bears Grid Games
• Dot Counting Cards
• “Show Me” Five Frame Counting Cards
• Number I Spy
• Dice Counting Cards

Shapes Preschool Lesson Plans

In this unit, young learners get to explore basic shapes. They will learn to identify, recognize, and match shapes with precision. To enhance spatial reasoning skills, we will incorporate activities that challenge their ability to spot shapes in various positions, including upside down or sideways.

Below are targeted shape skills preschoolers must learn:

• Identifying shapes: Recognize and name basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles.
• Specific shape attributes: Understand the characteristics of shapes, such as the number of sides and corners.
• Matching shapes: Match identical shapes from a variety of options.
• Identifying shapes in irregular positions: Spot shapes even when they are rotated or flipped.
• Shape formation: Create shapes using various materials, such as blocks, clay, or paper.
• Sorting shapes by attributes: Group shapes based on similar characteristics, such as color, size, or shape.

Get ready for a shape-filled adventure with activities like:

• Farm Theme Shape Activity for Preschool
• Color and Shape Sorting Activity
• Shape Train Activity

Positions & Patterns Lesson Plans for Preschool

The Positions & Patterns Unit offers a variety of activities to teach preschoolers patterning and spatial skills. This unit combines hands-on experiences with printable math centers that help make learning fun!

Targeted position and pattern skills:

• Recognize a pattern: Identify repeating sequences in various contexts.
• Describe a pattern: Use language to explain the characteristics of a pattern.
• Copy a pattern: Reproduce a given pattern using materials or actions.
• Extend a pattern: Continue a pattern beyond the initial sequence.
• Create a pattern: Generate original patterns using various materials or actions.

Measurement Lesson Plans for Preschool

This unit provides you with all the tools you need to effectively teach your preschoolers basic measurement skills. From simple comparisons of “more” and “less” to exploring concepts like length, height, and weight, preschoolers typically love learning all things measurement. This unit includes non-standard units like blocks or children’s own feet, making learning even more fun!

Targeted Measurement Skills:

• More and Less: Understanding the concepts of quantity and comparing objects.
• Number Order: Sequencing numbers according to quantity.
• Size: Recognizing and comparing sizes (big, bigger, biggest).
• Size Comparison: Comparing up to five objects based on size.
• Length: Measuring and comparing the length of objects.
• Height: Measuring and comparing the height of objects.
• Weight: Comparing the weight of objects.
• Length, Height, and Weight Comparisons: Practicing comparing objects based on these attributes.
• Non-Standard Units of Measurement: Using everyday objects like blocks to measure.

Graphing Activities for Preschool Lesson Plans

Our graphing unit combines engaging hands-on activities with teacher-led instruction, providing a strong foundation for understanding data collection and representation. We incorporate weekly printables, discovery-based learning, and integrated literacy activities to reinforce these concepts.

This comprehensive approach ensures that children learn the mechanics of graphing and develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of data analysis.

Targeted Graphing Skills in the Graphing Preschool Unit:

• Organize information: Collect and arrange data in a meaningful way.
• Read data: Interpret information presented in graphs.
• Compare data: Analyze and compare different data sets.
• Transfer data: Represent data accurately in different basic graph formats.
• Produce data sets: Collect and organize data.
• Identify graph parts: Understand the components of a graph, such as the title, labels, and data points.

Addition & Subtraction Lesson Plans for Preschool

Our addition and subtraction unit is designed to make learning these important math skills enjoyable and effective. Through short, daily routines that combine hands-on activities with teacher guidance, your preschoolers will develop a strong understanding of addition and subtraction concepts.

Targeted Addition and Subtraction Skills:

• More and Less: Understanding quantity and comparing amounts.
• Increasing and Decreasing Quantities: Adding and subtracting objects to change amounts.
• Number Sequencing (Order): Arranging numbers in sequential order.
• Composing Within 5: Combining numbers to create sums up to 5.
• Decomposing Within 5: Breaking down numbers into smaller parts within 5.
• Composing Within 10: Combining numbers to create sums up to 10.
• Decomposing Within 10: Breaking down numbers into smaller parts within 10.

Early math education plays a crucial role in a child’s development, laying the foundation for future academic success and problem-solving skills. By introducing math concepts in a fun, interactive way, we can spark a lifelong love of learning.

Our lesson plans for preschool math curriculum offer a variety of activities and lesson plans that make math accessible and fun for your preschoolers. We encourage you to implement these lessons in your homeschool or preschool setting to provide your child with a strong mathematical foundation.

Sarah Punkoney, MAT

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.

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