Preschool Addition Games with Bugs and Butterflies

Can you ever have enough preschool addition games in your teaching toolbox? Games are the easiest way to keep learning fun and engaging, which is why this “Collecting Bugs Preschool Addition” games need to be added to your go-to math activities for preschoolers.

What preschooler isn’t going to love a game filled with colorful, wiggly bugs? Keep this game for your bugs and butterflies preschool theme or any spring theme idea.

Collecting Bugs Addition Game for Prescholers - free printable | Collecting bugs and other preschool addition games | Skills developed through the Collecting Bugs addition game

Preschoolers love anything that crawls, flies, or wriggles—which makes bugs the perfect theme for math time.

You know, preschool addition games that tap into kids’ natural interest in bugs can make learning extra fun. Mix that with hands-on math activities—like a fun little game where they “collect” bugs while adding—and you’ve taken it to the next level. It’s such a great way to keep them engaged and excited about numbers!

As preschoolers work their way around the game board, they collect different numbers of bugs to add to their collection mat. It’s an interactive way to build addition skills using materials that feel more like toys than teaching tools.

My preschoolers love this game. And best of all, it requires practically no prep work. Just print, cut once, and you’re ready to play!

Read this: 20+ Bug Games for Preschoolers

Table of Contents

Skills Developed Through the Collecting Bugs Addition Game

This playful addition game builds foundational math and social skills through hands-on, interactive play. Here’s how it supports key areas of development:

Number Recognition

As children match bug counters to number mats, they repeatedly see and identify numbers.
The visual numbers on the game board help reinforce number symbols.
Children begin to connect written numbers to quantities.

Adding Small Numbers

Children to combine two bug groups and count the total in the jar.
They use counters to “see” the math as they add.
This helps them understand how numbers grow when groups are combined.

Game Playing and Taking Turns

When used in small groups, kids take turns drawing cards and solving problems.
This encourages patience, cooperation, and following simple game rules.
They learn to wait their turn.

Read this: Free Insect Printables for Preschoolers

Collecting Bugs Addition Game

The object of the game is simple. Players want to collect bugs and add them to their bug house. How many bugs will fit? How does the size of your “bugs” change how many will fit?

The Set-Up

Download the printable at the end of this post. Print it in color on heavy cardstock and laminate for added durability. Find some game pieces, a dice, and some sort of colorful counter to act as “bugs” being collected in the game.

You can paste the game to the inside of a file folder, and then paste the instructions to the other side. This way you never lose the instructions and the game is already inside its own file folder, making it easy to file with your other math printables.

Play the Game

Invite your preschooler to play the addition game with you. The directions are as follows:

Select a player to take the first turn.
Roll the dice and identify the number. Move your marker the corresponding number of spaces on the game board.
Identify the number on the game place your game piece lands. Collect the same number of “bugs” and add them to your bug house.
Now it is the next players turn.

Continue the above steps. A winner can be chosen one of two ways. Either the first player to fill their bug house is the winner, or the game ends when the first player has reached the end of the game track and the player with the most bugs wins.

That is…if you want a winner at all. Often in preschool games I choose to end the game without a winner and treat the game more like completing any other task.

Preschool Addition Games

These games make learning feel like play, helping little ones build confidence and a love for math right from the start!

Bug Games for Preschoolers

Want to add more game fun to your insect preschool theme? Try these bug games!

Shop our Insect Printable Sets

Shop now and bring creepy-crawly fun to your preschool lesson plans!

Get Your Free Collecting Bugs Addition Game

Think this is something your preschooler would enjoy? Grab your copy!

Read this: Free Bug Fact Cards for Preschoolers

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.

stayathomeeducator.com/

Collecting Bugs and Other Preschool Addition Games