Squirrels can be quite sneaky as they work hard to ferret away acorns for winter. That’s what keeps happening in this fun fall counting printable. That sneaky squirrel keeps stealing the acorns, and your preschooler will giggle all the while. Be sure to grab your FREE counting printable and some other FREE fall printables for preschoolers at the end of this post.

FUN FALL PRINTABLES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Autumn is the best time of year for preschool lesson planning because after a nice summer break we all have renewed enthusiasm for teaching our little preschoolers! Or is it just me?

But I want to tell you a story about how this became one more of my fall printables for preschoolers.

Nutsy, the Squirrel

When I was three years old, the same age as one of my sons, my dad gave me a stuffed squirrel for Christmas. I named him Nutsy.

That Christmas was a Christmas of many firsts for my then-single dad of three young boys and a little girl. It was a season of many transitions for our family, one of which being our first holiday without a mother.

So, I clung to that stuffed squirrel and it quickly became my best playmate and a comfort in otherwise a time of confusion for a little girl.

Thirty-three years later and I still have that stuffed squirrel, although his fur is worn thin and he has a hole under one of his arms that I have tried to sew up multiple times. He sits on my dresser because he reminds me of my dad. And I love my dad.

So when I brought out this sneaky squirrel fall math game my three and four-year-old boys, they practically squealed in delight when they noticed the squirrel, whom they immediately began to call “Nutsy”. That just added to the fun we were about to have.

And we did have a ton of fun. Unlike my other fall printables for preschoolers, this free printable is about a sneaky squirrel, not leaves, or trees, or pine cones, or acorns or ___ (insert your fall icon of choice).

Don’t forget to grab your copy of this math game in addition to other fun free autumn printables at the end of this post!

SNEAKY SQUIRREL TEN FRAME MATH GAME (FREE FALL PRINTABLE)

This squirrel is sneaky and likes to swipe acorns! Your preschooler starts out with ten acorns, but the squirrel might steal a few. Your preschooler has to figure out how many are taken, in addition to how many are left over to put into the wheelbarrow.

MATERIALS

• Sneaky Squirrel Ten Frame Math Printable (free, and at the end of this post)
• Acrylic acorn table scatter (or buttons, or other fake acorns, or other math counter)

THE MATH GAME SET-UP

Print out the game on heavy cardstock and laminate for added durability. Cut apart the number cards and place them in pile.

Give each preschooler a set of ten acorns and a copy of the printable. Keeping everything on a food tray will help your preschooler keep to his own space as well as keep the acorns in one spot, too. Place the acrylic acorns (or buttons) on the ten frame, covering the acorns that are already there. (This is to help your preschooler understand they are always starting with ten.)

Invite your preschooler to come and play!

HOW TO PLAY THIS FREE FALL PRINTABLE GAME

The math game is simple, but fun, because what preschooler doesn’t get a kick out of a sneaky squirrel stealing acorns? My boys giggled and giggled.

1. Draw a number card and identify the number. If your preschooler doesn’t know the number, then count the acorns on the card.
2. The squirrel then steals the same number of acorns as on the number card. Count that number of acorns and place them on the tree stump next to the squirrel.
3. Now ask how many acorns are remaining on the ten frame. Invite your preschooler to count them. Those acorns then become the preschooler’s and get placed in the wheelbarrow.
4. Finally, have your preschooler repeat how many acorns they started with, how many the squirrel stole, and how many was left over for them.
5. Repeat the above steps.

My sons had a ton of fun with this game, and got even more counting practice in. They thought it was so funny that my good friend, Nutsy the stuffed squirrel, would sneak away with their acorns.

Be sure to check out all the free fall printables for preschoolers down below, and then grab your FREE Sneaky Squirrel printable at the end of this post!

Looking for More Fall Activities for Preschoolers?

You’ll love these! All brand new ideas this year!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE Sneaky Squirrel printable at the end of this post, too!

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

Fall Roll and Graph // Kindergarten Connection

Fall Leaves Alphabet Cards // Sweet Sounds of Kindergarten

Sneaky Squirrel Fall Counting Game for Preschoolers // Stay at Home Educator

Fall STEM Challenge Cards // Schooling a Monkey

Autumn Leaf Shapes // Teach Me Mommy

How to Carve a Pumpkin Mini Book // The Primary Post

Fall Foods Pocket Chart Sentences // Mrs. Jones Creation Station

Fall Color by Sight Word // Sara J. Creations

Fall Fine Motor Activities // Fairy Poppins

Fall Sight Word Board Game // Literacy with the Littles

Fall Leaf Rhyming Cards // The Letters of Literacy

Autumn ABC Sort // Happy Days in First Grade

Want the Sneaky Squirrel Fall Printable for Preschoolers?

Just click the image below to get it!

Need Even for More Fall Printables for Preschoolers?

I’ve got you covered! Check out these fun activity packs. Teachers love to add them to their fall centers!

And take a look at my BEST fall activities for preschoolers blog page. It’s an ever-growing page of all my fall activities in a single place!

>> BEST Fall Activities for Preschoolers <<<