Teaching Preschool Math: How to Make it Stick

Teaching preschool math can be simple and engaging when using hands-on math activities that make learning feel like play. Young children learn best through exploration, and math concepts become easier to understand when they are part of everyday experiences.

Whether sorting objects by color, counting blocks, or recognizing patterns, preschoolers benefit from activities that build number sense naturally. This makes perfect sense since preschoolers learn best through play and exploration. The more that preschoolers engage in fun math activities, the more they will have a positive relationship with math!

Preschool math isn’t just about knowing your numbers—it’s about getting kids ready to solve problems and think logically. We want to help them build a solid base for all that! Fun math activities help preschoolers learn to count, compare things, sort objects into groups, and spot patterns. The trick is to make it all feel natural and fun, not like a chore.

Preschoolers learn best by doing. Think of hands-on activities like counting teddy bears, playing with shape puzzles, or fun number games. These kinds of activities let your preschoolers explore and get curious. When we use the real stuff, like buttons for sorting or measuring cups for comparing sizes, the math starts to make sense in their world. Plus, these activities are great for their little fingers, their language skills, and their ability to think things through.

If you are seeking a comprehensive year-long math curriculum that is as fun and exciting as we just described above, look no further! Our Daily Lessons in Preschool Mathematics Curriculum is filled with all the fun, hands-on lessons you need for your preschoolers. We guarantee you and your preschoolers will love it!

Why Teaching Math in Preschool Matters

Preschool is the perfect time to start building a love of math! It’s where kids first learn about counting, sorting, and patterns—the building blocks for all future math learning. These skills aren’t just for school, though. They’ll help kids make sense of the world around them every single day. Isn’t that exciting?

Here are some reasons why teaching math to preschoolers is important:

1. Building Foundational Skills
   • Early exposure to math concepts sets our children’s thinking and learning for the future. Our children need to build strong number sense and graphing and sorting skills to be ready for school and beyond. 
2. Math is a Part of Everyday Life
   • Preschoolers encounter math daily – counting snacks, sorting toys, or identifying shapes in their environment. Our preschoolers love to explore and discover patterns, making math a natural part of learning. 
3. Lifelong Benefits
   • Math skills developed in early childhood enhance critical thinking and reasoning. Our children will use these skills to solve real-world problems, strengthening their confidence and curiosity throughout their lives. 

Principles for Making Math Meaningful

How are you going to make math meaningful to your preschoolers?

Remember that children learn best through play and interactive experiences. To make math truly meaningful, we need to weave it into their everyday routines and playtime. Here’s how:

• Connect Math to Real Life: Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. We can help them see math everywhere, from measuring their height on the wall, cutting a delicious pizza into eight equal slices, to pointing out numbers on street signs. Connecting math to these real-world experiences makes it relevant and exciting.
• Embrace Exploration and Play: Open-ended play is a fantastic way to inspire curiosity about numbers, shapes, and patterns. Preschoolers thrive on experimentation and discovery, and hands-on activities give them the chance to explore math concepts in a playful way.
• Engage with Hands-On Activities: Think blocks, counters, and even natural materials like rocks and leaves! These manipulatives make math tangible, real, and FUN! Young children need to touch, feel, and interact with objects to truly understand abstract ideas.
• Encourage “Math Talk”: Talking about math helps children organize their thoughts and build confidence. We can encourage them to explain how they count, sort, or measure. This “math talk” is a powerful tool for developing their understanding.

Key Strategies for Teaching Preschool Math

It is best to teach math in a a well-planned, systematic way. Incorporating math into everyday activities can also make learning effortless.

Here are some expert strategies on how to teach your preschoolers math:

• Follow a systematic curriculum
  • A structured approach ensures children grasp core math concepts progressively. Stay at Home Educator provides easy-to-follow lesson plans to guide you through daily math learning. The best part? The lessons are hands-on and extremely fun!
• Integrate Math into Daily Routines
  • Count steps while walking, compare fruit sizes at snack time, or measure water while pouring. Our children need consistent exposure to math in their daily activities. 
• Focus on Core Concepts
  • Stay at Home Educator’s curriculum covers essential math skills such as counting, sorting, patterns, and early addition. Our preschoolers love to practice and repeat skills in fun ways. 
• Use Storytelling and Books
  • Math-themed books like “Ten Apples Up on Top!” make learning enjoyable. Our children want to hear fun stories that introduce math concepts in a playful manner. 
• Use Outdoor Play for Math Lessons, Naturally
  • Nature provides endless math opportunities – counting leaves, sorting rocks, hopscotch, building structures and more! Preschoolers love exploring outdoors and they are naturally practicing early math skills with many outdoor activities. 

Suggested Activities for Teaching Preschool Math

We’re excited to share some of the best hands-on activities for your children! These hands-on activities help preschoolers build essential skills in math and are also loads of fun:

Number Sense

Counting objects during snack time or on a nature walk helps children connect numbers to everyday life. Whether counting crackers or spotting birds in a tree, these simple activities build a strong foundation for number recognition.

• One to One Correspondence Counting Number Cards
• Comparing Ten Frame Counting Activities
• Composing Ten Counting Activities
• Counting Puzzles

Comparing and Sorting

Using colored beads, toys, or household objects to group and sort by size, color, or shape strengthens classification skills. Creating simple patterns also helps children recognize order and logic while making sense of the world around them.

• Fruit and Veggie Color Sorting Cards
• Shamrock Color Sorting Mats
• Rainbow Tree Color Sorting Activity

Shapes

Shape hunts around the house or outdoors help children identify geometric forms in real life. Using tangrams, building with blocks, or drawing pictures with different shapes makes learning about geometry interactive and fun.

• Flower Shape Invitation to Create
• Geometry Shape Train
• Magnetic Quilting Shape Activity

Measurement

Measuring with non-standard units like blocks, hands, or pieces of string helps children understand size and length in a meaningful way. Comparing objects and experimenting with different materials encourages problem-solving and estimation.

• Counting Bears Weight Task Cards
• Flower Height Measurement Cards
• Ice Cream Cone Measurement Cards

Graphing

Sorting and graphing favorite fruits, colors, or even toys introduces early data skills. Simple bar graphs or tally charts give children a way to visually organize information and share their preferences in a fun way!

• Fantastic Fall Graphing Game
• Graphing Colors Printable
• Penguin Graphing Printables

Positions and Patterns

Practicing positional words (above, below, beside) helps children develop spatial awareness. Recognizing and continuing patterns using beads, stickers, or everyday objects strengthens early math reasoning.

• Spring Flowers Pattern Cards
• Winter Patterning Cards
• Fall Patterning Activity

Simple Addition and Subtraction

Using real objects like toys or snacks to add and subtract makes early arithmetic more concrete. Hands-on practice with grouping and taking away helps children grasp basic math operations.

• Preschool Addition Activities
• Flower Petal Addition Activity
• Apple Pumpkin Addition for Preschool

FAQ About Teaching Preschool Math

When should I start introducing math concepts?

Believe it or not, math learning can begin as early as toddlerhood! We can introduce math informally through play and everyday routines, long before preschool even starts.

What math concepts are most important for preschoolers?

For this age group, the focus should be on building a strong foundation in counting, shapes, patterns, sorting, and measurement (think size, length, weight).

How can I teach math without overwhelming my preschooler?

The key is to keep it fun and engaging! Focus on playful, hands-on activities and weave math naturally into their daily experiences. Avoid long, formal lessons.

Do I need special materials?

Absolutely not! Everyday items like blocks, buttons, toys, and even household objects are perfect for creating fun math activities. Get creative!

How can I make math fun?

Games, songs, stories, and anything that sparks kids’ imaginations are your best tools! Look for ways to incorporate math into these activities in a playful way.

What if my child struggles with a concept?

Patience is key! Try revisiting the concept through different activities and celebrate even the smallest wins. If you’re concerned, talk to your child’s teacher for additional ideas.

Are digital tools helpful for teaching preschool math?

Digital tools can be a nice supplement, but they shouldn’t replace hands-on, real-world learning. Preschoolers need to experience math tangibly.

Teaching preschool math can be a joyful and fun experience when approached with playfulness and creativity. Our preschoolers love engaging with numbers, shapes, and patterns in ways that feel natural and enjoyable. By using everyday experiences, hands-on activities, and structured learning, you can nurture strong math skills from an early age.

Stay at Home Educator provides intentional teaching resources that make learning exciting and stress-free. Visit Stay at Home Educator for free lesson plans and engaging math activities designed specifically for preschoolers. Let’s create a math-rich environment where our children will grow, explore, and develop a love for learning!