Free Preschool Math Activities & Worksheets for Ages 3–5

Make math fun and simple with these free preschool math activities and printable worksheets for children ages 3–5. Kids can practice counting, number recognition, number tracing, shapes, patterns, sorting, comparing, measurement, and early addition and subtraction through colorful, hands-on activities.

These preschool math activities are designed for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers who want easy ways to help young children build early number sense and problem-solving skills. Start with simple counting and number recognition, then move to shapes, patterns, comparing quantities, and other early math concepts as your child is ready.

Choose a skill below to find a fun activity or printable worksheet that your preschooler can practice at home or in the classroom.

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For kids of preschool age group, make teaching activity-oriented using games or objects. Preschool learning games help the preschoolers learn to recognize the colors and shapes and to concentrate on math colorful worksheets. Preschool activities for kids have been designed, keeping in mind about the preschoolers.

We need to cover the following areas in preschool to get adequate knowledge for the next level.

Pre-Primary Mathematical Concepts

Big and small are only relative sizes. A fairy may be small compared to the queen fairy, but it may be big compared to an elf.

Big and bigger are used for comparison of two things of the same kind. Show actual objects from the surroundings to reinforce the concept. Kids may be asked to give more examples.

Tall and short are relative sizes. An elf may be tall or short when compared to another elf.

Tall and taller are used for relative comparison of two things. This comparison may be made between two kids, where one is taller than the other. Make the kids compare their heights with their friends to find out who is taller.

Long and short are used to compare the lengths of two things.

This short is different from the short which refers to height. Ask the kids to give examples using objects from their surroundings.

Numbers and Number Concepts

While teaching the kids how to count, it is very important to make them understand one to one relation. For this, make them count by touching the objects. Teach the kids how to form a relation between the numbers and the objects in their surroundings. For example, one sun, one moon, two eyes, two ears and so on…. Count clearly and loudly and ask the kids to count along with you.

Show kids a collection of different objects. They should be able to count the number of objects in each collection. More drill on quantifying the number of objects is important.

The concept of zero is very abstract. Keep some objects at hand and remove them one by one to show that eventually nothing is left. Show several examples to reinforce this point.

Ordinal Numbers

Help the kids understand the difference between ordinal and counting numbers. Ordinal numbers are used to show the position or order of objects. kids should understand that position is relative and can always change. What was second at one point of time could become fifth by changing positions. Reinforce this point by making the kids stand in a line and exchange places.

The concept of just before and just after strengthens the idea of ordinal numbers. Kids should be told the difference between before and just before. Before is general but just before is immediately before. Similarly, after is general but just after is immediately after.

Days of the Week

Selecting the first day of the week is a matter of choice and tradition in different parts of the world. Some take Monday as the first day since Saturday and Sunday are taken as weekend. Considering this logic, we have also taken Monday as the first day of the week.

Tell the kids that there are only seven days in a week and when one week is over, another week begins. Give enough oral practice before making the kids attempt the worksheets.

Addition and Subtraction

Before teaching addition, it is important to make the kids understand that any number plus one gives the next number. At this stage, kids should not be introduced to the symbols in Mathematics. Avoid teaching them addition as 2 + 2 = 4, instead say 2 and 2 more is 4. When the concept of more than becomes clear to them, the symbols can be used.

Use fingers to introduce the concept of adding zero with no fingers open in one hand and the required number of fingers opened in the other.

In subtraction also, avoid using symbols. Instead use expressions like 2 taken away from 4 is 2. When the concept of take away becomes clear, the symbols can be used.

Do not teach addition and subtraction of 2-digit numbers at this level since the kids are not familiar with the concept of tens and ones.

Shapes

Draw a circle on the board and say this is a circle, it is round. Ask the kids to look around and name circular objects in their surroundings. Let the kids name the food they eat that is circular in shape like chapatti, pizza, round slices of tomato, etc., Do the same activity with other shapes as well.

Make a big circle with your hands. Let the kids copy you and say big circle. Then make a small circle with your finger. Let the kids copy you again and say small circle. Do this activity with other shapes also to reinforce the concept of big and small.

Patterns

Before teaching patterns to kids, do plenty of sorting and grouping activities.

Strengthen the ability to form patterns by recognizing and identifying colours, sizes and shapes. Any set of shapes, numbers, letters or objects that are repeated again and again help kids to learn about patterns.

Encourage kids to create patterns by arranging coloured blocks, beads, crayons, etc., Make learning a stress-free experience for the little beginners who are just stepping up the ladder of life and create a learning environment!

Here is a collection of simple colorful preschool worksheets designed such as math coloring pages, rhymes for kids, puzzle for kids, etc., to help your child improve his/her learning skills and to make the basic strong. Coloring pages for kids is one of the most important creative and fun activities. Kids can have fun coloring these printable worksheets on coloring pages with crayons, water colors which can keep them occupied for hours and hours. Enjoy those activities with your child in a casual and no-pressure manner and you both will have fun.

Each preschool math activity provides numerous types of early childhood development which improves their learning experiences and will also help to prepare your child for future success.

Math Only Math is based on the premise that children do not make a distinction between play and work and learn best when learning becomes play and play becomes learning.

However, suggestions for further improvement, from all quarters would be greatly appreciated.

Number Worksheets for Preschool:

How to Teach a Child to Write?

Basic strokes are very important for the beginners. Some of the pre-writing stokes practice worksheets given here are: standing line, sleeping line, right slanting line, left slanting line, right open curve, left open curve, upward open curve and downward open curve.

Numbers 1–5

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 1?”; “identify number 1 among the group of numbers” and “count number 1.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 2?”; “identify number 2 among the group of numbers” and “count the objects and write number 2.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 3?”; “identify number 3 among the group of numbers” and “count number 3.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 4?”; “identify number 4 among the group of numbers” and “count the objects and write number 4.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 5?”; “identify number 5 among the group of numbers” and “count number 5.

Practice worksheet on: “How to identify the numbers and write the numbers from 1 to 5? Count the objects and write the exact number.

Numbers 6–10

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 6?”; “identify number 6 among the group of numbers” and “count the objects and write number 6.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 7?”; “identify number 7 among the group of numbers” and “count number 7.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 8?”; “identify number 8 among the group of numbers” and “count the objects and write number 8.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 9?”; “identify number 9 among the group of numbers” and “count number 9.

Practice worksheet on “How to write number 10?”; “identify number 10 among the group of numbers” and “count the objects and write number 10.

Practice worksheet on: “How to identify the numbers and write the numbers from 6 to 10? Count the objects and write the exact number.

Practice Traceable Numbers Worksheets for Preschool Kids

Practice tracing the numbers from 1 to 5

Practice tracing the numbers from 6 to 10

Practice tracing the numbers from 11 to 15

Practice tracing the numbers from 16 to 20

Traceable Math Worksheets on Number Names for Kids

Practice the following worksheets on tracing and writing the numbers from 1 to 10 in words. i.e., 1 as one, 2 as two, 3 as three, 4 as four, 5 as five, 6 as six, 7 as seven, 8 as eight, 9 as nine and 10 as ten.

Learn to Write Numbers

Practice the following worksheets on tracing and writing the numbers both in number and in words from 1 to 10. Colour the objects according to the numbers.

Identification of Numbers Worksheets

Practice the following worksheets on identify the number, count the number of objects and then colour the objects as per the numbers given.                                                                                                                                          .

Preschool Counting Activities:

• Color by Number: Practice the worksheet by following the number code to colour the ladybug. 

• Worksheet on Numbers: Practice the counting and write the correct number of objects given in the picture.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Preschool Math Activities:

About Author

Written by Priyanka Ghosh
Mathematics Educator | Founder of Math Only Math

Priyanka Ghosh has been teaching elementary and middle-school mathematics for over 12 years and specializes in creating simple, child-friendly math lessons and worksheets.

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