This adorable number mats printable has a pretty pumpkin theme just perfect for fall. They are great for teaching number recognition, counting, building sets, and number words. Start with the easier sections and work up to the more challenging ones as your child’s skills improve over time.
How to Use These Printable Pumpkin Number Mats
Here’s What You’ll Need:
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- Printable number mats (you can get them at the bottom of the page)
- Moldable craft supplies (like these wax sticks or gluten-free play dough)
- Counters (try these 3-D pumpkin mini-erasers to keep with the theme)
- Laminating sheets (optional)
Instructions:
With just a few things you probably already have at home, these mats are easy to print and use. Not only will they make a great addition to your math center, but this fun hands-on activity can be played at any time.
For each mat, start by looking at the number word at the top of the page and read it aloud with your kids. This will help them to eventually recognize and read these words on their own. They wouldn’t be expected to already know these words at the start of preschool or kindergarten.
Next, let the kids fill in the large number outline using moldable craft supplies like wax sticks or play dough. If you decide to laminate the mats, you can also offer dry-erase markers to color the number. Of course, write-and-wipe pockets are a great laminating alternative.
After that, they can find the number from a group of three to work on number recognition. Then they can count all the pretty pumpkins on the page and use counters to make their own set. Any counters will work, but using the pumpkin mini-erasers makes it more fun!
Like most counters, these are pretty small and can be a choking hazard. So, be sure to watch your students closely during this activity. If you’ve laminated the mats, you can have them draw pumpkins with a dry-erase marker instead os using counters.
Finally, your kids get another opportunity to learn the number word by finger-tracing it. Of course, if the mats are laminated, you could always use a dry-erase marker for this step too. Keep in mind that finger tracing is a pre-writing skill that is often easier for young kids.
Adapting These Number Mats for Different Needs
If some kids find it hard to handle small counters, they can use a bingo dauber or dot marker instead. These markers are big and easy to hold.
For kids just starting to learn their numbers, we’ve got plain counting cards that are much simpler than these mats. They print two to a page and show just the number, the number word, and a set to count. There is no need to make sets or trace anything. You can find our pumpkin-themed counting cards here.
These simpler cards are also great for kids who need to answer via eye gaze because they can easily be used with a felt board and hook and loop dots.
No matter how you choose to use them, these printable number mats are sure to bring a spark of fun to any home or classroom.
