Acorns Counting Mats for Preschoolers
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These super cute and FREE Acorns Counting Mats are the perfect hands-on activity for Fall. They are also fun, engaging, and an effective way for your preschoolers to learn numbers and practice their counting!
The Acorns Counting Mats pack includes eleven mats with the numbers 0 to 10. You can get this FREE activity at the end of this post.
Benefits of the Acorn Counting Mats
The Acorn Counting Mats will allow preschoolers to practice their:
- Number recognition (identifying the number on the mat before counting).
- Number words (writing and/or copying the words).
- Counting abilities (counting the ghosts).
- Number formation and fine motor development (tracing and writing number words).
- Hand-eye coordination and control (placing the manipulatives in the squares).
- Concentration skills (focusing on the different tasks).
- One-to-one correspondence (counting the manipulatives to be added).
- Language development (counting out loud number sequence).
Setting Up the Acorns Counting Mats
To get this low-prep activity, you will need the following materials:
- Acorns Counting Mats (found at the bottom of this post).
- Printer
- White cardstock or dry-erase pockets.
- Dry-erase markers.
- Real or plastic acorns or small manipulatives – such as mini erasers, buttons, small balls of playdough, stickers, and bingo chips.
Print each page using white cardstock. Laminate the cards or place them in dry-erase pockets to have them available for years to come. When you are done using the activity, store it on sheet protectors placed in a binder to keep the mats safe.
I always recommend printing out multiple copies and placing them in different centers. That way, you will entice and encourage more preschoolers to use them when they rotate to the other centers.
How to Use The Acorns Counting Mats
These Acorn Counting Mats can be used in many ways, such as:
- Small group activity
- Math center option
- Writing center
- Take-home game
- Quiet area option
Before placing the mats in the various centers, it is recommended to introduce them to your preschoolers first. Circle time might be the perfect time to do this. There is no point in placing them in centers if they don’t know how to use them first.
A good way to do this is by introducing the mats to the children and discussing each number, along with its corresponding shape and characteristics. Talk about small and large numbers, such as number 2 has fewer pictures than number 5 because it is a smaller number.
Explain that they must point to and count out loud each seed on the counting mats, and then place the same number of real or plastic acorns or any small manipulatives on the corresponding counting squares. Finally, they have to trace the number word and copy it next to it using a dry-erase marker.
If you want to use these mats as a one-use activity, the children need to use pencils, markers, or crayons. Then, you can also copy the words using magnetic, foam, or wooden letters.
Fall-related Storybooks
This activity gives you the perfect opportunity to read storybooks related to fall. Remember that reading to your preschoolers allows them to engage with the theme, expand their vocabulary, and develop their pre-reading and pre-writing skills, among other benefits.
These are some fun books you can use. You can find them at your local library, used bookstore, or on Amazon. Clicking on each title will take you directly to Amazon through my affiliate links, saving you time searching for them.
- The Leaf Thief by Alice Heming uses vibrant art and captivating characters to capture the magic of autumn on each page as readers tag along with Squirrel’s forest adventure.
- Crunchy Leaves, Cozy Sweaters by Essie Bell is an enjoyable book written in rhyme. It showcases various activities that everyone can enjoy every day throughout the fall.
- What is Fall? by Random House introduces children to the wonders of fall with illustrations, holes to peek through, an autumnal color palette, and simple, rhyming text.
- There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro tells the story of an old lady who swallows some leaves, clothes, a pumpkin, and a rope to welcome the Fall season with humorous illustrations and a spin on a classic rhyme.
- Pete the Cat Falling for Autumn by James Dean discusses how Pete comes to realize there’s so much to enjoy and be thankful for about autumn when he discovers corn mazes, hayrides, and apple picking.
- A Very Big Fall by Emmy Kastner is a humorous and heartwarming story about three adorable autumn leaves, surprised by their changing colors and the promise of the fall to come, making it perfect for any child who struggles with change.
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Fall by Eric Carle will teach children about seasonal sensory experiences, such as observing the leaves as they change color, listening to the whooshing wind, feeling the warmth of a warm, cozy sweater, and much more.
- We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger utilizes accessible rhyming text and engaging sound effects to tell the story of three friends embarking on a big adventure as they hike over a mountain and through a forest to collect leaves of all kinds and colors.
- Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson will encourage children to share feelings of wonder and empathy as they listen to the story of Fletcher the fox, who is concerned about nature and wants to understand the changing seasons.
Pin It for Later
If you are in a rush and don’t have time to read the post and download the printable but want to save it for later, pin it to your Math and Fall Pinterest boards, so you can have it available when you need it.
I hope you and your preschoolers enjoy these Acorn Counting Mats, which help them learn or review their numbers and expand their counting abilities.
Don’t forget to grab your FREE printable by clicking on the link below.
Are you looking for more Fall ideas and activities to do at home or in the classroom? If so, check out some of the options below.
Be happy, safe, and creative. I wish you well.
Love,
P.D. Please let me know if these mats were helpful for you, or if you think I need to add or replace anything. My goal is to help you in any way I can, and I take great pleasure in posting something that you might find helpful. Additionally, if you have come up with different ideas and would like to share them, I would be happy to post them as well.
