Cornucopia Counting Mats for Preschoolers

Affiliate Disclosure: “This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using those links.”

One thing that is typically Thanksgiving-related is the cornucopia, which was used to create these FREE Cornucopia Counting Mats.

Preschoolers need to practice number recognition and counting with hands-on activities because if they don’t recognize the numbers and learn to count, they will be unable to use them later to learn more complex mathematical concepts, such as addition and subtraction.

The Cornucopia Counting Mats printable is free for my subscribers, and you can get it at the end of this post.

Cornucopia Counting Mats

These pretty Cornucopia Counting Mats will allow preschoolers to practice their:

Counting abilities (counting the fruits and veggies in each cornucopia and the dots and tallies on the tiles to match them).
Number recognition (identifying the number on the tile).
Concentration skills (focusing on the different tasks).
One-to-one correspondence (matching the correct tiles to each mat).
Language development (counting out loud number sequence).
Pre-reading (identify the correct written number word to place on the mat).
Pre-writing (tracing and copying the number words).
Fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and control (placing the tiles on the mats and tracing the number of words).

The printable includes mats for numbers one to twelve: correspondent number tiles, dot tiles, tally tiles, and number words.

This math activity requires very little prep work. To prepare it, print all the pages on white cardstock. Cut out and laminate the tiles to keep them available for years. If you don’t want to laminate the mats, you can always use dry-erase pockets. When you are done using the activity, store it on sheet protectors and place it in a binder to keep it safe.

I always recommend printing out multiple copies and placing them in different centers. That way, you will encourage more preschoolers to use them when they rotate to the various centers, such as small group tables, math centers, writing centers, quiet areas, or even take-home activities.

The child selects a mat, counts the fruits and veggies, finds the number of tiles, and places them on the first square.
Then, select the tile with the dots representing the exact amount and place it on the second square.
Next, place the tile with the tallies representing the same number on the third square.
Finally, the child must select the number word, place it on the rectangle, and trace it using a pencil, marker, or crayon.

Extension Activities

You can use these mats or tiles to:

Talk about each number and the different characteristics of the shape of the numbers.
Explain the difference between small and large numbers. For example, the cornucopia with the number 2 has fewer pictures than the one with the number 5 because it is a smaller number.
You can use the cornucopia for a social study lesson, talking about where it came from, its uses, and its relationship with Thanksgiving.
Use the pictures of fruits and vegetables for a science lesson, talking about the differences between them and their benefits for health.
Have children copy the words with magnetic, foam, or wooden letters.
Have children match the number tiles with magnetic, foam, or wooden numbers or small manipulatives such as Thanksgiving mini erasers, buttons, and Bingo chips.

Thanksgiving Books

Fill your library and the different centers with many books about Thanksgiving-related themes. If you don’t have many available, you can always find a lot at your local library or used bookstore. Of course, you can order them through my Amazon affiliate links by clicking on the titles below.

The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross. This exciting book retells the story of the pilgrims’ voyage across the Atlantic to the first Thanksgiving feast, using colorful and beautiful illustrations that will delight your young historians.

Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks! by Sutherland. This book used simple text and colorful illustrations to introduce preschoolers to the joy of celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends and to be thankful for everything and every day.

Little Critter: Just a Special Thanksgiving by Mercer Mayer. This lovely character brings to life the Thanksgiving celebration with his family as they give thanks during this holiday.

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson. This book offers beautiful illustrations and playful text to tell the story of a Bear who has come up with a big dinner to celebrate family and friendship.

The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing is a fun book that tells the story of families getting together to prepare and enjoy a feast during Thanksgiving.

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes. This book uses simple text and striking illustrations to remind kids and adults alike about the little details that make each day enjoyable and a warm and genuine way to share the true Thanksgiving spirit.

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 this to your Math, Fall, or Thanksgiving boards on Pinterest.

Don’t forget to grab your FREE Cornucopia Counting Mats printable by clicking the link below!

Then check out some other FREE counting printables available only to my readers and get them, too, to expand your activity collection and help your preschoolers have fun while learning.