Down by the Cool of the Pool Story-related Math Pack for Preschoolers

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Math is everywhere, and since children start exploring patterns and shapes, comparing sizes, and counting objects when they turn one year old until they are five, preschool teachers and parents must provide opportunities for children to do meaningful, fun, and positive mathematical activities to set up the foundation for their future, and help them make sense of the world around them and solve problems, including when they are playing.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack — **Down by the Cool of the Pool** Math Pack

This FREE Down by the Cool of the Pool Story-related Math Pack is 27-page long and includes six different sets of printables to be used for counting and writing, counting clip cards, matching shapes, memory games, numeral recognition mats, and other activities to help your preschoolers work on their math skills while having fun.

Benefits of Teaching Math to Preschoolers

Learning Math provides preschoolers with a lot of benefits such as the development of:

Creative and critical thinking skills.
Problem-solving.
Communication.
Understanding of patterns, sizes, and shapes.
Ability to understand the world around them.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Activities

There are many math activities you can do using this storybook as a base. These are just some ideas.

Count and Write

The Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack includes two different pages for this activity. To get them ready, print the pages on white cardstock and laminate them, or place them in dry-erase pockets for durability. Invite the children to count each of the animals that appear on the sheets, and write the amount on the square next to the picture of the animals, using a dry-erase marker

This activity will help them develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, counting, and fine motor skills.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Count & Write

Count & Clip Cards

The Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack includes two different pages with six cards each for this activity. Print the pages on white cardstock cut them out, and laminate them for durability. Invite the children to count the animals on each of the cards, and place a clothespin on top of the right number.

This activity will help them develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, counting, number recognition, and fine motor skills.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Count & Clip Cards — ***Down by the Cool of the Pool*** Count & Clip Cards

Shape Match

The Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack includes two different pages for this activity. Print the pages on white cardstock, and laminate them or place them in a dry-erase pocket for durability. Invite the children to choose a shape, name it, find the matching shape, and trace a line between both shapes using a dry-erase marker.

This activity will help them develop their critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, counting, shape recognition, and fine motor skills.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Shape Match — ***Down by the Cool of the Pool*** Shape Match

Memory Game

The Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack includes 21 cards. Print the pages twice on white cardstock, cut them out, and laminate them for durability.

This game can be played as an individual activity or with a partner. Keep it super simple and have the children place the cards face down. Each of the students will take turns trying to find a pair by turning only two cards at a time. If the cards don’t match, they have to turn them back and remember where they saw them, in case they find the matching card later on. The child that matches the most cards wins the game.

If your preschoolers have been exposed to other memory games, they are probably going to be able to work independently. However, new students or children who are not familiar with these types of games will need your guidance.

This game is great to strengthen the children’s concentration, memory, and working on one-to-one correspondence and creating sets, and, most importantly visual discrimination, which is also needed to recognize letters, numbers, and patterns.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Memory Game — ***Down by the Cool of the Pool*** Memory Game

Numeral Recognition

The Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack includes one page with two cards and two dice for this activity. Print out the pages on white cardstock, cut out the mats, and laminate them for durability.

I offer you two types of dice, one with black dots and the other one with numbers. Use the one you think is best for each of your children’s developmental levels.

This activity can be played as an individual activity or with a partner. The children will roll the dice, count the dots or identify the number that comes on top, say it, find it on the mat, and mark it using a dry-erase marker, bingo chips, frog counters, buttons, pom-poms, or any other small manipulative. The child that covers all the numbers first wins.

This activity will help them develop their visual discrimination, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, counting, number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and fine motor skills.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Numeral Recognition — ***Down by the Cool of the Pool*** Numeral Recognition

Number Puzzles

Print out the puzzles on white cardstock cut them out on the lines, and laminate them for durability. Invite the children to put them together, using the correct number sequence.

The Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack includes ten different puzzles, one for each of the animals in the story, using real pictures, and different number sequences.

Down by the Cool of the Pool Number Puzzles — ***Down by the Cool of the Pool*** Number Puzzles

Other Ideas

You don’t have to limit yourself to using only these printables. There are many other activities you can do related to this story as well. Some other activities I can suggest are:

Have the children use mini plastic animals like the ones below, to count and take away, make sets, divide them by sizes and colors, and make patterns.

Have your preschoolers use their fine motor skills to make a jumping leap frog, like the one shown below, jump. Then have them practice their measuring skills by measuring the distance using a ruler, a measuring tape, connecting cubes, or any other type of measuring item. Once they find out the distance, help them write it on an easel pad to gather data by recording the results.

Cut out lily pads from green construction paper and write numbers on them. Then cut a pool shape from blue construction paper. Have preschoolers choose a lily pad, identify the number written on it, place it on the pool, count out the same amount of manipulatives, and place them on top of the lily pad.

Combine these activities with the activities offered in Down by the Cool of the Pool Literacy and Science packs, to give your preschoolers choices, tie more domains together, and take advantage of the opportunity this book offers. Remember that for a more comprehensive and complete educational process, you should not divorce literacy from math, science, or any other domain. They intermingle together and complement each other.

Other Related Books

You can always read and add more books about farm life and animals to your library and other centers, to give children a wide learning experience and variety to choose from. I’m sure the previous activities will spice their curiosity, and these books could be an excellent source of knowledge.

Below are some you can use. You can find them at your local library, used book store, and on Amazon. For your convenience, I added my Amazon links to the titles, so you can go directly to the website, if you want to purchase one.

National Geographic Readers: Farm Animals by Joanne Mattern. This book will help children learn all about adorable farm animals.

My Farm Friends by Wendell Minor. This book is a perfect introduction to our farm friends, using bold artwork and jaunty verse.

On the Farm by Little Hippo Books. This book illustrates the life at the farm, including all the classic farm animals, cows, horses, pigs and sheep.

Modern Farms by Jackie Nix. This nonfiction book introduces children to farm life, using rhyming verse and bright, attention-getting illustrations, to teach about the many different types of farms, from row crops to fruits and vegetables, to farm animals.

Tractors Found on the Farm by Wordplay Groundhog. Using cute rhymes and farm illustrations, this fun storybook uses simple sentences and silly tractor pictures that include farm animals, barns, and classic agriculture scenery.

This Book is a Farm by Lenna Grey. Kids will love becoming part of the story as they tackle interactive farm chores.

Cows Can Moo! Can You? All About Farms by Bonnie Worth. Ideal for kids who love animals and machines, this is a perfect choice for families making their first visit to a farm or petting zoo, or for explaining where food comes from.

Amara’s Farm by Ja-Nay Brown Wood. The playful text guides young readers to hunt for visual clues and compare and contrast the unique characteristics of pumpkins against okra, cauliflower, eggplant, and other produce that grows on Amara’s farm.

The Busy Little Tractor by Little Hippo Books. This is a great story about friendship and helping each other.

Barn in Winter: Safe and Warm on the Farm by Chambrae Griffith. Celebrate winter with this beautiful keepsake book lyrically written in rhyming verse with gorgeously rich illustrations.

Counting Animals on the Farm by Goodzilla Books. A perfect book for little students learning to count from 1 to 10 fun and easy, with our animals.

Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s Farm by Joy Cowley. This funny story talks about Duck, Cow, and Pig running away from Mrs. Wishy-Washy to the big city, where they get lost, wander into a restaurant, and even stumble into a hardware store and get covered in paint!

Pin It for Later

Life can be hectic, especially when you are taking care of and teaching preschoolers. If you don’t have time to download the printable but want to use it in the future, just pin it to one of your Pinterest boards for later.

Don’t forget to grab your FREE Down by the Cool of the Pool Math Pack. Just click on the button below, and type your information. Don’t worry, if you are already a friend, you won’t subscribe twice.

I hope you enjoy these ideas, and that your children have tons of fun with them while learning.

Be happy, safe, and creative. I wish you well.

Love,

P.D. Please let me know if you like any of these ideas worked for you, or if you think I need to add or replace something. My goal is to help you in any way I can and I don’t like anything better than to post something that you might find useful. Also, if you come up with different ideas and want to share them, I would love to post them as well.