Earth Day Math Puzzles for Preschoolers

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Earth Day Math Puzzles for Preschoolers

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These FREE, pretty, and versatile Earth Day Math Puzzles will help you introduce or review Math concepts in a different and fun way during Earth Day week.

Helping your preschoolers develop mathematical thinking is essential. This knowledge will build the foundation for their academic achievement in the future; therefore, we should take advantage of every opportunity to help children develop their math learning.

These Earth Day Math Puzzles printable includes six sheets with two puzzles each, using the numbers 0 to 10. The last card is blank and editable to add as many numbers as possible. You can download it at the end of the post.

Earth Day Math Puzzles

These Earth Math Puzzles are designed taking into consideration the different levels that your children might be in by making them available for you to divide into two or three parts:

• One part includes the object in the amount of the accompanying number.
• One part has the written numeral according to the number of objects.
• One part has the written number word.

If your children start recognizing numerals and numbers in their written form, you can divide them into three parts. For children who do not recognize the written word but just the numeral, you have to keep that part intact and not cut it.

Another advantage of these puzzles is that the numbers and number words are dotted, and you can have them practice their pre-writing skills by tracing the numbers and words.

These puzzles can be used in many ways, such as:

• Small group activity.
• Math center option.
• Writing center option.
• Take-home activity.
• Quiet area option.

Benefits of The Earth Day Math Puzzles

These puzzles will allow preschoolers to practice:

• Counting abilities (counting the objects).
• Number recognition (identifying the number that matches the number of objects).
• Fine motor development (putting the pieces of the puzzles together).
• Hand-eye coordination and control (placing the correct pieces in the right place).
• Concentration skills (focusing on the different tasks).
• Language development (naming the numeral and identifying the written name).

How to Get the Earth Day Puzzles Ready

To get these low-prep puzzles ready, you will need a handful of materials, such as: 

• Printer.
• White cardstock.
• Scissors.
• Laminator machine.
• Laminator pouches.

Print each page using white cardstock. Cut out the cards on the dotted lines and laminate them to make them last longer. I suggest making several copies, cutting the puzzles into two or three parts, according to your children’s needs, and having the children work on these puzzles as an individual activity or with a partner.

At the end of the week or month, you can put your puzzles in a Ziploc bag and store them in a box or binder for the following year to have them ready for many Earth Days in the future.

Before you place the mats in the different centers, it is recommended that you introduce them to your preschoolers first. An excellent way to do this is by:

• Introduce the puzzles to the children and discuss each part and the different characteristics of each section.
• Talk about small and large numbers, such as number 3, which has fewer pictures than number 8 because it is smaller.
• Explain that they have to point and count out loud the pictures on each part, find the number that goes with it to put the parts together, and then find the written word for that number to put all the parts together.

I recommend observing your children when they are working on these puzzles to monitor their progress and take notes about what numbers and number words they recognize and how well they count. This will allow you to build on that and help the ones who don’t remember all of them.

Extension Activities:

You don’t have to limit the possibilities of using the printable as a puzzle.  Instead, you can extend it to increase the opportunities and interests of your children.  Some ways to do this are:

• Add manipulatives such as buttons, mini pom-poms, or mini erasers, and have the children match each number with the same amount of objects. 
• Have the children trace the numbers and number words using dry-erase markers.
• Have them copy the same with pencils, crayons, or markers.
• Match each number with magnetic, foam, or wooden numbers.
• Provide copies of the pages, have your preschoolers cut out the cards, and glue them back together on a piece of construction or regular paper.
• Draw the pictures.

Earth-related Books

Reading to your child is an excellent way to teach your kiddos about anything, and Earth Day is no different.

There are many books appropriate for this theme. Books about environmental topics, recycling, protecting the earth, endangered species, energy, and water conservation, for example, are ideal for teaching your children about Earth and how to protect it.

Here are some examples to get you started. These books are available at your local library, used bookstore, and on Amazon. If you want to purchase some, my direct affiliate links embedded in the titles will take you to the correct Amazon page in seconds.

• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a beautifully written and illustrated book that offers a touching interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another’s capacity to love in return, much like Earth does to us all.

• I Am Earth by James McDonald.  This book introduces kids to Earth science’s basic concepts while encouraging the importance of caring for our unique planet through environmental awareness and sustainability.

• Making a Difference by Stacey C. Bauer uses beautiful illustrations, color photos, and interesting facts to tell stories of kids who are making the world a better place by doing extraordinary things such as planting a billion trees, bringing joy to others through music, fundraising for sick children, or starting an inclusive dance team.

• How Holly Celebrates Earth Day by Kimberly Kendall-Drucker.  This book talks about how Holly explores flora and fauna around the globe. Then Holly and her family find ways to replenish, reduce, reuse, and recycle – to make every day – Earth Day!

• Eyewitness: Endangered Animals by Ben Hoare is an excellent resource that teaches about creatures currently threatened with extinction and how we can help them survive.

• Earth Ninja by Mary Nhin was developed to help children learn valuable life skills, including recycling, reducing, and reusing.

• What a Waste by Jess French is a lively kid’s educational book with fabulous illustrations and fun facts about plans to save our seas, how countries implement green projects worldwide, and how to turn waste into something useful.

• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.  This story teaches kids to treat the planet with kindness, stand up, and speak up for others, and how one tiny seed, or one small child, can make a difference. 

Pin It For Later

If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to read the post and download the printable but want to save it later, pin it to your Math or Earth Day board on Pinterest.

Remember to get your FREE Earth Day Puzzles. Click on the link below to download them immediately.

I hope you enjoy these printables and that Earth Day is memorable, fun, and educational for you and your kiddos.

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

Love,

P.S. If you want to see an article about making something specific, please let me know, and I will try to write it for you.

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