Zoo Train Number Puzzles for Preschoolers
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These FREE Zoo Train Number Puzzles are fun, hands-on activities that help preschoolers with their number identification skills as they organize the train with the numbers in different formats, such as dots, tallies, number form, and name form. These puzzles are also the perfect addition to your zoo animal theme lesson planning.
Each puzzle includes an engine with the number form, two wagons with dots and tallies, and a caboose with the number name form for the numbers one to ten. You can get this puzzle pack at the end of this post.
Benefits of Number Puzzles
Number puzzles can help preschoolers learn numbers and develop essential skills that will benefit them in many other aspects of their lives, including:
- Count and Recognize Numbers – Number puzzles help preschoolers learn to count and recognize numbers in different formats.
- Cognitive Development – Solving any puzzle helps children develop their reasoning ability and devise strategies for assembling the pieces correctly.
- Problem–Solving – Number puzzles can help children develop their creativity and patience, analyze problems, and improve decision-making and emotion management.
- Concentration – Puzzles, in general, can help children focus on putting them together, typically without distractions.
- Fine Motor Skills – Sorting, picking up, and positioning the puzzle pieces together implies using the muscles on their hands, which helps develop their fine motor abilities.
- Eye-Hand Coordination – To put the puzzles together, children need to move their hands based on the visual information they receive, which develops this ability.
- Confidence – Solving puzzles helps children feel successful, developing their confidence to solve other life situations.
How to Prepare and Use the Zoo Train Number Puzzles
These puzzles are straightforward to prepare. You print the pages on white cardstock, separate the two puzzles on each page, cut them out on the dotted lines, and laminate them for durability.
Children need to find the engine, the two wagons, and the caboose that represent each of the numbers and place them one behind the other to shape the puzzles.
Zoo Storybooks
These are some of my favorite books about the zoo. If you don’t have any available, you can go to your local library or used book store and use my links on the pictures to get them from Amazon quickly. Get as many as possible, read them to your preschoolers, and fill your library and centers.
- Zoo Time by D. S. Park. This book uses stunning illustrations to bring the zoo’s animals to life.
- The View at the Zoo by Kathleen Long Bostrom. With a clever twist and a new, sturdy board book format, this book will have children begging to visit the zoo to see the animals in person.
- 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle. This book combines simple counting with unusual illustrations of animals. counting.
- I Want to Be a Zookeeper by Dan Liebman provides realistic insight into the working day of a zookeeper, using color photographs to help children understand what’s involved in this job, learn to respect the importance of doing a job well, and appreciate the contributions these workers make to the lives of zoo animals.
- It’s a Crazy Day at the Zoo by Stacey Lee Doyle is an exciting and entertaining tale designed to captivate children’s imaginations.
- Lou’s Zoo and Winston Too by JoAnn M. Dickinson. This book beautifully illustrates the value of embracing our differences and accepting one another just as we are, using lovable zoo animals, each with their unique personalities.
- A Visit to the Zoo by Blake A. Hoena. This book’s text and photographs take children on a visit to the zoo, including descriptions of the things, people, and animals found there.
Pin It For Later
If you are in a rush and don’t have time to read the post and download this puzzle pack but want to save it, pin this to one of your Pinterest boards for later.
I hope you enjoy these puzzles and help your preschoolers have fun while learning their numbers. To get the FREE Zoo Train Number Puzzles, you have to click on the link below.
Be happy, safe, and creative. I wish you well.
Love,
P.D. Please let me know if you like these puzzles, if they work for you, or if you find other ways to use this printable.
