Summer Math Activities
Summertime is a great opportunity for kids to enjoy some fun, relaxed days without having to worry about school. But that doesn’t mean they can’t still learn and grow!
These 30 summer math activities for preschoolers will keep their minds active and their skills sharp while they’re on vacation.
From simple counting games to learning about shapes and sizes, your little ones will have a blast practicing their preschool math skills all summer long. They’ll flourish in the classroom come fall!
How Do You Teach Math to Preschoolers?
Math should be fun for preschoolers. An easy way to work on math is by using everyday objects to teach basic concepts. For example, count the number of spoons in the utensil drawer or the number of steps it takes to get from the kitchen to the living room.
You can also use nature to introduce math concepts. Count the number of trees in your backyard or the number of ducks you see in the pond.
With a little creative thinking, you’ll find fun ways to teach math to your preschooler in your everyday activities. But if you’re looking for a little extra practice, these engaging summer math challenges are here to help.
Basic Math Skills for Preschoolers
Wondering which math skills your preschooler needs to master? Here are the early math basic skills that they’ll learn in pre-K:
- Number recognition (1-10 or 1-20)
- Counting
- One-to-one correspondence
- Identifying basic shapes, like circles, triangles, and squares
- Comparing differences (more/less or bigger/smaller)
- Simple addition and subtraction
- Identifying patterns
The important thing to remember is to make it fun. Practice math through games, puzzles, and other playful activities to get kids excited for learning.
Summer Math Activities for Preschoolers
Stop the summer slide with these fun math activities for preschoolers.
With loads of hands-on activities for practicing early math concepts, your preschooler will be a numbers superstar in no time.
Frog Math Game for Counting and Addition
Practice counting and adding to 10 with this hopping good frog math activity for preschoolers. You'll need a pair of dice, plastic frog counters, and our printable worksheets to set up this simple activity.
Focus young preschoolers on number identification, counting, subitizing (recognizing small groups of objects without counting), and one to one correspondence.
Older kids can practice adding to 10.
Ice Cream Theme Summer Math
Any ice cream-loving kid will adore this activity. Make ice cream cones out of brown construction paper, and gather loads of pompoms to serve as the ice cream.
Practice fine motor skills using tongs to add the ice cream scoops (pompoms) to the cones.
This activity helps preschoolers practice number recognition, ordering numbers, counting, one to one correspondence, and patterns.
Strawberry Math Sensory Bin
Grab your thread and needle to sew up a few of these cute strawberries to add to your sensory bins. While the sewing is a bit of effort, it's so worth it.
Your preschoolers will have a blast adding button seeds to their strawberries while they practice number recognition, counting, and one to one correspondence.
Popsicle Stick Number Formation Mats 1-10
Use these popsicle stick printables to practice number formation. You'll need both regular and mini popsicle sticks to make the numbers. All out of popsicle sticks? No problem—use play dough, buttons, or any other manipulative to form the numbers instead.
Playdough Mats for Spring and Summer
Practice counting while using playdough to decorate the mats. This cute printable pack is 10 pages with backgrounds ranging from the park to the backyard to a pond. Add flowers, toys, butterflies, and more to complete the scenes.
This no-prep activity will be a hit with parents and teachers alike. Just print, grab some playdough, and get started!
Ice Cream Cone Number Counting, Tracing & Writing Mats
Here's another ice cream-themed activity to get preschoolers excited to practice number recognition and other early math concepts.
The sheets include a cone to practice one to one correspondence, numbers to trace, an area for writing the numbers, and a ten frame to fill in.
Flower Math Activities for Preschoolers
Use this flower power pack to practice important math skills like number recognition, number words, writing, and counting.
The printables include three activities: flower counting cards, flower counting puzzles, and flower count and clip cards.
They're perfect for a spring or summer math center.
Watermelon Count and Clip Cards
Scoop up these watermelon count and clip cards to add to your garden or fruit unit.
The printables include cards comparing numbers (more or fewer objects) as well as cards that ask the child to count to a specific number. Cards have answers on the back, so they're self-checking.
Zoo Counting Activities
Your zoo-loving preschoolers will have so much fun with these four counting activities. Included in this pack are zoo-themed counting puzzles, a counting mat, number cards, and a zoo train with numerals, counting dots, tallies, and number words.
Use the activities to practice counting to 10, reading number words, and working on number recognition.
Summer Roll & Graph
Grab this fun game to work on graphing skills. The printables include dice (or dice inserts) featuring six fun summer activities for kids to graph. It's as simple as rolling the dice and coloring in a box on the graph. Keep going until one reaches the top!
Preschool Honey Bee Math Worksheet Pack
Young children will be buzzing about these preschool math activities featuring a cute bee theme. This pack focuses on numbers 1 through 10.
Count, practice number recognition, and write the numbers. It includes a maze, a roll and cover activity, I Spy, and other engaging math games for young kids.
Counting Shells Math Mats
Gather some tiny seashells from your collection (or make some out of playdough) to go with these counting shells printables. What a fun way to add math to an ocean themed unit study!
This activity focuses on one to one correspondence and counting in a hands-on way. Kids will also use their fine motor and problem solving skills.
Summer Count and Graph Worksheets
Grab this printable pack from our shop to work on counting, writing numbers 1-10, and graphing.
Preschoolers will love these cute and colorful I Spy pages. You'll get 6 different themes, all perfect for summer: bees, ice cream, insects, ocean animals, zoo, and jungle animals.
They're a great way to introduce terms like more, less, most, least, and all together.
Outdoor Math Game
Outdoor activities are the best part of summer, so why not take your math lessons outdoors? This math movement game combines learning with physical activity and competition.
You'll need a large concrete or asphalt area, five rocks, and some sidewalk chalk to draw a 30-square grid.
The goal of the game is to get your rocks to land on the highest numbers. The person with the highest score after moving across all five columns wins the round.
Summer Color By Number
Reinforce early math and fine motor skills with these summer-themed color by number sheets. Preschoolers will have so much fun coloring in flip flops, a sandcastle, and six other summertime scenes.
LEGO Math Challenge Cards
The perfect quiet time or road trip activity, these Lego challenge cards are great for playful learning. Work on counting, adding, subtracting, and building in one great activity.
You'll need 100 bricks total with 20 of each of the basic colors (red, green, blue, orange, and yellow).
Color by Number Ocean Animals
Practice number recognition and color words while working fine motor muscles with these beautiful ocean-themed color by number sheets. You'll get seven different pages focused on learning numbers 1-7. The pack includes seven different ocean animal scenes with a whale, shark, octopus, and more.
Summer Counting Cards and Puzzles
Get beach vibes while practicing counting with these adorable beach-themed counting cards and puzzles.
The counting cards go to number 12, while the puzzles go all the way through 30. One includes a fun skip counting activity that's perfect for older preschoolers or kindergarteners.
Summer Ten Frame Counting Worksheets
Sneak in some number recognition and counting practice at the end of the year with these fun preschool math worksheets. Each page features a large number, objects to count, and a ten frame for developing number sense.
Laminate the pages to protect them if you're using playdough as the manipulative. Other counters you can use are buttons, mini erasers, and counting bears.
Build Numbers Outside with Loose Parts Free PDF
Take your math lessons outside! Build numbers using tally marks, build numbers using natural materials, and practice geometry. You'd be surprised at how many math concepts you can practice using sticks, rocks, and plants.
Strawberry Math
Summer is the perfect time for some strawberry math fun. This printable pack includes eight pages of math problems and activities including graphing, sorting by size, counting, and number order.
Roll and Color Summer Math Games
This roll and color game is an easy way to practice the concept of "one less" with your preschooler. The fish-themed printables focus on numbers that are one less 5-10. It's great for older preschoolers or K students who can think more abstractly with numbers.
Honey Bee Math
Who says summer school can't be fun? Younger kids will have a blast with these honey bee math sheets featuring a roll and cover game, I Spy, pattern work, counting to 100, and four more fun activities. All you need to start is a printer, some dot markers, and a die.
Beach Ball Counting 1-10 Flashcards
Count to 10 with these summer themed math flashcards featuring beach balls! The printables include a full-color version and a line art version that kids can color in.
Fine Motor Sun Craft to work on Number Matching
Look forward to those warm, sunny days with this super cute sun craft. It helps kids work on fine motor skills (squeezing the clothespins to open them) as well as number recognition.
Bird Counting Activity for Preschoolers
Perfect for spring and summer, these bird-themed math printables will get preschoolers excited about counting. They'll form small bird eggs out of playdough and match the number of eggs to the number shown on the bird.
Ice Cream Preschool Shape Sorting Activity
Learn basic shapes with this engaging ice cream shape sorting activity. You only need a few minutes to prepare this activity that helps children pair shape words with their respective geometric shapes.
One More One Less Number Sense Fish Math
Identify numbers that are one more or one less with these fun fish-themed math challenges. You'll need number magnets or foam numbers, mini fish erasers, and a printer. That's it! It's an easy activity kids will ask to do again and again.
Ladybug Math for Preschoolers (Free Printables Count & Clip)
Kids who dig learning about bugs will adore these bright and colorful ladybug count and clip cards. Practice numbers 1-20 while working on fine motor skills.
Playdough Flowers Counting Activity
Encourage preschoolers to work on their early math skills using playdough. Make enough flower petals to match the corresponding number given. They'll love this hands-on idea for practicing counting.
Round Out Your Unit with These Activities
If you love using peg dogs in your imaginative play area, you don’t want to miss these eco-friendly Summer Peg Dolls decorated with hand painted summery flowers!
Storytelling is part of the learning process. Add some summer story stones to your reading and literacy centers.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of preschool summer math activities. Pin it to come back when summer starts!
Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.
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