Games offer an interactive and entertaining method of teaching children specific skills. For preschool and early elementary children, games work well to teach basic counting skills. Most commercial board games involve counting, offering educational value. For specific counting games, use your own materials at home or in the classroom to practice this basic math skill.
Bowling
Scholastic.com recommends making a homemade bowling game using empty soda bottles as the pins. Make a tabletop version using smaller bottles or a floor bowling game with larger plastic bottles. Add a small amount of water or sand in the bottom of each bottle to prevent them from falling over easily. The 10 bowling pins are arranged in the standard triangular pattern. The kids take turns rolling a ball toward the pins and counting the number of pins knocked over.
Number Search
Number cutouts are the only playing pieces needed for this game. Cut the shapes out of cardboard or write the numbers on pieces of card stock. The numbers you use depend on the type of counting you're practicing. For basic counting skills, use the numbers 1 through 10. For older kids, use the game to practice counting by 2's, 5's or 10's. Hide the numbers around the room. The kids find the numbers and arrange them in the correct numerical order.
Muffin Tin Counting
A muffin pan creates the basis for this counting game. Place a piece of masking tape with a number written on it in the bottom of each muffin cup. Another option is to use paper muffin liners with the number written on each liner. The kids place buttons, beans or other small counters into each section of the muffin pan to match the number written on the liner.
Matching
A simple matching game helps kids practice their counting skills by connecting a picture of several objects to the corresponding number. Make several pairs of cards for the game. On one card, place a specific number of stickers or pictures of objects. On its match, write the number. Mix up all of the pairs. The kids pair up the numbers and the picture cards to make the matches.
