Fun with Numbers! Easy & Engaging Number Games for Preschoolers and Kids in Special Education
Learning numbers can be a blast—especially when we turn it into a game! Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, these playful number activities are perfect for preschoolers and children in special education settings. They’re designed to build number recognition, counting skills, and confidence… all while having FUN! These summer-themed number activities are designed for preschoolers and students in special education, with a focus on visual supports, matching, and hands-on fun.
The best part? Most of these can be laminated and reused as file folder games, worksheets, or task boxes—perfect for classrooms, therapy sessions, or at home!
Materials Needed:
- Printable ice cream cones with numbers (1–10)
- Printable scoops with dots, ten frames, or number words
How to Play: Students match the correct number of scoops to the cone by counting the dots or reading the number word. Velcro makes it interactive!
Skills Targeted: Number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, visual matching
Math Games 1 to 10 Counting Activities:Number Recognition, 1-1 Correspondence
Materials Needed:
- Printable beach scene or bucket
- Cut-out shells
- Number prompts (e.g., “Add 4 shells to the bucket!”)
How to Play: Give kids a scene and a number. They count and glue the correct number of shells onto the picture. Bonus: You can reuse this with different animals (like turtles or starfish)!
Skills Targeted: Counting, following directions, fine motor skills
Fun Math Games: Low Prep, 10 Frame Learning Activities
Materials Needed:
- Watermelon slices with numbers
- Seeds with matching dots or number words
How to Play: Kids match seeds to the correct watermelon slice. You can also make it a “puzzle” where they have to match pieces that fit together.
Skills Targeted: Number ID, matching quantities to numerals, visual discrimination
Materials Needed:
- Printable sand pails labeled with numbers
- Small images (like shells, flip-flops, or sunglasses) in sets of 1–10
How to Play: Students “sort” the correct number of summer items into each bucket. Laminate and use Velcro dots for a reusable file folder activity.
Skills Targeted: Sorting, counting, number sense
Materials Needed:
- Printable suns with ten frames
- Clothespins or cards with numerals 1–10
How to Play: Students count how many “rays” or dots are on the sun and clip or match the correct number. Easy to turn into a file folder or dry-erase activity.
Skills Targeted: Counting, ten frame recognition, fine motor coordination
Fun Math Games: Low Prep, 10 Frame Learning Activities
Materials Needed:
- Sandpaper numbers or laminated tracing sheets
- Sand tray or printed “beach” background
How to Play: Students trace the number with their finger or a crayon. Add a sensory element by tracing numbers in a shallow tray filled with sand or salt!
Skills Targeted: Number formation, sensory input, pre-writing skills.
💡 BONUS TIP:
For extra durability, laminate your materials and store them in labeled file folders or task boxes. Add visuals and step-by-step instructions for independence!
Wrap-Up: Summer learning can be low-stress and high-fun! These file folder games and worksheets bring sunshine into math time—helping children strengthen number skills while keeping things seasonal and playful. Perfect for your summer school setup or at-home activities!
For more Summer Themed Resources click the links below
Summer Fine Motor skills: Fun activity printable sheets
Sequencing Adapted Book – Summer themed
Fun Summer Activity sheets FREE
Tabletop Activities – Apple counting, Task cards and color sorting.
Same-Different-Big-Small Sorting
