I hated math for so long that I had to hold back tears on my first day of math class at Teacher’s College. I was so nervous to be back in a math class after years of avoiding it. That feeling was so terrifying that I’ve made it part of my mission as a mom and teacher to make fun math activities so that my children and students won’t find themselves so terrified by a subject that they are holding back tears just thinking about it. Math is fun. Last year I spent one day a week as a math docent for 2nd grade and created hands on ways for those kids to practice math and this year I am back to the little tiny guys with my 2 and 3 year old class. This list of fun math has toddler math activities through to elementary ideas I brought home from being a docent. If your child already has some anxiety about math like I did don’t tell them you have a fun new math activity to do, omit the math from the title and just say game or activity or craft project. Don’t put up the wall before you get them interested.
Remember that like reading math is one of those subjects that really does benefit from a lot of practice. Using fun math activities like these you don’t have to resort to drill and kill activities although I admit as kids get older math is one of the places where I might make a little room for some flash cards but not in the preschool years!
Fun Math Activities For Preschool
I have all of preschool together because some 3 year olds latch on to math early and some 5 year olds don’t show real interest until later on. Find games and activities that look like they would interest your kids don’t worry about how old my kids look in the photos. There is no checklist that every little developing human hits in order. Fun means not too challenging to be frustrating and not too easy to be boring. It might require some trial and error – but if you read through the posts you can probably figure out which will work for your kids.
Monster Math Game * Great for all ages!
Shell Memory Game with Numbers 
Monster Math Tray
Hot Chocolate Math * easy to adapt to any level.
Fun Math Activities for School Age Kids
These games and activities were all created with kids in the Kindergarten through 2nd grade age range. Does that mean your preschooler can’t do them? No. Check them out and see if you can find something rad for your little math whiz or adapt something to fit her interests.
Valentine’s Day Math – Jar Of Hearts
Make A Valentine Math Game & Craft
Tally Mark Dominoes & Speed Racer Game
Make Math Drills Fun- 2 Activities For Kindergarten
Lock & Key Math 
Candy Apple Tree Math
Connect The Dots With Math 
Water Balloon Math
Amber says
I had the opposite experience from you – I was always good at math and so I enjoyed it. I’m applying for teacher training right now and just did the math class for elementary teachers and it was my ‘easy’ class. I had a rude awakening, though, when I realized that the fact that *I* enjoy math doesn’t always translate to students. It can be hard to help them overcome their hang-ups and get them started on a positive note. Thanks for the activity suggestions – I’m sure they’ll come in handy!
Allison McDonald says
How exciting ! You’ll be great , knowing that you have to come at it from all angles will serve you well. Some kids will find it very easy and you’ll be able to relate to them in ways I can’t!
Gary Hall says
What fun! I remember teaching equivalent fractions by painting fraction walls. The children certainly remembered it more than writing in their books.
Bertrand Grenier says
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent ! Thanks a lot. Good ideas for my maternelle pupils in France.