UFO Math Tray Activity {FREE PRINTABLES}

For a while now my daughter has been writing out numbers on anything she can. My mother’s day card included the numbers from 1-10 after her name. I had a feeling her next question would be how to read and spell the number words. I  was right. For days, she asked me how to spell the words and I would reply with what do you think? That worked a few times, but it eventually frustrated her. I wrote out the words for her and she used it as reference. Soon she was recognizing the words in stories so when I saw these little aliens I knew I wanted to use them for counters and I decided to make two sets of number mats for this tray activity one with digits and one with the number words. The reason I am telling you this long drawn out story is to illustrate that this activity followed her lead. There is no rush to teach specific concepts like this but don’t ignore your child interests either. Print both out and use them as they fit with your child. If you can’t find these little alien guys you can laminate the cards and draw them on with dry erase markers!

Click on the UFO number cards for the FREE Printable PDF.

Gather your materials. You will need the UFO Math mat cards, some alien counters, scissors, and contact paper or a laminator ( you lucky dog!).

Print out the UFO Math Mats here – click on the image for the pdf.

Digits  1-4

 

 

 

 

5-8

 

9-12

Number Words 

Click on the image for the printable pdf.

one – four

 

two – eight

 

nine – twelve  

Print them out. If you think your child needs more support with counting add dots to the mats with a marker before you laminate or use contact paper to protect them. Cut out.

Pop them on the tray with the little aliens ( did I mention these glow in the dark? ).

Read and count. I didn’t give her all the mats just a mix to play with.

After she counted them out she tried to balance them and  make towers with them too.