Butterfly Number Matching Activity – Free Printable

When I posted a picture of my preparations for my live Facebook craft session, on my Instagram account, I got so many requests for this number matching printable that I decided to make a post about it. This is so simple. You can switch things up and turn this number matching activity into a letter matching one or even math facts or sight words for your school-age kiddo. In a classroom, I would use this as a circle time activity and then leave it out in my math center for a few weeks for the students to use on their own. Since we are in the midst of a pandemic presently and most of us are home, I’d do this on a cookie tray with my child and then maybe pop it up on the fridge for some independent play. Pay close attention to the notes about ways to differentiate this number matching activity below.

Number Matching Activity

Gather your materials. You will need the butterfly printables ( print for free here), you will need a marker, scissors, cookie sheets if you want to make them magnetic, and magnets ( use this affiliate link to find my favorite – these things hold anything!).

Print out the butterflies. I have 6 in the packet, feel free to print them multiple times if you want more than 6. Also, a note about differentiation, the butterflies are various colors as a scaffold, meaning the color matching helps children who need a hint for matching up the numbers. If your child or students don’t need that scaffold, simply print in black and white.

Start by writing the number and number word on one side and the corresponding dots on the other.

Cut out and cut down the middle.

Add magnets.

Play.

 

I like putting the dot side down, so the children will count, then search for the match. Even if all they do is search for the color to match, they have still counted the dots and seeing the number will again reinforce number recognition as they see the number while matching the butterflies.

Easy right? Of course, you can also just print these bad boys out and color them or paint them… just don’t push. Children this age soak up learning, but they also need so much connection, and if they don’t want to do a number matching activity, it’s OK, play, snuggle, read. This is a resource if you need it, not a must-do.

 

Butterfly Books for Kids

Need some excellent books about caterpillars that turn into butterflies to snuggle up with? Read our reviews here.