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Home / Early Learning / Math / Snack Math for Preschoolers That’s Easy, Fun, and Engaging

Snack Math for Preschoolers That’s Easy, Fun, and Engaging

Shared by Mary Catherine 8 Comments

Let the kids explore early math concepts during snack time with this super easy snack math activity.

Be sure to grab your free printable at the bottom of the post!

Snack math for preschoolers free printable with gummies

Related: Hands-On Learning with Number Rocks

Now that we’re into August, I’m back into back-to-school planning mode, both as a parent and as a teacher.

On the one hand, I’m getting our family’s routine back on school time and making sure my son’s things are organized. On the other hand, I’m planning and prepping for a new group of preschoolers.

I love that a trip to Sam’s Club let me conquer everything at the same time – getting snacks ready for Engineer, collecting Box Tops for his school, and creating some simple snack math for preschoolers.

Snack math for preschoolers is sponsored by General Mills®. All opinions and comments are, as always, mine.

Table of Contents

  • Easy Snack Math for Preschoolers
    • How to Prep the Snack Math Cards
    • Directions for Using the Snack Math Cards
    • Moving Beyond Snack Time Math
  • A Shopping Trip with Box Tops for Education
  • More Math Resources for Preschool
  • Get Your Free Printable Snack Math Cards

Easy Snack Math for Preschoolers

Have you ever sat and watched your students during snack time? Yes, there’s lots of talking and some messiness while they nibble on their snacks. But there’s also something else I have noticed over and over again throughout the years.

Kids like to play with their snacks.

In fact, I’ve noticed that my students often count and sort their snacks during snack time. Talk about lots of fine motor and early math learning! With a dash of sensory exploration thrown in.

So why not help them make the connection between the counting they’re already doing and numbers?

easy snack math for preschoolers (includes a free printable)

Related: Simple Outdoor Number Activities

These easy number-quantity cards allow the kids to count out their snacks.

This helps them with one-to-one correspondence, a very important early math skill.

How to Prep the Snack Math Cards

Print out the snack math pages (you can grab them at the end of this post).  Consider making multiple copies, depending on how many children are in your class.

Cut the pages into individual cards. Laminate the snack math cards to ensure they last longer (and so they’re easier to clean up after snack time). Of course, you can also leave the pages the way they are. If so, I still suggest laminating them or placing them in a dry erase pocket.

Directions for Using the Snack Math Cards

I suggest simply placing some of the cards in the middle of the table during snack time. Some children might be intrigued right away, while others might not be interested at all. Either way, that’s okay.

If asked, explain that these are special cards the kids get to use during snack time. Each card has a number at the top and corresponding circles. The children can place one piece of snack over each circle. Then encourage the kids to go back and count all of the snacks on their card, touching the snack as they count.

Of course, you’re not going to want to use these snack math cards every single snack time. Certain snacks lend themselves to this math activity (dry cereal, gummy snacks, etc.), while other snacks just aren’t suitable.

Moving Beyond Snack Time Math

Yes, these simple number cards were originally meant for use with snack time. But that doesn’t mean you can only use them with snacks!

These cards are perfect with all sorts of other materials. Here are a few to consider (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):

  • Mini erasers
  • Glass gems
  • Unifix Cubes

If you don’t use a dry erase pocket or laminate the cards, children could also affix stickers to the cards or use dot paint with them.

Remember, you can find a free copy of snack math, numbers 1 to 10, at the bottom of this post!

A Shopping Trip with Box Tops for Education

Heading into Sam’s Club, my son and I knew we wanted to grab some Cheerios™, Cinnamon Toast Crunch™, and Mott’s™ Fruit Snacks.

I loved that each of these items came with extra Box Tops for Education that we could use towards my son’s school.

I wasn’t the best about sending in Box Tops last year, but I plan to be this year. So I figure I’m off to a great start!

shopping for snack math supplies and breakfast foods

Related: Slime Monster Counting

If you’re not sure what Box Tops are, here’s a quick run-down:

  • Clip off the box tops (they’re found on hundreds of different items).
  • Send the box tops in to your child’s school (over 80,000 K-8 schools participate).
  • Your child’s school receives ten cents per box top.
Box of Cheerios to use as part of a snack math activity

Related: Starry Night Painted Toast Pajama Day Activity

Having worked in public schools before teaching preschool, I know every little bit helps!

Teachers often use their own money to purchase items for their students and classrooms, and this is one small way I can help out.

Even better, when I grab items from Sam’s Club, there are more box tops to share with my son’s school! In fact, last year Sam’s Club members earned over a million dollars for their local schools! How awesome is that?

Would your students enjoy the snack math for preschoolers? Be sure to pop over and print off some free Box Tops for Education collection sheets – they’ll make it easier to gather and send those Box Tops into school!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills® . The opinions and text are all mine.

More Math Resources for Preschool

If you’re looking for some done-for-you resources for your preschool classroom, take a look around Preschool Teacher 101. We have early math resources ready for you, along with lesson plans and literacy resources. Membership gives you access to even more preschool materials.

Click on the photos below for more math ideas:

  • Shape monster process art cover
  • One more one less math games cover

Get Your Free Printable Snack Math Cards

These simple snack math cards are available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If you’re already a member, enter your email in the form below to get the printable sent to your inbox.

If you’re not a member, we’d love to have you! Enter your information in the form below to join. You’ll get the free printable snack math cards as a welcome gift.

You can also access the form in a new tab if you’d prefer.

Snack math for preschoolers free printable

Filed Under: Math Tagged With: Numbers, one-to-one correspondence, sponsored

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Comments

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  1. Rebecca Ray says

    November 1, 2020 at 3:52 pm

    Cute idea!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 2, 2020 at 8:43 am

      Thank you! The kids have loved it. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Vanessa says

    November 5, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 5, 2020 at 12:46 pm

      You’re welcome, Vanessa! Hope the kids enjoy it. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Max Storey says

    August 19, 2021 at 9:12 am

    1 to 1 is very important

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 20, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Yes, it really is an important early learning skill!

      Reply
  4. Xochilt says

    September 12, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    Love this for my 3 yr old!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 13, 2021 at 8:09 pm

      Yes, it’s great for 3 year olds! Let me know what they think if you try it. 🙂

      Reply
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My name is Mary Catherine, and I love to share meaningful {and fun} learning activities for kiddos! Feel free to browse and stay awhile!

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