The development of fine motor skills is essential for young writers-in-waiting. Since counting is also essential this post combines them and you’ll find lots of links to fun counting activities here!
Count with fine motor skills ideas
1. Marbles
- Marbles and golf tees from Living Montessori Now.
- Marble madness from Little Bins for Little Hands.
- Marbles and bath mats from Creative Playhouse.
2. Sand tray
- Pattern play and number cards from Mama Miss. Free printable if you submit your email address.
- Salt tray from Learn with Play at Home.
- Kinetic sand counting from And Next Comes L.
3. Tongs
- Summer ice cream math from Fun-A-Day. You just need card, pompoms and small tongs.
- Bee pollen counting from Modern Preschool. Uses an egg carton and yellow pompoms.
- Counting ants from Stir the Wonder. Do you have little plastic animals you can use?
- Goldfish from Teaching Mama
- Pompoms and cupcake liners from Laughing Kids Learn
- Water beads from Little Moments. Uses water beads and an egg carton.
- Zoo animals from Pre-K Pages. Free printable!
4. Buttons
- Button counting from The Well Nourished Nest.
- Buttons and muffin cups from Mess for Less.
- Pete the Cat match buttons from Heidi Songs. Free printable… just scroll down a bit.
5. Hammers and golf tees
- Creating math patterns from Buggy and Buddy. Technically, this isn’t a counting-focused post, but there’s no reason why counting couldn’t be included! Uses styrofoam and golf tees.
- Counting manipulatives from Sugar Aunts. Uses golf tees and egg cartons.
- Hammer and learn from One Time Through. Uses golf tees and garden kneeling pads.
- Number pound from School Time Snippets. Styrofoam and golf tees.
6. Threading
- Counting with pipe cleaners and beads from Laughing Kids Learn
- Pipe cleaner numbers from School Time Snippets
- Preschool math with beads from Kids Activities Blog.
- Geoboard sequencing from An Everyday Story. Uses a corkboard, pushpins and elastics. It’s not threading but using elastics on a geoboard is pretty tricky!
- Play dough, spaghetti and beads from The Imagination Tree.
- Skip counting lacing plates from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
7. Clothespins
- Leaf counting from The Mud Kitchen.
- The mixed up chameleon from Buggy and Buddy. Fun activity to go with the book.
- Numbers and pegs from And Next Comes L.
- Ladybug count and clip (1-20) from Natural Beach Living. Free printable of ladybugs with different numbers of dots on their wings. Kids clip the correct answer. You’ll need to leave your email to download these.
8. Apples and worms
- Apple and worm number matching from ABCs to ACTs
9. Hole punch
- Egg cracking counting activity from Modern Preschool. Write a number on each card egg and get that hole puncher going!
- Hole punching fun from 123 Homeschool 4 Me. Free printable.
- Paint chip punch from ChildcareLand.
10. Pompoms
- Sort and count bottles from The Imagination Tree.
- Pompom flowers from Learn, Laugh, Grow Childcare.
- Straw and pompoms from Nurture Store.
- Counting pompoms from Sow, Sprout, Play.
- Counting caterpillar from Powerful Mothering. Free printable.
I hope you enjoy these great ideas for counting that get those fine motor skills going!
Want to see more counting roundup posts?
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Pop over to my TpT store for more counting products: within 5, within 20, within 100 and introducing number lines 0-10.
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