This is a quick, simple counting game that can be made for any season or holiday theme. We made it for Halloween or fall. The only supplies are a muffin pan or mini muffin pan, muffin liners and mini erasers. There are alternatives so you can use what you have at home. This is very helpful for teaching young preschoolers how to count and matching numbers to amounts.

Muffin Pan Counting Game

Supplies:

• Muffin pan (or mini muffin pan)
• Muffin liners
• Small erasers in festive shapes, or use small toys, lego bricks or even dry beans. (You will need 78 for a 12-cup muffin pan.)

Prep the activity:

To help the muffin liners stay in the pan and not pop out, I placed a rolled piece of masking tape in the pan cups. Then I stuck the muffin cup liners into each section of the pan.

If you have a 12-cup muffin pan, you will need 78 mini erasers or toys. I found a bag of little jack o’lantern erasers at Target, but you could use other small manipulatives like beads or Lego bricks in Halloween colors.

These are our counters for this game. They are so small, this really is a fine motor and eye-hand coordination exercise as well.

Each muffin liner will be numbered from 1-12.

To play, your child counts out the correct number of erasers that match the number written on each muffin liner.

I counted the mini pumpkins into my toddler’s hand and pointed to where she needed to dump them in the cups. At first she placed them in one-by-one and then she switched to the whole hand-full dumping method.

This met her at her level, but if your child is old enough to recognize the number and count the pumpkins into the cups, then this is a simple invitation to practice that skill. We have a lot of preschool curriculum that encourages number and counting skills.

What I love about this activity other than it teaches counting skills is that the child knows they are done when all the muffin cups are filled.

My toddler surprised me a bit. Since one of her learning goals right now is completing activities from start to finish, I was excited when she extended this simple “toy” with her own exploration. She started picking out the paper cups and pouring one into another. She gave me some direction a few times to, “Pour this one in here,” so I took her directions so she could lead the activity.

She continued to grab them out with her hand and place them wherever she chose. I am always amazed at how the simplest, most structured activities can be changed by a child in their mind so easily. It’s fun to watch and participate with them.

Store the little erasers or toys in a small baggie to keep with this counting game so it can be played over and over again.

Games like this one and this sticker activity are great for pulling out while you are making dinner or for car trips.

We have a lot of Halloween activities for preschoolers to try. From art to counting to crafts, fall is a great season for learning.