When my kids first started showing an interest in numbers this fall, I realized that introducing math through activities that incorporated hands-on play was the best way to keep them engaged. Toddlers and preschoolers learn best when they can touch, move, and interact with objects, and math is no different.
Fall is a great time of year to use the natural environment to help with hands-on learning. From counting acorns to sorting shapes, there are so many fun ways to bring math to life. These hands-on activities help children develop essential math skills, like counting, sorting, recognizing patterns, and understanding shapes, in a way that feels more like play than learning.
- Why You’ll Love These Fall Math Activities
- Hands-on Fall Math Activities
- Leaf Counting Wands
- Playdough Tree Counting Mats
- Apple Seed Counting Board
- Corn Counting Sensory Bag
- Apple Colour Sorting Sensory Bag
- Counting Acorns Sensory Bin
- Pumpkin Counting
- Q-Tip Turkey Feather Trace & Count
- Apple Tree Q-Tip Count
- Turkey Feather Counting Wands
- Acorn Counting
- Fall Tree Counting
- Roll & Drop Fall Counting Game
- Shape Painted Leaves
- Shape Printed Leaves
- Spider Counting: DIY Wipeable Math Board
- Hedgehog Counting Craft
- Thanksgiving Turkey Shapes Sticky Wall
- Scarecrow Shape Sorting Sticky Wall
- Apple Shapes Sorting Sticky Wall
- Magnetic Apple Sorting Sensory Bin
- Witch’s Broomstick Craft
- Spider Patterns Sticky Wall
- Cotton Ball Apple Tree Counting
- Turkey Feather Measuring Activity
- Spider Bottle Cap Counting Board
- Haunted House Counting
- Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
- Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
- Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
- Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Why You’ll Love These Fall Math Activities
These hands-on math activities are perfect for preschoolers because they combine learning with play. You don’t need any complicated materials—just everyday items and a little imagination! Each activity allows kids to explore math concepts through touch and movement, making learning more meaningful and memorable.
Plus, they’re flexible enough to adapt based on your child’s interests and abilities, whether they’re just beginning to count or are ready for sorting and patterns.
At this age, children begin learning basic math concepts like number recognition, counting, shapes, and patterns. These early skills build the foundation for more complex math later on, and when introduced through playful activities, kids tend to grasp them more easily. Whether you’re looking for a simple counting game or a fun sorting activity, these ideas are designed to make math fun for little learners!
Hands-on Fall Math Activities
Leaf Counting Wands
Turn leaves into magical wands that help kids count with every swipe!
Playdough Tree Counting Mats
Squish playdough apples onto trees while practicing number recognition.
Apple Seed Counting Board
Help your little one sort “apples seeds” while developing early math and fine motor skills.
Corn Counting Sensory Bag
A squishy, mess-free bag full of corn kernels makes counting a fun tactile experience.
Apple Colour Sorting Sensory Bag
Help your little one sort colorful beads into apples while developing early math and fine motor skills.
Counting Acorns Sensory Bin
Dive into a bin full of acorns and count your way to learning fun!
Pumpkin Counting
Stack and count pumpkins—fall fun meets early math practice.
Q-Tip Turkey Feather Trace & Count
Trace turkey feathers and count each one in this festive fine motor activity.
Apple Tree Q-Tip Count
Count and apples onto a tree using Q-tips—it’s as simple as 1-2-3!
Turkey Feather Counting Wands
Craft your own feather wands and use them to practice counting in a Thanksgiving theme.
Acorn Counting
Toddlers will love sorting and counting acorns—it’s an easy way to sneak in math!
Fall Tree Counting
Decorate a fall tree while practicing counting in this colorful, hands-on activity.
Roll & Drop Fall Counting Game
Roll, count, and drop! This game keeps kids moving while they practice their numbers.
Shape Painted Leaves
Paint leaves with different shapes, creating art while exploring geometry.
Shape Printed Leaves
Use fall-themed objects to print and explore different shapes in this creative math activity.
Spider Counting: DIY Wipeable Math Board
Count creepy-crawlies spider eyeballs with this wipeable spider-themed math board.
Hedgehog Counting Craft
Use “spikes” to help a hedgehog count in this adorable fall craft.
Thanksgiving Turkey Shapes Sticky Wall
Stick and sort turkey shapes to create a fun and interactive Thanksgiving math activity.
Scarecrow Shape Sorting Sticky Wall
Help your child sort scarecrow shapes in this playful math craft.
Apple Shapes Sorting Sticky Wall
Sort apples by shape and create a sticky wall masterpiece while learning!
Magnetic Apple Sorting Sensory Bin
Use magnets to sort apples by color or size in this engaging sensory bin.
Witch’s Broomstick Craft
Create a broomstick while practicing shapes and fine motor skills—Halloween fun with a math twist!
Spider Patterns Sticky Wall
Make patterns with spiders on a sticky wall—great for pattern recognition and fine motor practice.
Cotton Ball Apple Tree Counting
Count cotton ball apples and color them with colored water on the tree—simple, soft, and fun!
Turkey Feather Measuring Activity
Use feathers to measure and compare sizes—it’s a fun Thanksgiving math activity.
Spider Bottle Cap Counting Board
Count spiders using bottle caps in this DIY counting game using magnets.
Haunted House Counting
Enter the haunted house and count the spooky residents on post-it notes —it’s a fun, not-too-scary math challenge for kids.
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
