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Christmas is a great time to add some festive activities to your homeschool. Learning to count to 20 is a skill all preschoolers need to learn. And, there are lots of fun ways to do this. I made a fun Christmas tree counting activity for you to include with your preschooler’s math time this December.
I’ve also included lots of ideas for other math activities you can do with these printables. These Extra activities, like adding, subtracting, and place value introduction would be great for Kindergarteners or even first graders.
Christmas Tree Counting Activity
Print out the Christmas tree and number & ornaments page, preferably on cardstock to make it sturdier. You could also laminate it so it will stand up to lots of use from little hands. Next, cut out each of the number and ornament boxes. You can also cut the tree out or leave it as is. To play, your child places any of the numbers, 1-20, on the trunk of the Christmas tree. Then, they place the same number of ornaments on the tree itself.
You should encourage your child to say the numbers out loud as they place them on the tree. This helps to engage more senses in the activity and increase their understanding.
The numbers and ornaments can also be used in lots of other ways. Below, I’ve listed just a few.
Extra Counting Activities
- Place several ornaments together and have your child count them and place the correct number next to the group.
- Put a few numbers out and have your child place that number of ornaments next to the number. This activity can be used as a tool to encourage subitizing: recognizing by sight how many items are in a group.
- Laminate the tree and ornaments and use velcro dots for matching. This allows the activity to be hung on a wall and done standing up, which is great for young kids.
Patterning
The ornaments are rainbow-colored, so you can also use this as a patterning activity. When making patterns with the colored ornaments use several of each color and have your child count the number of red ornaments in the pattern for example. Then, have them place that number next to the pattern.
Addition & Subtraction
I’ve included a plus, minus, and equals sign in this activity so you can do some simple edition with the ornaments and the numbers as well. Place a few ornaments on one side of the tree and a few on the other with a plus or minus sign in the middle. Have your child place the corresponding number under or over each group of ornaments and then do the math. Have them add up the ornaments and place the answer on the trunk of the tree. So for example, you could put 2 ornaments on one side and 3 on the other and your child would place a 5 on the trunk.
Place Value
For an early introduction to place value, you can use the ornaments to count out groups of 10. If you just print one page of ornaments and numbers you will have 20 ornaments. Start counting and show your child that once you reach 10 you need to make a new group. Make a vertical row with the ornaments so it’s easy for your child to see each one in the group of 10. You can also print out extra copies of the ornaments page and continue this to whatever number you would like.
Other Christmas Activities
If you’re looking for other Christmas activities check out this list below.
I Spy the Rhymes in Twas the Night Before Christmas
Elves Christmas Writing Prompt Pages
Christmas Penguins Writing Prompts
Christmas Vocabulary Word Cards
Sudoku Christmas Picture Puzzles
Download Christmas Tree Counting Activity
Have fun using this free printable with your kiddos this December. Grab your FREE Christmas tree counting activity below.
>>>CLICK HERE–>INSTANT DOWNLOAD CHRISTMAS TREE COUNTING<<<
