Check out this “un-bee-lieveably” cute preschool bee math activity (with a free printable!). You only need a marker and a die for loads of hands-on math fun. This has been one of our favorite preschool math games for years, and once you play, we’re sure you’ll feel the same.
This preschool bee math activity is as simple as it is fabulous
Preschoolers are naturally drawn to math, and activities like this are perfect for quick, easy, successful introductions to math learning.
Kids are rolling dice, shouting out numbers, adding silly colors to bees, and the mood is vibrant and joyful.
Like so many of the best activities for kids, kids play without even realizing how much they are learning.
And in this activity, they are learning a lot!
Related: Bees! Butterflies! Worm! Check them all out (and more) on our epic GIANT 10-foot bug coloring banner.
Preschoolers and bugs go together like peanut butter and jelly
Kids. Love. Bugs.
One of my most favorite preschool themes in the WORLD is the bug theme because preschoolers simply cannot keep their cool.
Talking and learning about bugs immediately makes the mood and energy 100x more exciting, and even something as simple as drawing stripes on a bee outline is enough to make a room “buzz” with excitement.
Looking for more bug and insect activities? You’ve come to the right place.
- Frozen Oobleck Insect Sensory Bin – Friends Art Lab
- Insect vs. Not an Insect Photo Sort (with FREE Printable) – Friends Art Lab
- Bug Sensory Bin – Friends Art Lab
- Butterfly Memory Game – PreKinders
Materials
Friends Art Lab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
- Free bee printable (dare I call it a freebee? 😂)
- Markers
- One die
Directions
Invite your child to roll the die, count the number of dots, and then add that same number of stripes onto any one of their bees.
Repeat until all bees have stripes.
Tip: Using colorful markers is a simple addition that kids LOVE. Prepare for giggles as kids add pink, green, and blue stripes to their beautiful bees.
Ways to Extend the Preschool Bee Math Activity
Because this idea is so simple, there are many fun ways to extend the activity for additional learning opportunities.
- Play as a game where children take turns filling in their bees together
- As your child adds stripes, invite them to draw them in colorful patterns
- Grab two dice and add them up for some addition fun before drawing stripes
- Bring it outside by doing this activity on concrete with chalk
- Add in some literacy by inviting your child to write the number of stripes below each bee
How many math concepts do kids practice in this preschool bee math activity?
When you first look at this activity, the first thought is that kids are practicing counting in this activity, and while that’srue, there’s even more happening.
Let us count the learning.
- Counting: kids count the dots on the die and the stripes they draw on the bees.
- Subitation: as kids play with dice more and more, they’ll eventually learn to subitize, which is immediately knowing how many dots they see on the die without needing to count each circle.
- Cardinality: have you ever seen a child count a group of objects, and when you ask them how many there are, they say the wrong number? Learning that the last number said when counting represents the total is called cardinality.
FAQ
Any that can safely use the materials. Also, this activity is most successful for children who know how to count and draw simple lines. For those who haven’t yet mastered those skills, an older peer or adult can play this with them.
Absolutely. Early mathematical learning will lay a foundation for future learning, which is such a joy to know. Preschool math is not only fun to do during the preschool years, but it sets children up for success in their future academic careers.
Very nice activity!