As kindergarten teachers, we’re always on the hunt for wallet-friendly activities that pack a punch for our little learners! Ta-da! Presenting the ultimate **FREEBIE** Counting Activity For Little Learners that’s bound to be the shining star of your math practice activities!
These “counting jars” are a must-have resource! You can tailor them to suit YOUR students, which is crucial. Additionally, you can modify the jars to reflect any theme you are currently working on and change the theme as needed! I love that this activity can be done independently or in pairs. It’s perfect for math stations that students can rotate through or for use with early finishers.
Supplies Needed
What do you need to get started? Here’s a list of supplies I use to create these jars.
- Container: I prefer flip-top plastic jars, which can easily be found at the dollar store, but feel free to use anything you have.
- Label Stickers
- Permanent Marker
- Manipulatives for Inside Jars
- Pencil
- Clipboards
(Optional) - **Freebie** Printable Recording Sheet
Preparing This Activity
As mentioned above, I use plastic jars with flip-top lids, but any container will work—jars make the most sense, but even zip-lock bags are a viable option.
The freebie accompanying this activity is a recording sheet for the counting jars. Each student can record their observations for each jar on this worksheet, which is structured into boxes for each jar. Each box has a small circle, a jar illustration, and a line underneath. The circle is where the student can draw or write the jar label, the jar is for illustrating how many items are inside, and the line is for writing the numeral of that quantity.
Make sure to label each jar differently, as this helps your little learners identify them and what to write or draw in the circle on their recording sheet. I prefer not to use numbers as identifiers because kindergartners might mistakenly think that’s the number of objects inside. Instead, I use shapes or letters. You can also use various stickers. Just ensure it’s something simple for your little learners to replicate on their recording sheets.
Next, fill the jars with objects. The possibilities for what you can use are nearly endless, and you can easily align the objects with your weekly or monthly themes. Some suggestions include:
- Mini Erasers
- Pom Poms
- Beads
- Candy (e.g., Skittles, Conversation Hearts, Red Hots, Smarties, etc.)
- Beans
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Cereal
- Jingle Bells
- Counting Bears
Once you’ve filled the jars, arrange them in stations or however you wish to present the activity, and they will be ready for use. Students can use clipboards to use with their recording sheets.
Using in the Classroom
No matter how you choose to implement these jars in your classroom, your students will have a blast! After preparing the jars, students will begin by working with one jar at a time. The recording sheet accommodates six jars total, with each box containing a circle, a jar illustration, and a line. The circle is for the jar label, the jar for the number of objects present, and the line is for writing the numeral. Once they finish with one jar, they can progress to the next.
Differentiating
The FREE Recording Sheet resource also includes options for differentiation. For those students ready to advance beyond counting, there’s an addition recording sheet that features eight boxes for eight different jars, allowing them to combine the totals in the blank addition sentences at the bottom of the page.
Don’t miss out on the amazing **FREEBIE** resource!!! This is a must have for your kindergarten math curriculum!!
