September 14, 2022 //  by Michelle Mandel

Math and numbers can be fun for some and scary for others. As parents, family, and educators, we must introduce numbers and math slowly to preschoolers so that they can really grasp the concepts easily. Children need to hear, see, write and do mathematical operations and repetitively, and then it will slowly sink in. Making math fun, practical and simple is the best way to learn.

This is a classic nursery rhyme that is a great activity for kids using music and a bit of drama.  It's easy to learn, and you can use finger gestures to represent the spider that has 8 legs. Children can sing the song and learn about 8-legged spiders too. There is a cute video and craft to go along with the lesson.

Learn more: Mother Goose Club

Pool or Billiard is a game that we don't usually associate with preschoolers. However, these are good activities for preschoolers, because not only can children learn numbers, but they can learn skills, perceptions, and rules. Hit the 8-ball in last. Understand the difference between sold and stripes, and have eye-hand coordination to get the ball in the pocket.

Octagons have 8 sides and it is good to introduce geometrical shapes to preschoolers. Many of our traffic signs have the octagon shape so that they are familiar with them when they are older. Especially the stop sign. Children can trace an octagon and learn about street signs. Easy printable activities.

Learn more: Bright Hub Education

The 8-sided die is easy that children can make in class alone. It is a fun math activity that includes measuring, cutting, and sticking all fine motor skills children need to practice. It is a good experience for preschools to do things alone. You can play many games with dice, they will love this craft.

Counting stories are really fun and children can listen, watch and count. It is a nice story that talks about all the things that have the number 8. Eight friends, chairs, trees, spiders, and so on. Nice pictures and easy to follow along.

Learn more: Fun n Learn Channel

This is a fantastic math activity that you can literally play anywhere. All you need are 8 paper cups and a piece of card paper, or a sheet of paper and a pen. Trace 8 circles around the bottom of the cups and put the number like a die 1-8 then on the bottom of the paper cup you can put the digits 1-8 or the word. Then preschools have to turn the cups over mix them up and do the matching puzzle! Fun Number Activities using things in the house.

Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids

The Seven Seas is where many pirates spent their time and lost their lives looking for the big  Spanish treasure "Piastre". gold coins with the number 8 marked on them. Children can learn the story about pirates and the seven seas looking for the gold coin marked 8. Follow up with a fantastic site with amazing math resources and learning activities.

Learn more: Mrs. Jump's Class

In China, the number 8 is a lucky number because it sounds like the Chinese word "generate wealth".So if you live on the 8th floor or you take bus number 8 you will be a lucky person. People are so happy if their birthday is on the 8th or 8th month. Even the 2008 Olympics commenced at 8 minutes and 8 seconds on the 8th of August, 2008. Find images of china, dragons, and the number 8  and have children cut and stick different images about the lucky number 8.

Learn more: Travel China Blog

Oktas are how we measure cloud coverage from zero to eight. Children will learn to measure OKTAs and practice counting using some special resources and worksheets hands-on. They will be able to see if it is Okta4 which means the sky has half coverage or 8 and it is full of clouds. Teaching about how clouds are formed, the cloud game, and lots of information for preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade.

Kindergarten-age children love music and singing, so why not teach them about what an Octet is and how 8 people can sound when they form a group and sing or play a musical instrument? Children can be exposed to music and math skills at the same time. They go hand in hand.

Children can learn the habitat and some facts about the 8-legged creature called the Octopus. Playing some games to reinforce colors, math, and reading skills, this lesson plan about the number 8 and animals is so much fun.

These small toys can be purchased cheaply or DIY - recycle bottle caps and paint them with a design. Children can sort the colored figures and then count them to put them in groups 1-8. It looks simple but preschoolers love doing these math activities and it is a great tool to teach counting. This site has excellent resources and there are many packets for preschoolers on sorting and counting bears.

Talk to children about the different types of transport we have: Airplane, Bicycle, Bus, Boat, Car, Ferry, Motorbike, Taxi. Have children make a graph of the transport that they use and see in their city. Give them a printable to cut and stick a type of transport when they ride in it or see it in their neighborhood. Don't forget to talk about electric scooters and sustainable transport.

They can categorize them by land, sea, and air too!

Have some fun with bubble eyes, card paper, and arts and crafts materials. These monsters are so cute and they have the body of a number 8. Kids can give them 8 eyes for counting fun. "Easy peasy "craft and they will love their monsters. Super fun resources and amazing math ideas on this site.

Egg Cartons and beans are perfect for counting games and learning quantities of items. You can easily write different numbers on the box and children have to count the beans and drop them in one by one. Fun, cheap and does not need technology or screens. This is a classic counting game for young children.

Play dough is fun and using the play dough counting mats, children can practice their counting skills and motor skills forming the shapes and doing the activities on the mat. It is an easy clean way of having fun indoors or outdoors and there are so many different kinds of counting mats to use. Free printables!

Learn more: Life Over Cs

This is a fun interactive story for preschool and kindergarten students who can follow along and participate. The students can read the simple vocabulary and do the counting activities along with the characters of the book.

Learn more: Inspired by Kinder

We have 8 planets in our solar system but there is so much to learn. This is an action-packed lesson plan for children who want to reach for the stars and learn about space and beyond. So many things you can learn about the solar system and the 8 planets we have. A lot of interactive resources.

These worksheets have counting, writing, reading, and math. Fun for preschool students to enhance their skills and at the same time have fun. Children need to do repetitive activities to retain the information that is learned at school and these worksheets are perfect for homework.

Pizza is delicious and children can learn math, fractions, and dividing a pizza into 8 slices. It is good fun and they will love doing the math problems and "serving" the pizza to the customers in pretend play.

This is a super hands-on learning activity with cars and numbered garages made out of yogurt cups. Children can drive cars around the city and park them in the appropriate spaces. This is a simple counting activity.

Jack Hartman has made a jazzy song on how to show the number 8 in many ways. Hearts, digits, fingers, and more. Sing along with Jack and his groovy music and remember 8 is great!

Learn more: Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel

8 is the number on the periodic table for Oxygen. So if the number eight did not exist, perhaps we would have no oxygen, and then.....Children can visually learn some concepts of the periodic table for kids. Fun but challenging.

This is a fun interactive video all about how to recognize, spell and trace the number 8. It is colorful and didactic. Easy to follow along and it is entertaining for kids.

Learn more: Kids Math TV

Snack time is an excellent time to teach counting and having fun with food. Counting cheerios or some crackers like goldfish. Use the printable to have some fun with food and math today Children can do math without realizing they are learning counting skills.

Learn more: Housebound with Kids

This video is very funny and the children will have fun counting vegetables and fruit, the legs of a spider, and much more. It is a simple interactive video and easy to do.

Learn more: Sheela Dey Ma'am

Color by number is a great pastime to keep little ones happy and they will do this on for hours. You can use different materials to do this activity. Sometimes pencils, crayons, or paints with this worksheet.

This elephant will keep little hands busy. Follow the guide at the top to color in the correct number. The picture will be beautiful. Children can express their artistic abilities and practice numbers as well. Great activity for preschool.