Maths Made Playful: 5 Easy Games for Preschoolers
- captainnumbermaths
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
It’s been almost a week since the school term started, and if you have a little one who is going to Reception next year, you know this year feels extra special. It’s a sweet year of curiosity, freedom and learning — a perfect time to plan some quality play moments that quietly build number sense, concentration and focus.
Here are 5 simple games (indoors or outdoors) that make playtime both joyful and meaningful.
1. Number Treasure Hunt
How to play: Hide number cards (1–10) around the room or garden. Ask your child to find them in order, or give clues like “find number 5 near the blue cushion.”
Skills boosted: number recognition, sequencing, listening and problem-solving.
Variation: Hide small toys and ask your child to count how many they find, or hide a numeral card and a matching dot-card (e.g., “4” and a card with four dots) for matching practice.
2. Hopscotch Counting
How to play: Draw a hopscotch grid with chalk outdoors (or use masking tape indoors). As your child hops, they say the numbers out loud. Add twists like “hop only on even numbers” or “count backwards.”
Skills boosted: counting fluency, number order, gross motor coordination and concentration.
Variation: Let your child design the board (adds ownership) orask them to call out simple sums as they land (e.g., “3 + 1 = ?”).
3. Roll & Build
How to play: Use a dice and building blocks (LEGO, Duplo or wooden blocks). Roll the dice and add that many blocks to a tower. Take turns and see whose tower grows tallest without toppling!
Skills boosted: one-to-one correspondence, counting, early addition (with two dice) and turn-taking.
Variation: Use two dice and ask them to add the two rolls before stacking (introduces addition gradually).
4. Shape & Number Walk
How to play: Take a short walk around the garden, street or indoors. Spot numbers (house numbers, clocks, signs) and shapes (manhole covers = circle, windows = rectangle). Make a simple checklist: 3 circles, 2 triangles, 1 number 7.
Skills boosted: number recognition in real life, shape awareness, observational skills and sustained attention.
Variation: Turn it into a friendly race: “Who can find three circles first?” or use a clipboard and tick-list to practise focus and checking off.
5. Concentration Card Game (Memory Match)
How to play: Make pairs of cards — one with a numeral and one with the matching quantity in dots or objects. Place them face down and take turns flipping two at a time to find matches.
Skills boosted: working memory, focus, visual discrimination and early number–quantity matching.
Variation: Start with just 4–6 pairs and increase as their memory improves. For extra challenge, include simple addition pairs (e.g., a card showing “2+1” and a card with three dots).
Children at this stage learn best through play. These activities are low-prep, flexible (indoors/outdoors), and gently target three essentials: number sense (recognising and understanding numbers), concentration (sustained attention to a task), and focus (following rules and sequences). Best of all, they keep learning light, social and fun — exactly what a Reception-ready child needs.
Want more fun, simple ideas to spark your preschooler’s number sense? Join the Captain Number social group — a space full of tips, activities, and inspiration to make early maths playful and meaningful. It’s a great way to keep your little one’s love for numbers growing every day!
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