Last week I created these colorful counting mats so my Three could do some gumball math as we learned about letter G.
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I created ten gumball math mats, each with a number printed on the bottom. Then I put the matching number of gray circles inside the machine.
For each mat, he read the number and counted the clear plastic counters as he placed them on the gray dots. This was great practice in one-to-one correspondence!
He wanted to use all orange circles when counting six gumballs.
As you can see, this kept us busy for quite some time!
I also made this version of the activity. If your child has one-to-one correspondence down, but could use practice counting out a certain number of objects, print this version. It has cards all the way up 20! Just print the last two pages of the download.
Check out some of my other great freebies for counting practice!
© 2015 – 2020, Anna G. All rights reserved.
Erin says
Fun, fun! Thank you for sharing! I love the modification at the end!!
Anna Geiger says
You’re welcome, Erin! 🙂
Maggie says
Love these! Thank you!
Anna Geiger says
You’re welcome, Maggie!
Jeanine says
Thank you for sharing these with us Anna, theyre useful and so good looking too! My daughter is actually having problems with some math comprehension lately. She’s almost six, so she’s done well with counting to twenty part but, she’s having issues with addition. I would like to use the pages with 10 & 20 grey spots, so I can practise “Making Ten” & “making twenty” with her in regards to addition and such. What do you think? Do you think it would work that way? I like the idea of her seeing the grey spaces, you know, counting or adding with the chips might be easier to see this way! Thanks again!
Anna Geiger says
Hello, Jeanine!
You might have noticed that the printable mats only go up to 10 … that’s actually because there wasn’t room to put 20 gray dots in the little mats. I think you could take the large mat and draw 20 circles in it if you want. Then you could give her two different colors of playing pieces (those clear plastic circles we used are a lot of fun).
You could make different combinations and keep track on a piece of paper… Have her start with the 10 mat and keep track of the different combinations. For example, you can have 1 yellow and 9 blue, so 1+9 = 10. Or you could have 2 yellow and 8 blue, so 2+8 = 10.
Another easy manipulative for this concept is an egg carton. Just cut off two spots and you have a very simple ten frame.
Hope this made sense!
Stephany says
I love these gumball mats. I always struggle for ways to use the colored disc manipulatives in my room and most of the time they just become bingo markers, but as soon as I rolled out the gumball mats there was a whole new use for them and the students were so excited to be able to use the colored chips during math time!
Anna Geiger says
Yay – I’m so glad these went over well with your students, Stephany!
Tania says
Hi!
I’m having trouble printing the gumball mats, when I click to open the file it says it can’t be opened.
Anna Geiger says
Try these tips! One of them usually works. https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-download-free-files/
Khattarin says
I am a kindergarten teacher . In Thailand. Thank you very much . That makes learning fun . It was wonderful, thank you very much . ^^
Anna Geiger says
I’m so glad you could use this, Khattarin!
Elena says
Thaknk you very much for sharing these printables!
Iam teaching preschooler this year and going through your blog, help me a lot. good resources and ideas for the little hands.
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Elena!
Fabby says
I just love your website and all the activities, links, worksheets and advice you share. I am so thankful that you share so much. This is my first year teaching and you have helped me tremendously!!!
Anna Geiger says
That’s so wonderful to hear, Fabby! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
Rashmi says
Hi Anna,
These are really good, I help some slow learning children and they really love playing these games and are learning too. Thank you so much !!
Anna Geiger says
I’m so glad to hear that, Rashmi!
Mari says
Thanks so much for the resource. i will greatly help one of my students and others to come.
Mari says
Thanks so much for the resource. It will greatly help one of my students and others to come.
Pamela Simpson says
I really want the gumball counting mats but I can’t download them.
Kate Dowling says
Hi Pamela!
This is Kate, Anna’s assistant. What happens when you click the green download box? If it’s not clickable, you need to turn off your ad blocker. Once you click the box, please enter your email address, and the file will be sent to you. Let us know if you still have trouble!
Leanne Cameron says
I love all your fun easy and educational games. Thank you so much for making our lives easier as teachers to make learning fun and engaging !