I am going through a Letter of the Week study with my Four and Two. Along with reading books, doing crafts, and forming letters, we do a lot of letter-themed math. I was having trouble finding things for letter L — until I decided to do all ladybugs! Since their big sister is just finishing kindergarten, we did loads of ladybug math appropriate for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. I hope you’ll find something you can use at home or in your classroom!
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Ladybug Math Ideas & Printables
1) Number Recognition – Ladybugs on a leaf
To practice number recognition, I decorated red office stickers and told my Two (pictured) which number the ladybug wanted to eat. He covered that number with a sticker. Because I have three kids learning to recognize numbers, I created one with the numbers 1-10, one with the numbers 10-20, and one with blank circles so I could write much larger numbers for my Five. To read more about it and get your printables, click here.
2) Addition, Missing Addends, Mental Math – Missing Addend Flip Cards
I spent a lot of time on these, and I’m so happy with how they turned out. My Five, who resists a lot of the math I prepare for her brothers because “it’s too easy,” was challenged by these and really enjoyed them. To read more about them and download 45 free missing addend flip cards, visit here.
3) Counting, Number Recognition – Ladybug Count & Clip Cards
For a set of colorful ladybug count and clip cards from 1-20, visit my original post here.
4) Odd/Even – Ladybug Math Odd & Even
I did this activity with just my Five. It was her introduction to the concept of odd and even. We took out ten paper circles. I gave her a number and told her to take turns placing the dots on each side of the ladybug. If the same number of circles was on each side, then the number was even, and she wrote it in the right-hand column. If there was an extra dot, then the number was odd, and she wrote it in the left-hand column. After a few times placing the dots, she could figure it out in her head. She also learned that if you can add the same number together to get a number (such as 3+3 = 6), then the answer is always even.
I highly recommend this sort of activity to introduce odd/even! You can get the ladybug printable by clicking here: Ladybug Mat odd and even
5) Shapes, Puzzles – Ladybug Shape Puzzles
My Two did these ladybug shape puzzles. Get your free printable from Confessions of a Homeschooler.
6) Counting, Ordering, Number Recognition – Large Floor Numbers
I got these great ladybug floor numbers from Playing House in Maryland. My Two just loved them! He can count to 10, but he gets confused if he starts in the middle. So we had to start over nearly every time he added a new number — no problem, good counting practice! This was also great practice for number recognition and the first time he worked at putting numbers in order. Afterward his sister tried to get him to stand on a number that she called out, but he was having too much fun running on the number line. If I showed my kids’ faces on this blog, I’d have to share the picture of him running across the ladybugs. BIG smile!
7) Subitizing – Ladybug, Ladybug Roll & Cover
I think this board game is adorable, and I just love the concept! You can get your own copy at Oceans of First Grade Fun. This game requires a numbered die and counters. Have your kids take turn rolling the die and covering that number on their ladybug. This gives them practice subitizing. Say, what? If you’re like me, that’s a new word for you. It’s just a fancy way of saying: look at a group of something and tell how many there are without counting each individual item. For example: recognizing that the six dots on a die are 6 — without going 1,2,3,4,5,6. I played this with my Four and Five.
8) Subitizing, Addition – Ladybug Roll & Cover Addition Game
Here’s a simple board game that gives your child practice addition and subitizing. Roll the dice, add the numbers, and cover the number on the board. To see more and get your printable, visit my original post here.
9) Addition – Ladybug Addition Mat
I saw this idea all over Pinterest and never did figure out who came up with the original idea. I created this math mat (get yours here: Ladybug Addition Mat) and cut out black circles with my circle punch. I made a set of numbers and had the big kids (4 & 5) make addition number sentences.
10) Ordering – Ladybug Size Sort
My Two loved putting these colorful ladybugs in order by size. You can get them at Confessions of a Homeschooler.
Need more free ladybug-themed printables? Check out these finds:
Touch-Point Number Cards with Ladybugs
Get even more freebies!
© 2013 – 2019, Anna G. All rights reserved.
Erin - The Usual Mayhem says
April 17, 2013 at 7:58 amWhat a great collection of activities! I’m pinning it…right after I download the missing addend flip cards. Thanks!
annageig says
April 18, 2013 at 2:05 pmSo glad you can use it, Erin! Thanks so much for pinning.
Monica (Mo) says
April 17, 2013 at 1:05 pmThank You for sharing the printables and sharing the links! I’ve been following another site for some time now, maybe you’ve heard of it? http://www.childcareland.com She has a lot of printables and videos with patterns! You should check it out, if you haven’t already!
Thanks Again,
Monica (Mo)
annageig says
April 18, 2013 at 2:06 pmThanks for that link, Monica! I’m following childcareland now, too.
Angela @ Teaching Mama says
April 18, 2013 at 7:31 amAmazing…wow thanks for being so generous and sharing these printables!
annageig says
April 18, 2013 at 2:07 pmYou’re welcome, Angela! Keeping up a blog gives me the incentive to keep making things for my own kids. A win-win 🙂
Dollie @ Teachers of Good Things says
April 19, 2013 at 10:53 amAnother great idea! My son knows about ladybugs because they crowd into our home during the winter. This will be something that he would really enjoy!
annageig says
April 21, 2013 at 2:13 pmThanks, Dollie! Too bad about the ladybugs in your house — they’re not as pretty inside, are they? 🙂
Jill says
April 21, 2013 at 10:40 amThis is a wonderful round-up of ladybug themed math activities for preschoolers! I have pinned this on to my math board. Thank you for sharing this this week on the Hearts for Home Blog Hop!
Jill says
April 21, 2013 at 10:42 amSorry, using my mobile device and it cut off some of my comment. Great activities for preschoolers – 1st graders 🙂
Shelly says
April 21, 2013 at 1:23 pmLove your ladybug activities!
annageig says
April 21, 2013 at 2:13 pmThank you, Shelly!
lola says
April 21, 2013 at 1:24 pmI can’t wait to use these! They are awesome. Thank you!
P.S. I love your blog
annageig says
April 21, 2013 at 2:13 pmThank you so much, Lola! I hope you find more things you can use.
Andrea says
April 21, 2013 at 1:56 pmCute ladybug activities! I will pin these to come back to when my little girl is ready for them!! Thanks for sharing!
annageig says
April 21, 2013 at 2:14 pmThanks so much for stopping by, Andrea!
Amanda Whitaker says
April 22, 2013 at 11:55 amSo cute, and perfect for our Earth Day afternoon. Thanks for sharing!
annageig says
April 22, 2013 at 1:09 pmThanks, Amanda!
jeannine: waddlee-ah-chaa says
April 24, 2013 at 8:13 amSo much learning, so much fun! The perfect time of year to get to know ladybugs!
annageig says
April 25, 2013 at 10:03 amThanks for commenting, Jeannine!
Sugar Aunts says
April 26, 2013 at 3:15 pmThese are Great worksheets! We are featuring you tomorrow on Share It Saturday. We will also be sharing with our FB and Twitter followers, and pinning. Thanks so much for joining us at Share It Saturday!!
Colleen at http://www.sugaraunts.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Aunts/406711342711382?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sugaraunts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thesugaraunts/
annageig says
April 26, 2013 at 7:25 pmThanks so much for the feature, Colleen!
Allison says
April 27, 2013 at 12:26 amSo many great ideas with ladybugs! I’m featuring this on The Sunday Showcase this week!
annageig says
April 27, 2013 at 4:52 amThanks so much, Allison!!
Stephanie says
May 16, 2013 at 12:09 pmI found you at the homeschool village link up and I’m so glad that I did. I have a four year old adding doubles right now. This will work fantastically!
annageig says
May 27, 2013 at 7:47 pmSorry I’m late with this reply, Stephanie! I’m so glad you found me and hope that you find lots more you can use! I REALLY liked your “Peace in Learning” post. I definitely raise my voice too much. It takes real humility to be able to admit it out loud to our kids and pray with them about it. I hope I follow your example the next time I start to lose my temper.
Deb @ Living Montessori Now says
July 15, 2013 at 5:38 amYour ladybug printables and activities are awesome! I featured your ladybug printables in my posts today at Living Montessori Now and PreK + K Sharing. 🙂
Becky says
October 23, 2013 at 4:57 pmI love the ladybugs, elephants etc that you have for learning size order (biggest to smallest etc) but when I click on the link an odd page comes up for me to download it, but I get a virus warning from my anti-virus instead. Would love to print a set or two for my homeschooling lessons with my kids!
Anna Geiger says
October 23, 2013 at 7:51 pmI’m sorry you’re having trouble, Becky. Would you please tell me exactly which item you’re trying to download that’s giving you trouble?
Becky says
October 23, 2013 at 8:22 pmIt seems to be any of the size sorting printables. They all open to a different website and the download button I click on there just ends up causing a pop up from my anti virus software with a virus warning. I’ve tried the “Ordering – Ladybug Size Sort” and the “Elephant Size Sort” both with the same result. I click on the link provided for the Confessions of a Homeschooler, then her link brings up the other page for the printable that is giving me the virus warnings. http://www.4shared.com/file/145261527/c541930a/ladybugsizesort.html
Anna Geiger says
October 23, 2013 at 8:36 pmOkay, yes, I know what you’re talking about. This is one of my earlier posts, and I don’t link to her blog anymore because of the 4shared documents. I think that when she started blogging she was on a free server called Blogger, where you have to host your files on another site. She used 4shared, which in my experience is awful to use because it’s confusing and gives virus warnings, as you said. Unfortunately I can’t help you because those aren’t my printables. She has some beautiful ones, but they are so hard to get to. I would contact her via her contact form and hopefully she can help you out. Sorry about that!
Sarah says
January 13, 2015 at 11:10 amLove your ladybug stuff! I’m teaching addition to my Kinders right now and this one is perfect because the ladybug’s back is divided so they know they have to put the dots in TWO groups! They loved it! I adapted it on my blog and linked to you- thanks again!
Anna Geiger says
January 14, 2015 at 11:14 amThanks, Sarah – I loved checking out your post. I’m always thankful when teachers find my site. Thanks for linking back. 🙂
SM says
April 10, 2016 at 6:51 pmThanks for sharing all the lady bug math resources. They are so colorful and wonderful. They will come in handy for my addition unit for my kinders.
Anna Geiger says
April 11, 2016 at 5:28 pmWonderful! I hope you get a chance to use some of them!
judy says
April 10, 2016 at 8:55 pmgreat resource to use with a small group
Anna Geiger says
April 11, 2016 at 5:28 pmYes, many of them work great for small groups of kids!
Laura says
June 1, 2016 at 5:56 amHi!
I love all of these resources but the link for the “roll and cover ladybug addition game” isn’t working. Is it possible for you to email me the pdf file?
Thank you!
L
Anna Geiger says
June 1, 2016 at 6:08 amIt opens right up for me, Laura. Try these tips! https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-download-free-files/
Roberta says
August 22, 2016 at 1:48 pmSo much good information. We just started our little one (4) with math, though she has been doing her numbers. she can recognize her numbers 1-100. Now we wanted to get her started with basic addition. This will keep her having fun!
Anna Geiger says
August 24, 2016 at 8:37 pmI’m so glad you can use some of these activities, Roberta!