Free Digital Fish Counting Activities for Preschool
You and me goin’ fishin’ in the dark. Lyin’ on our backs and countin’ the….FISH! This FREE digital fish counting activity for preschool is perfect for ending the school year while dreaming of hot summer afternoons, or beginning the school year while reminiscing about those same summer afternoons.
Heck, fish activities for preschool work any old time of year! (No you don’t have to play or sing country music while engaging in the activity, but it might be fun:)
Preschool counting activities are an important part of building a solid foundation for future math concepts. This no-prep freebie provides a wonderful way for preschoolers to practice counting.
Each slide contains a number 1-10 and colorful fish waiting to be pulled over. Children will first identify and name the target number, then click on the large fish shape, and finally count and drag the appropriate number of fish to the water.
Early Counting Skills
Preschool math typically consists of a wide variety of hands-on learning activities. Students need to practice number recognition, counting, skip counting, shapes, measurement, grouping and sorting and more!
Early counting games prep students for counting activities in kindergarten and beyond. They should be varied and interesting!
One of the ways I love to engage young counters is by incorporating counting into EVERYTHING we do! Count the steps as you go up/down, count the toys as we put them away, count the socks as we fold them, you get the picture!
Other ways to build counting fluency:
- Oral counting games (forwards, start/stop at different numbers, backwards, skip counting by 5s, 10s, 2s)
- Numeral card games (Pick 2 cards and say which one is bigger/smaller, or draw 3 cards and put them in order…get creative:)
- Find the missing number in a short series
- LOTS of object counting and labeling with numerals
- Free printable counting activities for preschool like our Goldfish Counting Cards!
How to Use the Digital Fish Counting Activity
Click the link below to access the fish-themed activity for preschool math.
Then, choose which version you would like: Google Slides or Seesaw.
In Slides, click the blue button that says, “Make a Copy.” Name your own copy, then it will open in Google Slides and you are ready to count!
In Seesaw, make sure to click the uppercase T on the left side of the screen to activate the “Text” tool to be able to click and move objects.
Click on each fish shape to highlight, then drag it to the water. Repeat!
Ask your preschooler to count out loud as they pull the fish over. Reinforce correct answers with praise while encouraging a recount when necessary.
How to Differentiate for All Skill Levels
Learning to count takes practice, time, patience and LOTS of engaging number activities in your lesson plans. You can easily supplement or change the digital math activity to suit the needs of all of your students.
- For fluent counters 1-10, practice grouping with this digital activity by covering the numeral in the corner with a fish. Then, before your student sees the slide, pull over the appropriate number of fish. Ask students to quickly count or recognize the numeral and pull the fish away to see the correct answer!
- Ask students to arrange fish into common patterns as they pull them over (ie., dice, rows, or arrays)
- Break it down into manageable chunks by completing a few slides at a time
- Practice counting backwards by pulling the fish from the water back to the edge of the slide
- Use a timer to see how fast your preschooler can pull the fish to the water (ONLY for those that thrive with a little competition, not for those that would feel stressed)
- Consider other fish-themed math games, like “Go Fish!”
- Get hands-on by counting plastic fish into real fish bowls
