Read the Number on Each Tag and Draw That Many Shapes in the Bag

Ask a group of preschoolers to "show me two," and you will see fingers, claps and the odd jump. In fact, every one of those answers is a way to represent a number. This Pre-K represent numbers 1 to 3 with shapes worksheet adds one more way: drawing. Four empty bags carry tags for two circles, three squares, two triangles and one moon. Your child reads each numeral, then draws that many shapes inside. However, no words need reading, only numerals and shapes.

Same number, different shapes

Two circles and two triangles look nothing alike. Yet they share something, and seeing it is a quiet leap in understanding. That shared idea is the number-quantity link: a numeral, a group of drawings and a raised hand can all mean the same amount.

For this reason, the page sets it up on purpose. Two of the four tags ask for 2, one with circles and one with triangles. So once both bags are full, your child can compare them and find that the shapes differ while the amount does not.

The single moon matters too. Of course, it is the quickest bag. However, it is also a reminder that one is a real number, not "nothing much."

Crayons out: a small-group session

This page works well with three or four children around a table. First, hand out pink crayons and read the circle tag together. Then say, "Draw two circles, and stop." Letting them make a set with a clear stop is the whole skill.

When the bags are full, ask each child to touch every shape and count once more. This lets them check the count on their own, before an adult says anything.

However, the square bag is the likely trouble spot. Three squares drawn close together can merge into one wobbly block, so the count gets lost. If that happens, ask, "Where does each square start?" For example, some children redraw with more space. Others circle each square to show it. Both are good thinking.

A game of Memory with tags and bags

Make a simple Memory game from scrap card. First, write 1, 2 or 3 on half the cards; on the other half, draw that many shapes. Shuffle them well. Then turn them face down and take turns to find a matching pair. Each time, your child holds up the card, counts the shapes and says the number.

At home, the same idea also works with real things. For example, while you set the table, ask, "Can you put two forks and one cup here?" Also, use math vocabulary as you go: more, fewer, the same.

Finally, name the stopping, not the drawing: "You stopped right at two. Your bag matches the tag."