Hands-on activities are essential in teaching math concepts to the preschool learner. Number line activities will give your preschoolers a concrete way to learn about numbers and counting. When teaching math skills to preschool children, it is important to present ideas in a variety of ways to help students really understand a concept.

For this activity, your little one was introduced to the number line by “being” the number line. Students were told that they could use number lines to help with counting, comparing numbers, adding, and other math skills.  Numbers were randomly passed out to each student. I then called out each number, one at a time, and directed the child with that number to stand in a particular place in line along our number “string”.  At the end, we reflected on the number line we had just created. Students were asked questions such as, What do you notice about it? Are the numbers in order? Where is the smallest number? As your little ones learn more and more about the number line, they can use it to solve problems that become increasingly more complex.