Let’s Count Bugs! Counting Activity for the Early Years

This hands-on counting activity has been designed and created by an early years teacher. Students will take turns drawing number cards and counting out the corresponding number of bug cutouts, and placing them into a jar template provided in the download. This activity helps reinforce counting from 1-20, number recognition, and fine motor skills, all while sparking their imagination with a fun bug theme.

Here’s what’s included in the download:

• Bug cutouts (various bug shapes and colors)
• Jar templates (printable paper jars)
• Number cards (cards with numbers from 1 to 20)
• Sentence strip to complete with – “I see … bugs”

Step-by-Step Counting Activity Guide

1. Preparation
   • Print and cut out the bugs, sentence strip and jar templates.
   • Prepare the number cards with numbers ranging from 1 to 20.
   • It is suggested that you laminate this activity for durability too.
2. Introduction
   • Introduce the activity by showing the students the bug cutouts and the jar template.
   • Explain that they will be catching and counting bugs to place them in their jars.
3. Demonstration
   • Demonstrate the activity by turning over a number card, counting out the corresponding number of bugs, and placing them into the jar template.
   • Ensure the students understand they need to match the number on the card with the exact number of bugs.
4. Student Turns
   • Have students take turns drawing a number card from the pile.
   • Each student counts out the number of bugs indicated on the card and places them in their jar.
   • Encourage students to count aloud to reinforce their counting skills.
5. Check and Discuss
   • After placing the bugs in the jar, ask the student to count the bugs again to double-check their work.
   • Discuss with the class whether the number of bugs matches the number on the card, providing gentle correction if needed.
6. Repeat and Rotate
   • Continue the activity until all students have had several turns, ensuring they practise counting with different numbers.

Download and Play Today!

Use the dropdown menu to choose between the easy to print PDF or the editable Google Slide version.

This resource was created by Brittany Collins, a teacher in Indiana and a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Counting Activities

Looking for more counting activities to add to your math lesson planning? We have you covered…

teaching resource

Counting Within 20 Picture Puzzle

Practice counting objects within 20 and matching groups to numbers through this 15-piece winter scene picture puzzle.

teaching resource

Counting to 20 Task Cards

Practice counting objects up to 20 with this set of 16 task cards.

teaching resource

Jellyfish Count to 10 Matchup Activity

Use this match-up activity to help reinforce your students’ knowledge of one-to-one correspondence to 10.