Whenever we visited my dad’s family in Michigan, the red barn on my grandparents’ property stood out like a majestic symbol. A run-down tractor, cobwebs, and tools filled the space, but what I remember most is the feeling of adventure, the thrill, the memories of playing Hide-and-Seek and Truth or Dare with my cousins. I hope these farm math activities can spark that same excitement in our preschoolers. They might not remember the lessons years from now, but maybe they’ll remember the sense of excitement learning can bring.
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Farm Lesson plans
Farm Feeding
Farm Counting Sensory Bin
I haven’t had much experience feeding farm animals.
But I did, in fact, feed giraffes at our local zoo, and the most bizarre thing happened. We fed them lettuce, watching their long, black tongues twirl around each leaf, which is crazy enough in itself. But then I looked up and saw a giraffe lean down, snatch a zoo map right out of someone’s hand, and gobble it right up. Literally no hesitation. All that mindful eating practice was just tossed to the wind. I feel ya, giraffe.
Anyway, back to farm animals. This is absolutely the best math activity for number identification, identifying farm animals, counting, and fine motor skills! My kiddos love these counting sensory bin activities. They gobble them up just like that giraffe did to the zoo map.
Just attach the animals’ heads to circular plastic containers, tin cans, plastic cups, tubs, etc. Then, draw a card and scoop the matching number of corn into each animal’s mouth. Then, watch in amazement as your preschoolers devour this farm-feeding sensory experience!
Materials:
- Farm Feeding Counting Cards
- sensory tub
- popcorn kernels
- 4 small containers
- scoops or spoons
- packing tape
Collect the Eggs
Visual Perception Activity
I have no shame in admitting that one of my favorite things to do (even as an adult) is go on an Easter egg hunt. In fact, my girls and I will hide eggs for each other to find year-round, so these colorful eggs get a lot of use!
For this next activity, we pretended to be farmers collecting the eggs from the chicken coop.
Just cut an egg carton in half to make six egg wells. Then, have your students find the matching color egg in the hen’s nest and place it in the egg carton in the coordinating spot.
These types of visual perception tasks are fundamental. Visual perception is our brain interpreting what we see to process it, which will help in so many ways in the future:
- focusing on tasks
- finding things
- copying from the board
- matching
- sorting
- reading handwriting
- reading without losing place
- telling the difference between similar letters
- measuring
- sequencing
- puzzles
- SO MUCH MORE!
So as you plan out your week, don’t forget to incorporate puzzles, mazes, memory games, and activities like Collect the Eggs.
Materials:
- Collect the Eggs
- egg carton
- Easter eggs
Farm measure
Non-Standard Measurement
Does anyone else cry when their kids outgrow a size in clothes? Why won’t they stop growing?! My girls will never be as little as they are today. Cue the ugly tears.
And while I can’t slow down how fast their measurements change, there is one kind of measuring that doesn’t make me reach for the tissues—measuring adorable farm animals with a barn ruler!
This simple activity sneaks in early math skills like measurement, number recognition, and comparison, all wrapped up in a playful, hands-on farm theme. Plus, it’s one that doesn’t make me an emotional bag of tears.
Materials:
- Farm Measurement Activity
- markers or dot markers
Shear the Sheep
Ten Frame Farm Game
I’m sure you practice counting daily as a preschool teacher. Wouldn’t ewe know it? So it will be nice to switch it up and play a game that incorporates counting in a new way, especially when your kiddos get to pretend to be farmers and give those sheep a buzz cut.
To set up this two-player game of Shear the Sheep, place 20-30 cotton balls on each of the two large sheep. Then, draw a card, count the number of wool balls on the ten frames, and use clothespins to “shear” the matching amount off your sheep. The first player to completely “shear” their sheep wins!
This farm math game is easy to set up and fun for kids to play! Plus, incorporating those ten frames when possible helps with subitizing, the ability to quickly identify an amount without counting.
Materials:
Horse Shapes
Shape Construction Farm Math Activities
Riding horses frees your soul. On our honeymoon in Ireland, we rode horses along the Dingle Peninsula, and I will never forget the breathtaking view over the ocean, how it smoothed any edges of anxiety, and how I felt so connected to nature and my husband.
And to help our preschoolers connect with the actual shapes of shapes, we built horse corrals for our horses to trot around in. Just use popsicle sticks (mini and regular) right on top of the cards. And yes, they fit perfectly.
Then, find the matching shape horse, which are, oh, so adorable to gallop around in the shape corrals.
And if you’re looking for a way to add even more math skills to this farm math activity, have your students count the number of short and long popsicle sticks used to make the corral.
Materials:
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Just as the red barn on my grandparents’ property sparked feelings of adventure and excitement for me as a child, I hope we, as teachers, can instill a love of learning in our children. When preschoolers are excited to explore, play, and problem-solve, they start building the foundation for independent thinking and a lifelong curiosity. I hope that some of these farm math activities can bring that same sense of joy and discovery to your kiddos, too!
