Apple Math Activities for Kids: 7 Math Activities with Numbered Apples [Free Printable]
Ideas for apple math activities for your kids. This article includes free numbered apple circles and many ideas to use them. Perfect for your apple theme units and lesson plans.
It may not feel like fall here in Texas, but the season is upon us. It is nearly time for apple orchards, apple pie, apple cider, and of course, apple math activities. This week I made some 1-12 numbered apple circles (you can get them below) and I will show you a bunch of ways that you can use them to practice early math concepts with kids.
I made them just the right size to fit in a muffin tin. But, they also fit in or on a variety of containers. Scroll down to see all of the math activities that you can do the number circles and don’t forget to get your printable at the bottom.
Count Apple Erasers in Muffin Tins
After you print the numbered apples, cut them out, and place them in the bottom of a muffin tin. Kids can count and place the appropriate number of apple erasers in each section of the tin. Add plastic tweezers to this activity to give children more fine motor practice.
Count Puff Ball Apples
The apple number circles fit in shallow plastic yogurt containers too. Here, small kitchen tongs are used to place red puffball “apples” in each container.
Dice Counting Game
Need a small group activity? You can make a game from the above counting activity (1 or more players). Each player needs 6 containers or a 6 muffin tin labeled with the 1-6 apple circles. You will also need some apple counters (puffballs or erasers will work) and a single 1-6 die. Each player takes a turn rolling the die and finding his or her corresponding container or muffin tin section. The child then adds the appropriate number of apples to that container or section. If the container or section is already filled, the next player gets to roll. The first player to fill all of his or her containers or complete his or her muffin tin is the winner.
Numeral Recognition Dice Game
(1 or more players) Each player needs 6 containers labeled with 1-6 apple circles and 6 plastic apples. A single 1-6 die is also needed. Each player takes a turn rolling the die, finding the corresponding container, and placing a single apple in that container. If the container already has an apple, the next player gets to roll the die. The first player that fills all of his or her containers with an apple is the winner.
Turn the difficulty level up a notch – Play with the 2-7 apple circles. Ask kids to roll the die, add one to the number that they rolled, and place the apple in that container. For example….if a number 5 is rolled, the child will determine that 6 is one more than 5, and he or she will place the apple will be placed in the #6 container.
Apple Grab Bag and Ten-Frame
I love using ten-frames for math activities because there are so many things that one can do with them. Visit my article about using ten-frames to get your printable ten-frame. For this activity place the 1-10 apple circles in a bag. Kids select a numbered apple circle from the bag and place the appropriate number of apples on the ten-frame. If you have more than one color of apple, kids can practice composing and decomposing the numbers on the ten-frame. You can also use two ten-frames, select two numbers from the bag, and compare the ten-frames after they have been filled.
Sensory Ten-Frame
It’s easy to add a sensory experience to games and activities by placing game cards and pieces in a container of beans, rice, split peas, corn etc. Rather than using a grab bag as described above, you can place the 1-10 numbered apple circles in a container of split peas. Kids can dig the apple circles out of the container then fill in the ten-frame with the appropriate number of apples.
Compare Numbers
Place a few apple circles on a table (in random order). Children can stack the corresponding quantity of Unifix Cubes, blocks, or legos next to each apple. Kids can then compare the towers to determine which number is the biggest and which is the smallest.
Composing and Decomposing Numbers
Kids select a numbered circle then use two colors of blocks to create the number. How many combinations can be created?
Get Your Copy of the Apple Number Circles
Are you ready to get started on some apple math activities? I would love to send a copy of the apple number circles to you. Add your name and email address to the form below, and I will send the number circles to your inbox.
Hopefully, these ideas for apple math activities will help you get into the fall spirit. I’m sure that you can come up with many more ideas for using the numbered apple circles with your kids. I would sure love to hear them! Looking for more fun apple-themed activities for your kiddos? Here are a few that I think you will like. Click on the image to check them out.
Below are some items from Amazon that can be used for the activities mentioned in this article. The links below are affiliate links. If you happen to purchase something from a link, there will be no additional cost to you, but a small portion of your purchase will be used towards the cost of maintaining this website.
