Preschool Counting Activities: Crooksie and Churro Lesson Plan
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Explore five playful preschool counting activities inspired by Crooksie and Churro Learn to Count. Get a free printable plan for ages 2–5. These daycare lesson plans are fun and full of learning.
Counting with preschoolers can happen while reading a favorite story, collecting leaves, setting a pretend table, or building a block path. Children don’t need a stack of number worksheets to discover that each object gets one count. They need interesting things to touch, move, compare, and talk about.
That’s the idea behind this five-day preschool counting lesson plan inspired by Crooksie and Churro Learn to Count. Each day offers one simple invitation through story, nature, art, pretend play, or building. The activities are designed for children ages 2–5, with easy ways to simplify or extend them. Feelings and friendship are part of the week, too, because Crooksie and Churro’s adventures give us a natural opening to notice how others feel.
I have cared for young children in my home daycare since 1995, and I love lessons that can grow from the children’s ideas. This plan gives teachers and parents a starting point without requiring every child to make the same product or answer the same question.
Download the free 5-day Crooksie and Churro counting lesson plan PDF to keep the daily invitations, teacher prompts, and observation space handy.
Kids love cats, and this set fits into a great list of Cat Lesson Plans for Preschoolers and Toddlers.
What children practice during this counting week
The main goal is one-to-one correspondence: giving one count word to each object as a child touches or moves it. If a child taps three blocks while saying “one, two, three,” they are working with a more useful idea than simply reciting a long string of numbers from memory.
Children can also make small groups, check whether two groups have the same amount, notice more or fewer, and decide how to share fairly. There is room for language, movement, creativity, problem solving, and caring for others. Number recognition is optional; there is no need to turn this week into a test.
For younger children, begin with one to three large objects. Older preschoolers may enjoy counting up to ten or wondering what happens when one more person joins a group. A child can participate by pointing, moving an object, looking toward a choice, using a sign, or choosing a feeling face. Follow what they communicate instead of insisting on a spoken answer.
Gather a few simple materials
You can use a picture book, large counters or blocks, two baskets or hoops, paper, crayons, large collage shapes, play dough, toy characters, and a few large outdoor finds. Number cards are optional. The same basket of blocks can appear several times during the week, so the setup can stay manageable even in a busy home daycare.
Use objects too large to swallow, supervise closely, and check outdoor items before children handle them. Photograph nature finds when collecting them isn’t appropriate. The point is to let children explore safely, not to fill a supply closet.
If you want ready-to-use counting pieces alongside the free lesson plan, explore the Crooksie and Churro counting tools pack on Etsy. Everyday blocks and baskets work beautifully as well.
Monday: Count together during story time
Story Grove begins with Crooksie and Churro Learn to Count. Find the Crooksie and Churro book here if you’d like to follow along with the story. Place one to three large counters in a shallow basket before reading. Pause when Crooksie or Churro counts, and invite a child to move one counter for each thing they notice. Try saying, “Let’s touch each one once.”
If a child says numbers faster than their hand moves, slow down and model gently: touch one object, say one word, and move to the next. You don’t have to correct every attempt. Notice whether the child begins matching a word with an object. After the story, invite them to make a tiny collection that matches something they remember. Let the child decide what matters to count: a character, an object in the picture, or even the guests at a pretend party.
Read the story again another day if the children ask. Familiar stories give them another chance to notice details and try out their counting ideas. You can use the counting mats or the cat cards in the counting tools pack on Etsy as well.
Tuesday: Compare collections on a nature walk
In Nature Lab, take a short walk with two baskets or hoops. Invite children to look for teacher-approved leaves, stones, seedpods, or flowers. They can collect a few large, safe items or photograph what they find. Make two small groups and ask, “How could we check which has more?”
One child may line up objects. Another may count by touching each one. Someone may pair one leaf with one stone and notice an extra leaf. These are all interesting strategies. Give children time to try their own method before demonstrating yours. If two groups look similar, place them side by side to help children see what changes when an item moves.
You can return the items outdoors afterward or make a small photo display of the collections. Ask, “What did you notice?” Their answer might be about the number of leaves, the roughness of a stone, or the bright color of a flower. That curiosity can lead into the next invitation.
Wednesday: Find counting in children’s art
For Art Garden, set out paper, crayons, large paper circles, collage pieces, or paint daubers. Invite children to create whatever picture they wish. Avoid putting out a finished sample. Once a child has made something, ask, “Tell me about your picture.”
Listen first. A child might tell you the dots are raindrops, that the circles are friends, or that the whole page is a garden. Then you might ask, “Would you like to count the flowers you made?” The child gets to choose what counts as a part or group. One child may count three red circles while another counts two people and a dog. Both are meaningful ways to connect number ideas to their own work.
Write their words on the back of the art, such as “I counted four raindrops.” Display it at child height so they can revisit and talk about their ideas. Children who prefer to point can show you which parts belong together.
Thursday: Share one item with each guest
Culture Trail turns counting into a shared meal or pretend market. Set out dolls, animal figures, or place cards as guests, along with plates and large pretend foods, blocks, or play dough pieces. Invite children to give one item to each guest. Ask, “Does everyone have one? What could we do?”
Passing out one item per guest makes one-to-one matching useful. It also starts a conversation about belonging. What if a guest was left out? How might they feel? Invite the children to notice and solve the problem together. This is a good moment to listen for counting, fair sharing, and empathy rather than speed.
After everyone has a place, let a new guest arrive. Ask what the children would like to do. They might add a plate, make more pretend food, or redistribute what they have. The story can continue for as long as their interest lasts.
Friday: Build a counting path
In Wonder Workshop, offer blocks, two toy characters, and a few simple feeling faces such as happy, excited, worried, calm, or frustrated. Children build a path, move their characters along it, and count jumps or blocks as they play. Ask, “How many jumps would your character like to try?”
A child may add blocks to make a longer path or rebuild one section after a character tumbles. Let the design change. Listen for spontaneous counting and notice how the child describes the character’s adventure. If the character feels worried about a big jump, what would help? Perhaps the children will make a shorter step or invite a friend to go first.
To extend the activity, ask a child to tell you the path’s story. Write down one sentence in their own words and pair it with a sketch or photo. That little record captures the building, the counting, and the imagination in one place.
Cat Coloring Pages
Check out these fun cat coloring pages on Etsy to stretch your story further. And use these Preschool Color Activities: A 5-Day Crooksie Lesson Plan for more cat learning.
How to adapt the activities for different children
For a child just beginning to count, use only one, two, or three objects and move each item into a new spot after counting it. This makes it easier to see what has already been counted. For a child ready for more, make two groups and ask how they might find out whether one has more. Try adding one guest at the pretend table or one block to the path and let them describe what changed.
For a child who doesn’t speak, offer choices they can point to or move. A child may show understanding by giving each toy a block even without naming a number. If a child doesn’t want to join an activity that day, leave the invitation available for later. These are experiences to revisit, not five assignments to complete on schedule.
What to observe instead of giving a counting quiz
Keep a pencil nearby and jot down one brief observation after an activity. Did a child touch each object once? Pair a plate with each guest? Line up two groups to compare them? Correct a missed item without being asked? Use a feeling word or help include another child?
The free printable five-day lesson plan includes a line for notes on each day and reflection prompts for the end of the week. A child’s exact words can tell you more about their thinking than a score. An observation like “Mia moved each stone to the other basket as she counted” gives you a clear idea of what to offer next time.
If the children love the nature walk, repeat it with new finds. If the pretend meal becomes a favorite, leave the plates out for another day. Preschool math grows through meaningful repetition, especially when the children can keep shaping the play.
Frequently asked questions about preschool counting activities
Do preschoolers need to recognize written numbers before they count?
No. Children can practice touching, moving, comparing, and sharing real objects before connecting those experiences to printed numerals. Optional number cards can be introduced when they add to a child’s play.
How many objects should a two-year-old count?
Start with one to three large objects and watch the child’s interest. Slowly model touching one item for each number word. A child may enjoy moving the pieces long before they say the number words consistently.
What if a child counts an object twice?
Try placing each object in a new spot as it is counted or lining the objects up. You can model “Let’s touch each one once” and give the child another opportunity during play. There’s no need to interrupt every counting attempt.
Can I use these activities without the book?
You can use the nature, art, sharing, and building invitations with materials you already have. Crooksie and Churro Learn to Count gives the week its story connection and a gentle way to bring feelings into the counting conversation.
Ready to try the week? Download the free Crooksie and Churro preschool counting lesson plan, see the book, and browse the companion counting tools. Pick the first invitation that fits your children, and let their ideas carry it forward.
Crooksie and Churro Products
For more Crooksie and Churro products, check out the shop button at the top of the blog. For more Crooksie and Churro printables, check these out:
- Crooksie the Cat Color Cards
- Crooksie the Cat Calm Down Cards
- Crooksie the Cat Letter Cards A-Z | Preschool Letter Activity
- Crooksie the Cat Feeling Cards | Preschool Activity
- Crooksie the Cat Counting Cards 1-10
- Crooksie the Cat Bookmark
- Crooksie the Cat Coloring Book for Kids
A Better Way to Teach Through Wonder, Play, and Nature
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