Pumpkin Playdough Counting Cards

It’s pumpkin time and we have a fun counting activity for toddlers and preschoolers using our pumpkin cards. These free counting cards feature different pumpkins with numbers 1 to 20. We’ve used them with playdough to create a quick counting activity for autumn that you can quickly set up for your toddlers and preschoolers. So here you go our Pumpkin Number Cards and Playdough Activity for toddlers and Preschoolers.

FREE Pumpkin Counting Cards

The FREE set of numbers 1 to 20 of our pumpkin number cards are now available in our store.

Each number card has a pumpkin plus the number in black on the card. You can use them for this activity or why not use it with some of our other idea suggestions too (you’ll find them at the bottom of the activity).

What your Preschooler and Toddler will Learn with the Pumpkin Number Cards

• Counts objects to 10 and beginning to count beyond 10
• Selects the correct numeral to represent 1 to 5, then 1 to 10 objects

Looking for more maths activities to share this Halloween with your preschoolers? Check out these Halloween Maths Activities for Preschool for more ideas.

What you will need for this Pumpkin Playdough Counting Activity

We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

• Playdough – why not make some of our autumn scented playdough
• Set of Pumpkin Counting Cards – Downloaded from our store
• Printer
• Card to print on
• Optional – Laminator and Laminating Pouches

Preparation needed for this autumn maths activity

Print out the pumpkin numbers at high quality on to card. We recommend high quality as it gives a bright and vibrant colour.

We have found that if we laminate it is better to cut up the cards first and then to laminate. This avoids them falling apart as the laminating pouch doesn’t seal as well.

If you are making your own playdough them create this ahead of time if not prepare the activity with the number cards in a pile and some playdough for your toddler or preschooler to break into pieces.

Looking for more Pumpkin themed activities for your math center – then check out this set of FREE Printable Pumpkin Face Count and Clip Cards to add to the resources.

Pumpkin Maths Activity

With your child decide on which numbers you will focus on.

We recommend introducing numbers 1 to 3 first, then 1 to 5, 1 to 10 and lastly adding in 1 to 20.

Working this way means that you child will be able to practice and review the numbers adding a few at a time and remember them better instead of introducing all numbers at once where your child can easily become confused and frustrated.

With your counting cards selected sit with them and explain the activity your going to create the number of pumpkins from playdough that they can see on the pumpkin number card.

Then let them mould the playdough into pumpkins and lay out the number beside the card.

Repeat this with the numbers that you are focusing on.

We then leave this set up on a tray for a couple of days so that they can explore and play with numbers as they wish.

Extending the Playdough Pumpkin Maths

It doesn’t have to stop with counting out the pumpkins, you can also introduce your child to counting one more and one less by adding another pumpkin to the set or removing one.

When you do this count the pumpkins first then remove or add and recount.

This is the first introduction to addition and subtraction for your toddlers and preschoolers.

Other Ideas for Using the Pumpkin Numbers

Here are some other suggestions of how you could use the free printable pumpkin numbers:

• Use them with a salt tray to practice writing the numbers on the cards (similar to our Dinosaur ABC Salt Tray Activity)
• With orange pompoms and a set of tongs you can set up a similar counting activity to the playdough but that works on the pincer grip when moving the pompoms with the tongs.
• Use a set of pumpkin seeds and count out the number of them to match the number on the card.
• Pick to numbers and using playdough, seeds, or pompoms add the numbers on the pumpkins together.

More Pumpkin Learning Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

• DIY 5 Little Pumpkins Rhyme Book
• Stamped Pumpkin Number Line to Make
• Pumpkin Patch Maths Game
• Pumpkin Shape Memory Game