The pumpkins are out in the supermarkets, and our homegrown pumpkins are ripe we are doing lots of activities with our toddler and preschoolers on the theme of Pumpkins. Pumpkin Activities fit nicely with autumn and Halloween and this FREE Printable Pumpkin Shape Memory Game is a great way for you and your toddler and preschooler to work on learning shapes and play together.
Pumpkin Themed Memory Game for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Learning through play is one of the best ways for children to learn and although messy, sensory, imaginative play are all great playing games like memory and board games are also needed. They help promote turn-taking, sharing and can be used for the purpose of learning as well.
Memory was one of the first games we introduced our kids to and this Pumpkin Themed Memory Game we created helps them to learn their shapes but also to work on cognitive ability as they match, find and memorise where the matching card is.
Materials Needed for your Pumpkin Shape Memory Game
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Pumpkin Shape Memory Game - Open, download and print
- White Copy paper
- Printer - we have an HP Envy with Instant Ink
- Laminator
- Laminating pouches
Making your Pumpkin Patch Shape Memory Game for Tot Schooling
The Pumpkin Shape Memory Game comes with 4 different shapes and 6 copies of each of them.
For younger toddlers, I would recommend just using 2 copies so 8 cards in total but as they get older and used to the game increase the number of cards that you add to the game.
Print out the number of cards you wish to use and cut out
Laminate as this will make them harder wearing.
Top Tips for Making our Memory Cards Easier to Use with Toddlers
An alternative and one that we used when the kids were little was to glue them onto an Amazon delivery box and cut them out from there this made the cards hardwearing and easier for little hands to turn over and play with!
Playing the Pumpkin Shape Memory Game
Start by showing the different shapes to your child - square, circle, triangle, and oval and getting them to recognise them in pumpkin form.
Once they are familiar set out the game with the number of cards you have chosen with the cards face down. See above for our recommendation for playing with younger toddlers.
Now take turns selecting 2 cards to make a pair.
When you have the pair remove the cards.
The winner is the one who has the most cards at the end of the game.
Continue playing together reviewing the shapes as you go along.
Favourite Pumpkin Book For Preschoolers and Toddlers
We love combining our activities with reading and although there are plenty of pumpkin books we have a favourite. It's based on one of our Halloween Nursery Rhymes and is great to read after we have sung together.
Our all-time favourite pumpkin book is Five Little Pumpkins by Dan Yaccarino. This classic rhyme is brought to life through fun colourful drawings and is ideal for sharing.
More Pumpkin Themed Activities For Toddlers and Preschoolers
Loving the Pumpkin Themed Shape Game then check out these other Pumpkin Learning Activities to do at home with your Preschooler and Toddler
Inspired by the book mentioned above and the Halloween Nursery Rhyme 5 Little Pumpkins we have a fun number and craft pumpkin activity for you and your preschooler to do.
Number lines are a great way to help your child recognise numbers and you can use them for addition and subtraction as well. Check out our Halloween Pumpkin Number Line to make it yourself.
Whether you head out to pick your own pumpkins or not this year why not make your own pumpkin patch for picking numbers in this DIY Maths Game.
Cerys Parker
Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, high school teacher and mum. Realising that life doesn't have to be put on hold and you don't just have to survive whilst the kids are young she shares ideas to inspire you to LIVE with the kids, with activities to do together, recipes to cook and enjoy and family travel to make memories to last a lifetime.
Katrina says
Oh this would have been a great game for Halloween. Now we'll just have to play it another day when we maybe pick pumpkin as a theme. We occasionally pick interesting vegetables and fruits as a theme and play things around it. One of the games we played for Halloween was based on a worksheet (http://www.jumpstart.com/common/count-the-pumpkins), but we lined up real pumpkins in various sizes. The kids loved it. We're going to print out your game and play it. Thanks very much!
H.Forster says
I like that game. As a little I could play it for hours. Now I will show it to my children.