Halloween Counting Jars Activity

There are so many different counting activities. Some that take a whole box of supplies to create and others that don’t. Either way they can help children learn and practice counting. As a parent, and teacher, though, I prefer activities that are simple to set up, don’t create too much mess but that will help children. This Counting Jar Halloween activity is a fun math activity for toddler, preschool, pre-k,  and kindergarten age children in October.

Halloween Counting Activity

I think we all like simple activities but above all, activities for my children must be engaging AND help them learn necessary skills. Just like with this Halloween Counting Jar. There is basically no mess, it’s incredibly simple to set up and will help children count as high of numbers as you’d like. PLUS, the supplies are all from the dollar store, so it is super inexpensive too! 

We have lots more kids activities and fun halloween activities! Plus don’t miss film canister ghost rockets, edible pumpkin playdough, easy pumpkin volcano, jack-o-lantern halloween activity for preschoolers.

halloween counting

All you need for this fun math activity with a Halloween theme is:

• Jar
• Wood Numbers
• Halloween Manipulatives

Like I said we found all of these things at our local dollar store. The jar is plastic and even has a lid. The wood numbers were in the craft section. Buy two packs and you can do numbers up to 100. The Halloween Manipulatives are fun. We found some plastic eyeballs, glow in the dark skeleton hands and rings. The rings include bats, spiders and skulls. How fun is that?

Counting Activity for Preschoolers

We set everything out on a tray with numbers on one side, the jar in the middle and the manipulatives on the opposite side of the numbers. Set out one number for kids to identify. Ask them what the number is. Ask them to put that many Halloween manipulatives inside the jar.

As the manipulatives are taken out of the jar, you can count them as they go back into the pile too! This gives many opportunities for counting practice.

Not only will children be able to strengthen their counting skills but easily help clean up this activity. It is also one that if left out, children can begin and continue on their own, no need to do it for them! 

Halloween Math

You could also switch it up and start with all the manipulatives in the jar. When they’re ready you could ask them to take the Halloween toys out of the jar and place onto the table as the counting activity goes on!

Another alternative idea is that this activity can be used with any type of manipulative. It would be super simple to use for Christmas and Easter with candy too!