Number Heart Search and Printable

One of our Valentine’s Day activities was the number heart search. The kids are drawn to the colorful Valentine sensory bin and what better way to learn about numbers than through using their senses and play. That’s how children learn best, through hands-on play with their whole bodies and using their senses.

Number Heart Search

The number heart search can be used in multiple ways. Use it as shown along with a sensory bin, as a puzzle for table work or a small group activity. It could also be used for a transition during the day to reinforce number recognition skills.

Printable Directions

1. Print  4 copies of the heart search printable (available at the bottom of the post).
2. For one page, print on pink paper, one on red, and two copies on white for the matching mats.
3. Laminate and cut out the pink and red number cards, and put them in the sensory bin.

The sensory bin shown has some rainbow rice and valentine rice mixed together with glittery foam hearts from the dollar store. There are also little plastic red hearts and pieces of bead strings.

After choosing a heart, the child finds the number on the mat and matches them up. It’s a little more challenging to have two sets of numbers and it also works better to have multiple sets when several children are playing at once.

Combining sensory play with number identification, shape recognition, and number matching is a win!

Working side by side, the younger children model what the older ones are doing. The younger ones hear the names of the numbers and see the written numerals even if they don’t yet recognize them for themselves. We are working on recognizing 6-12 so it is good practice for the older crew. This is a perfect example of learning through play in action.

Not only is it Valentine’s Day, our shape this month is the heart so we can use this activity throughout the month.

I love this idea from the Valentine’s Day Celebration Kit from Experience Early Learning (previously Mother Goose Time).  Use the printable I created to put this idea into action and enjoy with your preschoolers.

>>> Download the Heart Search Numbers Mat