Does your center or classroom choose not to focus on Halloween? Spiders can be an alternative that is not Halloween but offers a fun theme. While this activity could be used for a Halloween party, it could also fit in an exploration of nursery rhymes (Little Miss Muffet or Isty Bitsy Spider), spiders and insects, or even fall. This activity is great for a math center or fine motor center.
Spider Ring Game
Counting is an important skill for preschoolers. As they count objects, they begin to understand that the number they are saying (three) means a group of a certain quantity (three objects). They must grasp the meaning of quantity before they can understand that the symbols (numerals) mean that quantity.
As children count, they can learn that to get the correct quantity, they must say one number per object, without skipping objects or counting an object twice. (This is one-to-one correspondence.)
So much math learning and development is happening when children count objects.
Supplies Needed For Spider Ring Toss Game
Here are the supplies you will need to set up your spider ring toss counting game.
- Spider rings (dollar store)
- Straws
- Play dough (here’s my favorite recipe)
- One foam die
Invite a child to form a ball of play dough. Help him stick a straw straight into the top of the ball. Flatten the bottom of the ball slightly so the straw will stand vertically from the dough. Place the play dough and straw on a tabletop or tray.
Set a bucket of spider rings and the die nearby. Invite the child to roll the die. He can count the indicated number of spiders, sliding them onto his straw. Two children could play this game together, alternating rolling and counting. Or provide several dice so each child can play independently.
For younger preschoolers, make the play dough and straw poles ahead of time. Provide spiders without the die. Invite the preschooler to slide spiders on the straw (great fine motor practice!) while you count.
This activity is easy to prepare, inexpensive, and fun. It is also easy to adapt to other themes or seasons. Change the color of play dough and straws. Use appropriate beads or rings to slide onto the straws. And, when you change it up, it’s a new game for preschoolers!
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More Halloween Activities
- 5 Little Pumpkins Halloween Sensory Bin – Your little learners will have a blast retelling the rhyme Five Little Pumpkins with this Halloween themed sensory bin! They’ll be developing their fine motor and oral language skills as they retell the rhyme. Setting up this sensory bin experience at home or in your preschool classroom is super simple and loads of fun!
- Halloween Sensory Bin with Spaghetti – Need Halloween sensory play ideas for your preschool classroom? You can make this easy colored spaghetti for a super fun Halloween themed sensory bin. This squishy Halloween sensory spaghetti is sure to be a big hit with your kids!
- Halloween Sensory Bottle – Halloween can be loads of fun in the classroom with all the cute crafts and activities. Here’s a super quick and easy Halloween sensory bottle you can make to help kids who may become overstimulated by all the activity in the classroom during this time of year.
- Halloween Fine Motor Activities for Preschool – Kids can use fine motor skills all day, but doing the same thing over and over can cause children to lose interest. These activities are fun experiences for October that will help build fine motor skills. These are perfect for a fall theme or Halloween theme. And, since many of the items are from the dollar store, you can stock up your morning work baskets or centers.
