Bring a little holiday cheer to your math lessons with these delightful reindeer number mats. These engaging printables are a hands-on way to help young children develop strong counting skills, recognize numbers, memorize number words, and build number sense. Best of all, the cute reindeer theme is totally adorable and perfect for the Christmas season!
How to Use the Reindeer Number Mats
These mats are incredibly easy to prepare and even more fun to use! Each mat is printed on a single page. Just print, laminate (or slide into a dry-erase pocket), and you’re ready to go. Laminating protects the mats from oils and residue, especially when using materials like playdough or wax sticks.
Say the number word aloud with your students while they point to it on the mat. With continued repetition, this will help kids build word recognition and begin to associate the written word with the numeral.
The next activity on the page is the number outline. For this, allow your kiddos to fill it in using playdough, wiki sticks, pom-poms, or any tactile item that makes sense to you. Building the number in this multi-sensory way will skyrocket number recognition and help build fine motor skills.
Next, have your kiddos identify the number from a set of 3. Then, they can count the group of adorable reindeer in the ten frame. After counting, they can take their skills to the next level by building their own set.
For set building, students can use these adorable mini-erasers, colorful pom-poms, or any type of counter you have on hand. For younger learners who may still put things in their mouths, drawing the set with dry-erase markers may be a better, safer option!
Finally, encourage the children to trace the number word at the bottom of the mat using their fingers. This tactile tracing builds word memory and spelling awareness through muscle movement and repetition.
What You’ll Need
(This article will contain affiliate links throughout.)
- Printable Reindeer Number Mats (Download link at the bottom of this post)
- Playdough, wiki sticks, or dry erase markers
- Counters (reindeer mini erasers, mini jingle bells, pom-poms, etc)
- Laminator or reusable write-and-wipe sleeves (highly recommended)
Tips for Adapting the Playdough Counting Mats
Not every child learns the same way, and that’s okay!
If fine motor challenges make tiny counters tricky to handle, swap them out for dot markers or bingo daubers. These tools still offer an easy way to fill in the outlines and build sets without requiring a precise grip.
For learners who may find the number of tasks on these large mats overwhelming, we also offer a simplified version here. These focus on just 3 simple tasks and are ideal for students who get overwhelmed with too many activities.
These bare-bones, eye-gaze friendly number cards can be used as felt board pieces and can be a great alternative for non-verbal students or those using augmentative and alternative communication devices.
Creative Ways to Extend the Fun
Want to make it easy to use these mats in group activities or morning meetings? Print a full set of the mats for each child and bind them into personal number books! These even make wonderful practice tools for families and can easily be sent home for extra practice.
Whether you’re using them at school, at home, or somewhere in between, these reindeer-themed number mats are a festive, flexible, and fun way to make number learning come to life.
Happy holidays and happy counting!
Additional Number Activities Your Students Will Love
Reindeer
Elf Playdough Mats For Counting and Number Recognition
