Summer is on its way and there is nothing more fun than heading to the beach and playing in the sand! Preschoolers who are working on number recognition will enjoy matching up these shovels and sand bucket in our sand toys number puzzles. This set of free printable number puzzles will encourage number skills confidence, can be used as an independent learning center, and is reusable so it can be played again and again!

Sand Toys Number Puzzles

The printable sand toys number puzzles include the numbers 0-20. Each puzzle is made up of a shovel and bucket.

To prep this math activity, download the file from the pink button below. Print the file and cut the puzzles out around the black lines. I would recommend laminating the puzzles before cutting the puzzles apart down the middle. This way the puzzle pieces will line up exactly when find the matches.

After the puzzles are cut apart and prepped, add the pieces to a bowl. For younger preschoolers, consider placing all of the shovel pieces out on the table. Add the bucket pieces to a bowl.

Choose one piece at a time while trying to build all of the sand toys number puzzles.

While playing, focus on identifying the numbers on the cards. Begin with the number that your preschooler already has mastered. That may be 1-5 or 1-10. Practice the number puzzles with these numbers to build confidence.

Add more numbers in each time the game is played to work towards mastery with all numbers up to 20.

More Ways to Play

In my classroom when we play games like the sand toys number puzzles, we add writing to the learning center. Sometimes I will add white boards to the table, sometimes sticky notes, and sometimes just a half piece of paper. I will change up the writing utensils to make the writing fun. The preschoolers will build a puzzle and write the number. Build another puzzle and write another number.

We will also use counters of some kind to add 1:1 correspondence skills to the activity. Instead of writing the number, the preschoolers will build the number. So if the number puzzle with the sixes on it is put together, the preschoolers would add 6 pom poms next to the puzzle.

I love preschool printable activities like the sand toys number puzzles because of how easily they can be differentiated according to ability level or whether I want to use the learning center independently or in a small group situation.

No matter how you use the sand toys number puzzles, number and counting skills will be practiced!