FREE Pancake Day: Number & Counting Multimats (1-20) | EYFS Printables

FREE Early Years (EYFS) Pancake Day Activity: Number & Counting mats

Get ready for a flipping good time with our FREE Pancake Day: Number & Counting Multimats! These incredibly versatile, 'pancake' themed printables are designed specifically for EYFS children, offering a deliciously fun way to explore number recognition, counting, and early number formation skills.

Perfect for Preschool, Nursery, School, or for Parents and Childminders celebrating Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) at home, these multimats provide a blank canvas for hands-on learning with a sweet, familiar theme.

These versatile 'Pancake' themed multimats have various uses. For maximum durability and reusability, we recommend laminating them! Once laminated, they may be used as:

• Playdough Mats: Encourage children to make the right number of toppings for their pancake – whether it's 'blueberries,' 'strawberries,' or even 'chocolate chips' – promoting counting and fine motor skills.

• Loose Part Activity Sheets: Provide a range of small items; buttons, pom-poms, beads, actual dried beans (safety permitting). Challenge children to place the correct number of items on the pancake corresponding the a given number.

• Whiteboard Mats: Children can use whiteboard pens to draw items directly onto the pancake. The mats also feature numerals, allowing children to practice Number Formation by finger tracing and/or using mark-making tools to write inside the numerals.

• A Large Number Display: Print out the individual mats to create a vibrant and engaging number display, reinforcing numeral recognition in your setting.

(Note: Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity suggested on this page and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

• 💡 How to use this resource in your classroom/setting

  Our FREE Pancake Day: Number & Counting Multimats are incredibly adaptable and can be used in a multitude of ways across various early years environments:

  • Preschool, Nursery & Childminder Settings:

    • Continuous Provision: Place laminated mats and various loose parts or playdough in a maths or sensory area for children to explore independently.

    • Small Group Focus: Use during adult-led sessions to teach specific counting strategies or numeral formation.

    • Sensory Play: Combine with pancake-scented playdough for an immersive experience.

  • Reception Class (EYFS):

    • Maths Stations: Set up different stations focusing on counting, number recognition, and formation using the various suggestions (playdough, loose parts, whiteboard pens).

    • Intervention: Ideal for targeted support for children who need extra practice with number concepts.

    • Cross-Curricular Link: Integrate into a 'Pancake Day' or 'Food' theme, linking maths to real-world celebrations and practical life skills.

    • Display Boards: Use the completed mats or print them for an eye-catching classroom number line or display.

• 🎯 Learning objectives covered - 🐣 EYFS Framework

  These versatile multimats support key developmental areas within the EYFS framework:

  • Mathematics (Number):

    • Counting Objects: Children learn to count objects reliably (e.g., when placing blueberries on the pancake).

    • Number Recognition: Recognise and identify numerals.

    • One-to-One Correspondence: Develop accurate one-to-one correspondence by touching and counting each item as it's placed.

    • Number Formation: Practice forming numerals correctly (when using whiteboard pens).

    • Quantity: Understand that a numeral represents a certain quantity.

  • Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills): Manipulating playdough, picking up and placing small items, and using mark-making tools helps to strengthen hand muscles, develop pincer grip, and enhance hand-eye coordination.

  • Communication and Language: Opportunities for children to use mathematical vocabulary (e.g., 'how many?', 'more', 'less', number names) and describe their actions and creations.

  • Expressive Arts and Design: Children use playdough and other materials creatively to make their pancake toppings.

Download your FREE Pancake Day: Number & Counting Multimats today and stack up the learning fun for your little ones this Shrove Tuesday!

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