Valentine's Day: Heart Puzzles - Number & Count | EYFS Printables

Early Years (EYFS) Valentine’s Day Puzzle Activity: Counting & Number Recognition

Ignite a love for numbers this Valentine's Day with our delightful Valentine's Day: Heart Puzzles - Number & Count! This engaging printable is perfect for EYFS children, offering an interactive way to develop number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and early counting skills up to 10.

Ideal for Preschool, Nursery, School, or for Parents and Childminders at home, these charming heart-themed puzzles provide a hands-on approach to foundational mathematical concepts.

This comprehensive pack features:

• 10 large heart-shaped puzzles: Each puzzle is split into two unique halves.

  • One half displays a written number (numeral from 1-10, e.g., '5').

  • The corresponding half features the correct quantity of hearts (e.g., five small hearts) for children to count.

• Unique connecting patterns: Crucially, each puzzle connection is unique. This allows children to self-correct their matches, promoting independent learning and problem-solving without direct adult intervention.

(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 Valentine's Day: Heart Puzzles - Number & Count are incredibly versatile and can be used in a multitude of ways across various early years environments:

  • Invitation to Play: Cut out the puzzles and mix the halves. Place them in a maths area or on a table as an invitation for children to explore and match independently.

  • Counting & Matching Activity: Children select a numerical half and then count the hearts on the other halves to find the correct partner. Encourage them to touch each heart as they count to reinforce one-to-one correspondence.

  • Self-Correction in Action: The unique puzzle cuts mean that if a child tries to force a match, they will quickly see it doesn't fit, prompting them to re-evaluate their count or number recognition. This fosters independent problem-solving.

  • Number Ordering: Once a few puzzles are completed, challenge children to line the matched heart puzzles up in numerical order from 1 to 10. This reinforces number sequencing.

  • Small Group Focus: Use in an adult-led small group to introduce numbers, assess understanding, and provide targeted support for counting or number recognition.

  • Fine Motor Development: The act of manipulating the puzzle pieces (picking up, turning, fitting) helps to strengthen small hand muscles and enhance hand-eye coordination.

  • Display: The completed and matched heart puzzles make a lovely, themed maths display for Valentine's Day, showcasing the children's learning.

• 🎯 Learning objectives covered - 🐣 EYFS Framework

  This engaging activity supports key developmental areas within the EYFS framework:

  • Mathematics (Number):

    • Counting Objects: Children learn to count objects reliably up to 10.

    • Number Recognition: Recognise and identify numerals from 1 to 10.

    • One-to-One Correspondence: Develop accurate one-to-one correspondence by matching each heart to a count.

    • Ordering Numbers: Begin to understand and order numbers sequentially.

    • Problem Solving: Engage in problem-solving by identifying correct matches and self-correcting.

  • Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills): Manipulating the puzzle pieces helps to strengthen hand muscles, develop a pincer grip, and enhance hand-eye coordination.

  • Communication and Language: Opportunities for children to use mathematical vocabulary (e.g., 'how many?', 'match', 'next', number names) and describe their counting and matching processes.

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Self-Regulation): Learning to persevere with the puzzle, self-correcting, and achieving a goal fosters self-regulation and a sense of accomplishment.

Download our Valentine's Day: Heart Puzzles - Number & Count today and fill your learning space with love for numbers!

⬅️ VALENTINE’S DAY Topic Page

⬅️ EMOTIONS & FEELINGS Topic Page

⬅️ KINDNESS & FRIENDSHIP Topic Page

⬅️ FESTIVALS & CELEBRATIONS Menu Page

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