Loose Parts Activity Mats for Preschool Math and Letters

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Loose parts are some of the best open ended materials you can put in front of little learners. Buttons, gems, pom poms, bottle caps and pebbles feel great in small hands, and kids will happily sort and build for a long time. The trick is giving that play a purpose.

I loved loose parts, but I wanted the play to build real skills too, and that is where these mats came from.

Turn play into practice

The Loose Parts Activity Mats give kids a goal for their loose parts or playdough. Here is what is inside the 87 pages:

• 16 pattern cards (AB, ABB and ABC)
• 7 shape pages
• 26 alphabet pages
• 10 number pages, 0 to 9
• 22 ten frames for finding value, 0 to 10 (11 with guided help, 11 without)
• 20 color sorting mats (10 with guided help, 10 without)
• 2 rainbow order sheets

Loose parts are not included, so you can use whatever you already have.

"Great addition to my loose parts activities! Kids really love playing with these." (TPT review)

Loose parts I love

• Glass gems or flat marbles
• Pom poms in rainbow colors
• Wooden buttons or counters
• A divided tray to keep everything sorted

You will find them in the Sensory Table and Tuff Tray Fillers list in my Amazon shop.

Safety note: keep small loose parts for children who no longer put objects in their mouths, and always supervise.

Ways to use the mats

1. Morning tubs. Set out 1 mat and 1 bin of loose parts as students arrive.
2. Math centers. Use the ten frames and patterns for hands on number sense.
3. Letter of the week. Build the letter, then say its sound.
4. Small groups. Use the guided help mats to scaffold, then move to the mats without help.

Print on cardstock and laminate so the mats last all year.

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Get the Loose Parts Activity Mats on TPT

Made by a teacher who's been right where you are.

Jessica Ann Stanford, Teachers Follow Teachers