Christmas Math Activity for Preschoolers: Decorate the Tree

This Christmas math activity for Preschoolers is a fun way to incorporate counting skills and decorating a tree!

Children love to decorate a Christmas tree with ornaments and often it’s something they don’t get to do. In this activity, children can decorate while counting and identifying numerals.

For this Christmas math activity, children will identify the numeral, then count out that amount of ornaments to place on the tree.

Christmas Math Activity for Preschoolers: Decorate and Count

How to Prepare the Christmas Tree Math Activity

To prepare this activity, you will need a Christmas tree and some ball ornaments. The tree in these photos is a small tree, about 18 inches high, but you can use any size. In hindsight, a bigger tree would be better. This was an inexpensive tree and ornaments bought on sale after Christmas. I also recommend asking for donations from parents and friends or checking thrift stores.

Use a pipe cleaner to make a loop for hanging the ornament. This makes it easier for children to hang them on the tree. There are also no hooks to stick anyone’s skin this way.

Christmas Math Activity: pipe cleaner ornament hooks for kids

Place the ball ornaments in a cardboard box wrapped in gift wrap or a basket or bucket.

The ornament number cards are available as a free printable file. There are red, green, blue, pink, purple, gold, and silver cards. Just print the pages you need to match the colored ornaments you have. There is also a black and white page in the file, if you would prefer to save printer ink. You can color this sheet yourself for the game.

Christmas Math Activity Printable Black and White

Laminate the number cards if you choose. Cut out the cards, shuffle, and place them in a basket, paper bag, or any container that works.

Download the Ornament Number Cards

How to Play and Learn with the Christmas Tree Math Activity

Children can do this math activity by themselves or with friends. It’s perfect for Center Time or as an Arrival Time activity.

Children will pull a number card, identify the numeral, then count out that amount of ornaments to decorate the tree. If a child gets a card with 3 red, they will decorate the tree with 3 red ornaments.

They will continue pulling a number card and decorating the tree with different colored ornaments. What happens if a card is drawn and there aren’t enough ornaments of that color? They will skip that card and draw the next card. For example, if they draw a card with 6 gold, and there are only 4 gold left, they will skip that card.

Children can continue until all of the ornaments are on the tree. If they choose they can take the ornaments down and repeat the activity.