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Ideas for Pre-K & Preschool Teachers

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Fish Cracker Activities

By Karen Cox 34 Comments | Affiliate Disclosure

These printable activities can be used with “Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Colors”. I use these with my Ocean Theme <– Find more Ocean Activities here.

Fish Cracker Math: Graphing, Counting, Patterns, Sorting

You might not want to do all of these activities with your class; just pick and choose the ones you prefer. The Fish Cracker Sort & Count might be more suited to Pre-K and the Fish Cracker Counting Sheet might be more suited to Kindergarten, but that is entirely up to the individual teacher.

Fish Cracker Sort & Count

Children sort fish crackers by color onto the colored fish on the mat. When they are done, have them count how many fish of each color and write the number on the fish. These could be laminated and used with dry erase markers if you don’t want to print one for each child.

Fish Cracker Sorting

Download: Fish Cracker Sort

Fish Cracker Counting Sheet

Children place one fish on each fish on the paper. You might want to have them color the fish the same colors as the crackers. Then they count how many they have of each color and write or stamp the number in the space. It would be a good idea to underline each color word with the same color crayon for non-readers.

Fish Cracker Count

Download: Fish Cracker Counting Sheet

Fish Cracker Graph

Basically the same activity as the Counting Sheet, but in a graph style. Graph and count how many fish of each color. Optional: Have children color the graph.

Fish Cracker Graph

Download: Fish Cracker Graph

Fish Cracker Patterns

This set includes the patterns: AB, ABC, AABB, AAB, and ABB. Print these out and laminate so they can be wiped clean if they get messy. The cards can be cut into individual cards or just leave four to a sheet. Children duplicate the first part of the pattern by placing the matching colored fish crackers on the colored fish on the card. They continue the pattern by placing colored fish crackers on the white fish. The white fish are for the children to figure out the rest of the pattern on their own.

Fish Cracker Patterns

Download: Fish Cracker Patterns

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34 Comments

About Karen Cox

Karen is the founder of PreKinders.com. She also works as a full-time Pre-K teacher in Georgia. Read more...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Madeline says

    May 9, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    How strange, I did a colored goldfish cracker graphing activity with my kindergartners this morning! And while I would swear up and down there are 5 colors like you have here, there were only 4 in the packets my kids opened. What I thought were red and purple were all one reddish purplish color instead. I wonder if we got defective packages…? In any case, wish I’d put that activity off a day so I could incorporate some of these. Next time!

    Reply
  2. Tonya says

    May 10, 2011 at 7:20 am

    I found out during a “One fish two fish red fish blue fish” activity that the pepperidge farm gold fish crackers have two different kinds of colored fish. One is called “natural colors”, they are not as bright, more earthy colors. I learned this as the last min. and had to go with m & m’s. LOL Not sure if this is what you came across but wanted to mention it, just incase. I’m careful to read the outside of the package now!

    Reply
  3. Arianne says

    May 10, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    These are awesome! However, we just sorted colored goldfish crackers yesterday, and there are indeed only 4 different colors (reddish/purple, orange, yellow and green).

    Reply
  4. Stacey Feehan says

    May 12, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    The pkg I used also had 4 colors, but we made it work. We used the Fish Cracker Counting sheet and just wrote a zero for purple. (The kids noticed there were only 4 colors and called the reddish-purple fish red, another group might identify it as purple.) The only place I can see it being a problem is on the pattern sheet with patterns including both red and purple. Thanks–I think these are fantastic!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 15, 2011 at 5:10 pm

      Hmm, I wasn’t aware the crackers had 4 colors. I could adjust the printables when I get a chance, but you had a great idea, Stacey, just put a zero for purple. Thanks for making me aware of it!

      Reply
  5. Heather Howie says

    May 15, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    I love all the fish activities! I plan on using your ideas for our Ocean Unit:) Thanks for Sharing!

    Reply
  6. Karen says

    May 18, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    At the grocery store, I discovered you all are right. The Goldfish are now only in 4 colors instead of 5 (minus purple). They are making new Neon colors & that’s where you’ll find the purple. So, I guess you could buy both Goldfish Colors & Goldfish Neon Colors & mix them, or just put in a zero for purple.

    Reply
  7. DeEtte Kercher says

    May 22, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    I loved several of your ideas…I know the children will too! Thank you for sharing!!!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 23, 2011 at 7:40 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Debbie Phillips says

        May 31, 2014 at 12:12 pm

        YOU are a MOST AMAZING! teacher, Mentor to me and just a fantastic, THinker, outside the box, CREATIVE, pushing the envelope gal. PLEASE keep sharing, it makes us all BETTER teachers and gives us more opportunities to reach ALL of our students, no matter where they are in their development, skills and abilities.!!! I do SO appreciate all you have done for our profession. Again, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and activities, and lessons with us.
        Debbie

        Reply
        • Karen Cox says

          June 2, 2014 at 11:55 am

          Wow, Debbie, thanks so much for your kind words! 🙂

          Reply
  8. Kathy says

    September 5, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    Thanks for the fish printables!!! I love them! I have a little friend this year who has an allergy to red #40 which is in practically all little snacks and juices that are red, orange, and purple EXCEPT the goldfish crackers. I can’t wait to use these next week!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 10, 2011 at 2:43 pm

      Thanks, Kathy!

      Reply
  9. shawn says

    February 29, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    They do not make the neon colors anymore which make using the pattern sheets almost impossible. I called and they said those were off the market (2012). Is there a way to post them without the purple or let us know where you got the fish clipart. I would love to make my own with the colors that are in the goldfish box.

    Reply
  10. Niki says

    March 5, 2012 at 9:38 am

    Thanks! My kids love using goldfish in their learning. This will go perfectly for the fishing unit I’m planning. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Christine says

    April 11, 2012 at 7:13 am

    Thanks Kathy!
    I am planning on laminating them and keeping them handy for next year too 🙂

    Reply
    • Holli Moore says

      May 6, 2012 at 10:25 pm

      Yes, I found that you can laminate the fish bingo sheets as well. The kids can use a tissue to wipe off the letter/number/shape that is pre-drawn on the sheet with a dry erase marker or dry erase crayons (I prefer the crayons because no harsh smell and my older students that are writing help assist in prepping the sheets for small group activity times) I LOVE these & so do my students! What an amazing job, thanks Karen for always sharing amazing ideas and enrichments!

      Reply
      • Karen says

        May 14, 2012 at 10:43 pm

        Thanks, Holli!

        Reply
  12. Dora says

    June 8, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Thanks for your awesome ideas! I love the sheets for sorting, graphing, and patterning! It would be great to have a pattern sheet with just white fish to challenge kindergartners to come up with their own patterns too! Just an idea! I love the fish you use, it’s soooo cute! Looking forward to using your ideas in my ocean unit!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 11, 2012 at 11:47 pm

      Thanks for the suggestion, Dora! I have added that to my to-do list.

      Reply
  13. Tynetots says

    June 13, 2012 at 10:26 pm

    Just found your site. I was stuck for what to do with summer school for ones going into kindergarten. I believe I will be having fun with the ocean and the USA. Such great ideas. Just an idea with the pattern ones, have a set that is blank so they can make their own. You rock!!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 14, 2012 at 5:52 pm

      Glad you found something you can use! Have fun!

      Reply
  14. karin says

    August 12, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    I also graph the original goldfish….Finn (smiling fish) and friends (non smiling)….I have also done more/less and probability with them.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      August 13, 2012 at 8:15 pm

      That’s a neat idea, Karin, thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  15. Valerie says

    May 8, 2013 at 2:21 pm

    These are all great ideas. I have also used these crackers for graphing but never thought about using them to pattern or do more/less with them. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

    Reply
  16. Kelly says

    February 6, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    Karen, thank you for sharing all your great ideas! These goldfish activities will be fun! I also printed some math grids and know my kids will love the valentine and St. Patty’s Day grids!

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      February 6, 2014 at 7:04 pm

      Thanks! Hope you & your students have fun!

      Reply
  17. Tessie says

    March 26, 2014 at 12:49 pm

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL IDEAS!

    Reply
  18. Catherine says

    April 18, 2014 at 2:21 pm

    Any ideas on where I could find plastic fish counters? We have some gluten free kids!

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      April 18, 2014 at 8:55 pm

      I’m not sure, Catherine. Wish I knew! You could try stores like dollar stores or Big Lots. They sometimes have packages of small toys that can be used for counters.

      Reply
    • Pauline says

      December 31, 2014 at 1:31 am

      Love the ideas – yet to print and try. I ‘laminate’ as much as I can to extend life of an activity, especially working with little ones. Thanks for sharing Karen C

      PS @ Catherine – You could try using plastic bottle caps (from water and juices, they come in variety of colours ). You can write on with permanent marker. I’ve found the chunkier ones come in handy as ‘money’ for my old Fisher Price Cash Till that still has use even without it’s original cash. 🙂

      Reply
  19. Diane Caruana says

    May 31, 2014 at 4:16 am

    Very interesting and many skills included in such a simple activity. Look forward to including it next scholastic year. Many thanks Karen and keep up the good work!

    Reply
  20. Pauline says

    December 31, 2014 at 1:55 am

    Hi Again
    Just downloaded & had a look at the templates and I thought a way round the colour issue Is to print the ‘Fish Cracker Count’ template on to each of the relevant colour card/paper – R/P/O/Y/G, then cut out each and laminate. Hope this is good for any newbie like myself.

    Once again Thanks Karen.

    Reply
  21. Alicia Rivera says

    October 12, 2015 at 7:19 pm

    Hi Karen, I just want to say, this is my second year teaching Prek and I am so happy I found your site. You have great things in this site that I lucky to have found.
    Thanks!
    Alicia Rivera

    Reply

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Glad you're here! You'll find hands-on learning activities, themes, and printables for Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten kids. I'm Karen Cox, a Pre-K teacher in Georgia. I have taught 4-5 year olds my entire teaching career! Read More…

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Welcome!
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Welcome!
Would you like to join my FREE weekly update newsletter? Join 85,000+ subscribers!
We collect, use, and process your data according to our Privacy Policy.
Don't worry - we never sell or share email addresses!