Number Matching Preschool Busy Bag

Oh the joys of busy bags…especially the ones that encourage learning!

This heart number matching preschool busy bag rules (pun totally intended) because there are so many ways for kids to play and learn.

Preschool Number Matching Busy Bag

ruler
clothespins
felt, paper, foam hearts
puffy paint or markers
glue (maybe hot glue depending on your heart material)

I cut 12 hearts to glue to the ends of the clothespins. I had intended to use little foam hearts for the numbers, but never got to the craft store so used felt. You can use whatever you have on hand.

I wrote the numbers on each of the hearts with 3D puffy paint (affiliate link) so there would be texture on the numbers for the kids to touch and trace. Again if you don’t have any anything would work.

Ways to Play and Learn

Number matching. Kids can match the numbers on the hearts to the numbers on the rulers.
Counting. Kids can place the numbers in order using the ruler as a guide.
Fine Motor Practice. Little fingers get a great developmentally appropriate workout putting the clothespins on the ruler.
Patterns. Flip the ruler over and let kids create and continue math patterns using the colored hearts.

You could even flip the ruler to the metric side and make clothespin numbers to count by fives or tens or write letters on the hearts and let kids make their name on the back of the ruler too.