Polar Bear Counting & Addition Mats | Number Sense Fine Motor | Math PreK SPED

Bring some polar bear fun to your math centers this winter! In these Polar Bear Math Activities: "Polar Bear Marshmallow Math," students use marshmallows (or white pom-poms as "snow") to practice counting, one-to-one correspondence, and simple addition. Add a set of tweezers or tongs to sneak in fine motor practice, too! With three leveled sets for built-in differentiation, it's a fun, hands-on favorite — perfect for math centers, morning tubs, and small groups.

📦 What's Included — 3 Leveled Sets for Differentiation

• Level 1: Basic Counting & 1:1 Correspondence — 12 counting mats, numbers 1–12
• Level 2: Modeling Simple Addition — 12 mats + 12 math problems (sums to 12) to model and solve
• Level 3: Solving Simple Addition — 1 polar bear mat + a flip book covering all addition problems with sums to 12; plus a recording sheet for writing answers
• Print and laminate to use again and again with a dry erase marker

📚 How to Use

• Students use marshmallows (or white pom-poms as "snow," or any small counter) to fill the mats
• Level 1: count and match to the number on each mat (1–12)
• Level 2: model each addition problem and solve
• Level 3: solve problems on the polar bear mat, record answers on the flip book (dry erase) or the recording sheet (pencil)
• Add tweezers or tongs for extra fine motor practice
• Use in math centers, morning tubs, or small groups

🎯 Skills Targeted

• Counting and number recognition (1–12)
• One-to-one correspondence
• Modeling and solving simple addition (sums to 12)
• Number sense
• Recording and writing answers
• Fine motor skills (tweezers/tongs, dry erase)
• Following directions
• Independent work skills

💛 Perfect For

• Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten
• Special education classrooms (SPED)
• Autism classrooms and ABA programs
• Occupational therapy (fine motor with tongs)
• Math centers, morning tubs, and small groups
• Independent work stations and task boxes
• Winter and polar animal units, early childhood, ECSE, and homeschool

🌟 Why Teachers Love This Resource

• Three leveled sets — built-in differentiation from counting to addition
• Combines math AND fine motor (add tweezers or tongs!)
• Fun polar bear theme kids love
• Uses simple counters — marshmallows, white pom-poms, mini erasers, or manipulatives
• Covers counting 1–12 AND addition to 12
• Reusable with a dry erase marker once laminated

🐻‍❄️ More hands-on winter, polar bear, and math activities:

• Hands-On Polar Bear Activities
• Hands-On Winter Activities
• Hands-On Math Activities