Free Counting Bears Worksheets & Printable Activities

When my kids were little, they loved counting. We would count everything. You name it, we counted it. If your children enjoy counting, they are going to have a lot of fun with these counting bears worksheets and printable activities. 

Counting Bears

Counting bears were a favorite in our home when my kids were little. We used the counting bears for color practice, sorting, patterns, and even to develop hand-eye coordination.

Teaching Children How to Count

Soon after my children start talking and are able to communicate, I would hear them not only repeat the numbers to me while we counted, but even start counting on their own.

I loved that time with them. It was simple and sweet. They learned so much through play and every day activities. It wasn’t until my younger three were around preschool age that I found out about math manipulatives.

What are Counting Bears called?

If you have small kids, you are probably familiar with counting bears. Sometimes they are called rainbow bears, but I’ve always called them counting bears. You may also hear them referred to as sorting bears, color bears, teddy bear counters, colored counting bears, or even plastic counting bears.

What are Counting Bears?

Counting Bears are basically a boldly colored, hard plastic math manipulative that can be used for so many different activities. Math manipulatives and counters are great aids in teaching children number sense and how to count. My kids loved using counting bears. 

What are counting bears used for?

You can use counting bears for some may different learning activities. Here are just a few:

• Counting practice – There are so many bears that come in a big tub. Try dumping them out and then counting them one by one as you put them back in their container. 
• Sorting and color recognition – These colorful  bears come in fun, bright, primary colors and work great as sorting toys. Young children enjoy sorting them into groups by color.
• Math helps – Not only can you practice counting with the bears, it is also a great way to use them as math manipulatives for addition and subtraction practice.
• Fine motor toys for little ones – Practice lining them up, filling up containers and dumping them back out for help with fine motor skills.
• Sequencing & patterns – Have fun making color patterns and teaching your kids how to sequence with counting bears. 

Counting Bears for Small Motor Skills

Some Counting Bears sets come with colored plastic cups, plastic tweezers, and counting bear strips so you can really engage the small motor skills. 

Counting Bear Printables 

You can have so much fun with counting bears just by themselves, but these printables can turn them into a great educational experience. There are so many to choose from to keep your little ones busy for weeks!

We’ve searched the internet to compile this HSG FREE Resource Roundup list for you. But if you need or want something quickly, we recommend our homeschool freebie:

Counting Bears Math Worksheets

These counting bear math worksheets will help your child practicing counting, learning about patterns, and even addition. 

Rainbow Counting Bear Math Pack – Printable pack full of math and counting practice for preschool and kindergarten ages.

Printable Bear Math Patterns for Preschoolers – Practice patterning with these pattern strips.

Counting Bears Worksheets

Write and Wipe Addition with Counting Bears – Add up the bears and fill out the laminated worksheet with the answers, then wipe and use again and again.

Counting Bear Addition Cards – Practice adding with these addition cards. Laminate them to use over and over again.

Math Activities with Counting Bears – Lots of fun math activity ideas to use counting bears in your homeschool.

Counting Bears Mats

Counting bear mats can help keep your little ones occupied while you work with older children. They are a great quite play activity that teaches kids matching and counting. 

Counting Bears Bus Mats – Fill up the teddy bear bus with counting bears and matching the numbers on the number cards.

Camping Counting Mats with Counting Bears – Here is a fun camping theme that uses counting bears.

Animal Paw Print Color Matching Game for Preschoolers – This is a fun spinner game that uses colorful animal pawprints to match the bears up to.

Counting Bears and Numbers Printables

Use these counting bears printables to teach your kids number sense and counting from 1-10.

Counting to Ten with Bears – Teach number sense and number fluency with these printables.

Printable Rainbow Bear Counting Cards – Introduce counting from 1-10 with these cute cards.

Teach Colors with Counting Bears

Use counting bears to teach colors. Children will have fun sorting the counting bears by color and playing games. 

Rainbow Bear Graph Colors – This printable teaches graphing, sorting and color recognition.

Counting Bears Printable – Cute printable pack with sorting mats, math worksheets, games and more. 

Rainbow Bears Color Matching Mats – Sort and match the different colored bears to the colors on the mats.

Teach Letters with Counting Bears

You can even work on letter recognition with counting bears! 

Rainbow Bears Preschool Letter Cards – Create letters out of rainbow bears with these fun printable cards.

Bear Counter Pattern Strips for Preschoolers – Turn this pattern strips into a fun and portable game for your preschoolers to use with their counting bears.

Rainbow Bear Cards: Size Order – Did you know that rainbow bears come in different shapes? These printables will help you sort the different sized ones.

 Alphabet Match Game – There are 26 counting bear cards to put together and match the colors and the letters of the alphabet in this fun game.

Counting Bears Cards

Counting bears cards are fun too – and they aid in fin motor skill development. 

Counting Bear Clip Cards – Use counting bear clip cards to practice fine motor skills and counting with these clip cards.

Rainbow Bear Color Matching Spinner Game – This is a fun spinner game that will help your kids match their colors while they play.

Counting Bear Pattern Cards – More patterning practice with cute printable cards.

Counting Bear Mats Instant Download

If your children love using counting bears, take a visual approach to math and patterns and grab this free counting bears mats set at the bottom of this post.

Counting Bears Activities

There are so many ways to learn and play with counting bears. We have gathered up some fun games and hands-on activities that will keep your kids engaged and learning in a fun way.

Rainbow Bear Dice Game for Preschoolers – This is a super fun game that requires no extra prep work.

Using Counting Bears During Story Time – Learn how to incorporate counting bears during story time with these free printables.

Counting Bears Activities

Rainbow Bears Washing Station Learning Activity – Kids love washing activities. Set up your own washing station and have your kids clean your bears.

10 Ways to Play and Learn with Counting Bears – Lots of fun ideas to teach and play with counting bears.

Counting Bears Activities

Teddy Bear Preschool Theme Counting Activities – Are you doing a teddy bear theme in your homeschool? These cards are perfect for that. 

Problem Solving Using Bear Counters for 1st and 2nd Grade – Working on problem solving skills with your elementary aged students? These activities will help.

More Counting Bears Activities

Balancing Scale and Counting Bears Activities – Balancing scales are a fun hands-on activity. See how many counting bears you can balance at one time.

Bring Home the Bears Activity – This is a fun prewriting activity with counting bears.

In Conclusion

No matter what you do with counting bears, they are great to have on hand. Your child will likely spend lots of quiet time playing with these colorful bears. They will learn about colors, sorting, patterns, and more. When you combine counting bears with free counting bears printables, worksheets, or counting bears pattern cards – it’s a win-win!