A number hunt around the classroom allows students to practice counting skills for a specific set of numbers. Hide a range of numbers around the classroom -- such as 0 through 20 at the beginning of the year or 95 through 150 at the end of the year -- and tell students to each find one or two numbers. After they have found the numbers, have the class count together and put the numbers in the correct order. Another variation of this game is to have students hunt for each number individually, finding the first number in the set first, before finding subsequent numbers.
Let your students practice their counting skills by having them race against their classmates to put the correct number of items in an egg carton section. Before the game, label several egg cartons, enough for each child or for several small groups, with a range of numbers and count out enough beads, grains of rice or other small items so the students have enough to put the correct number in each section. Give students the cartons and see which group of students is able to correctly count the items and fill in the sections the quickest. Paper muffin wrappers can be used instead of egg cartons to hold more items.
Create a simple game board for students to practice their counting skills. Break students into small groups and let each child take a turn rolling a die or several dice and counting forward the correct number of spaces, with the first child to reach the end of the board being the winner. Draw a fishbowl and cut out paper fish for an alternative version of this game. Have students start with their fish out of the water and then roll the die and count out the correct number of fish that can be placed back in the bowl, with the child who gets all of her fish back in the bowl first being the winner.
Improve your students' skip-counting skills, or counting by 5s or 10s, by playing Buzz. Have students sit in a circle or line and explain that instead of saying the numbers that are used when counting by fives, the student should say "buzz." The first student starts counting with the first number and the game continues around the room, with each student saying a number or "buzz." Eliminate students who forget to say "buzz" or state the wrong number. For example, when playing with numbers used when counting by fives, students would say "1, 2, 3, 4, buzz, 6, 7..." When playing this game, it is often helpful to display a list of the numbers that should not be said or remind them that numbers ending in 0 or 5 should be buzzed.