To introduce tally games, draw a simple chart with two columns on a whiteboard. Label the columns at the top, “Boys” and “Girls.” Explain to the children that they are going to help tally, or count, the number of boys and girls in the room. Show the children how to make a simple tally line by drawing a short, straight line under “Girls,” if you are a female teacher. Ask each child to come to the whiteboard and make a tally mark either under “Boys” or “Girls.” When every child has made a tally mark, count the number of marks to discover the number of boys and girls in the classroom.
Place an assortment of colored crayons in the center of each table the preschool children are sitting around. Give each child at the table a different-colored crayon. Each child then collects his colored crayon from the pile of crayons on the table. Prepare a colored crayon chart with columns for each group of children. Each child places tally marks on her group chart under her color. When all the charts are completed, the children count the amount of tally marks for each colored crayon and compare the results with the other children’s charts.
Take the children on a walk around the school grounds. Have each child collect two colorful leaves. In the classroom, draw a chart with columns on a whiteboard. Draw a red, yellow, orange, green, brown and multicolored leaf at the top of each column. Have each child show his leaf, say what color it is and find the matching leaf column. Depending on the skill level of the class, the child can then draw a leaf in the column or just put a tally mark under the column. After all the children have presented their leaves, you can then count the marks in each column with the children to discover which color leaf had the most tally marks.
Prepare a weather chart with columns labeled: sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy and snowy. Purchase a pack of small, round stickers. Every day for a month, discuss the weather and have a child place a sticker under the correct weather for the day. At the end of the month, tally the stickers to determine how many days there were of each type of weather.
Give each child a snack bag of small, round, candy-coated chocolates in assorted colors. Prepare a block chart for each child. The child sorts his candy by color. Each child places a different-colored candy in the blocks across the top of her chart. This will be her guide. The child then places a colored candy in each block under the same-colored candy to determine the amount of each colored candy. The children can compare their findings and then enjoy eating their chart.