Flash a number card to each child prior to a gross motor activity such as jumping on a trampoline or tossing a ball. Have the child clap the required number to ensure he knows the number and then jump that number of times or toss that quantity of balls into the can. This reinforces the understanding of quantity through physically moving a certain number of times. Rote counting from 1 to 10 can be reinforced through chanting 1 through 10 while jumping on the trampoline 10 times. To boost number recognition, place number flashcards around the room and have the children run to the number that you call out.
Set up three teddy bears around a blanket and have the children count how many bears there are, then show the number 3 on a flashcard. Ask how many plates are needed, and assign a child to count out three plates. Do the same for knives, forks, cups and saucers. Let the children share out "food" for the bears (sweets or snacks). Increase the number of bears at the picnic as the children master the concept of quantity. Encourage parents to let their preschoolers set the table at home to reinforce number concept.
To improve understanding of number concept, write a number on an empty egg carton and have each child attach the correct number of pegs to the carton. You could also cut discs out of cardboard boxes, write a number on the disc and have the children attach the correct number of pegs to the disc. Another idea is to give each child some clothes pegs with a number written on each peg. Have clothing hanging on a low washing line, with numbers or dots pinned to the clothes. The children need to match the number on their peg to the number or dots on the clothing. This reinforces number recognition and matching skills.
Write numbers onto stickers and place them on the backs of plastic animals that are placed in empty cartons as their cages/fields. Each animal must receive the number of dried beans/corn that correlates to the number on its back. A variation of this is to have the children sit in a circle with a bag of "animal feed" and a toy animal in front of them. Hold up a number flashcard and each child must feed her animal that quantity of beans for breakfast. Use a different number for lunch and so on. Don't forget to use zero sometimes, to reinforce the concept that zero means nothing.
Tip: With all of these activities, first work on understanding quantities one to three and then introduce larger quantities gradually.