Provide a muffin tin and several small objects such as plastic counting bears. Have the students place random numbers of bears in each section of the muffin tin. After the sections are full, have the preschoolers count the number of bears in each section. Another option is to write a different number on cupcake liners, placing one in each section of the pan. Have the children count out the corresponding number of bears and place them in the section. Repeat until all of the sections are filled with the correct number of bears.
Create a match game using note cards. Write one number on each card. Create another set of cards, each of which displays a corresponding number of stickers. Ask the preschoolers to match the number card with the card that has the same number of stickers on it. These matching cards also work well as a memory style game. Turn over all of the cards and have the child flip over two cards. If they are a match, she keeps the cards. If they don't match, the cards are flipped back over.
Make small number cards, with each one displaying a number from one to ten. Make a set of number cards for each child. Hide the numbers around the room. Have the preschoolers search around the room for the numbers. Ask each student to collect a set of number cards, so that she has the numbers one through ten. Have the students return to their seats and arrange the numbers in the correct order.
Provide each preschool student with a cup of crackers, cereal or other dry snacks. Have the students each count the number of snacks in the cup. Give the children other tasks that involve counting the snacks. For example, call out a number or hold up a number sign and ask the kids to count out the corresponding number of snacks.
Encourage the kids to count objects as they play. Have them count blocks as they stack them or cars as they race them. Encourage the kids to sort the toys by color or size and count the resulting groups. Add board games for preschoolers that involve counting. Provide picture and board books with number and counting themes.