Help your preschooler explore counting with our free How Many Altogether? — Count, Cover, and Tell worksheet!
This hands-on preschool math activity encourages children to count small groups of pictures, cover them, and tell how many objects they counted. Children then record each total by writing a number or drawing dots.
Featuring a soccer ball, stars, and flowers, this printable offers a simple way to practice counting groups of one, two, and three while building confidence with early number concepts.
Perfect for homeschool lessons, preschool classrooms, or extra counting practice at home!
Download your free worksheet below:
What This Worksheet Teaches
This preschool counting worksheet introduces children to the idea that counting tells us how many objects are in a group.
Children begin by touching and counting each picture. Next, they cover the pictures and practice remembering and saying the total without looking at the objects. Finally, they show their answer by writing a numeral or drawing matching dots.
The three activities gradually introduce groups of one, two, and three, helping children connect spoken number words with actual quantities.
The worksheet also encourages children to explain what they counted, supporting early mathematical communication.
How to Use This Worksheet
Print the worksheet and have your child write their name and date if appropriate for their readiness.
Begin with the first group and ask your child to touch each picture while counting aloud.
Cover the pictures with a hand or a small piece of paper.
Ask, “How many altogether?” Encourage your child to remember and say the total.
Uncover the pictures to check the answer together if needed.
Have your child write the number in the circle or draw one dot for each object.
Repeat the activity with the remaining picture groups.
Helpful Tip: If your child is still learning to count, leave the pictures visible and count together before introducing the covering step. Children can draw dots instead of writing numerals.
Why This Skill Matters
Understanding how many objects are in a group is an important part of early number development.
Preschoolers gradually learn that each object receives one counting word and that the last number spoken represents the total quantity. This understanding is called cardinality.
The Count, Cover, and Tell activity gives children an opportunity to practice this concept while also remembering and communicating a small quantity.
As children become more comfortable with counting and recognizing totals, they develop a foundation for comparing groups, understanding numbers, and exploring simple joining and separating activities later on.
Skills Practiced
Counting groups of 1–3 objects
One-to-one correspondence
Understanding that the last number counted tells how many
Recognizing and remembering small quantities
Connecting spoken number words with quantities
Recording totals using numerals or dots
Practicing attention and following simple directions
Using early mathematical language
Learning Goals
With developmentally appropriate guidance, children will have opportunities to:
Count up to three pictures by touching each object once.
Identify the total number of objects in a small group.
Say how many objects were counted after covering the pictures.
Represent a quantity using a written numeral or matching dots.
Practice checking their answers by counting again.
Build confidence communicating simple counting results.
Preschool Learning Note: Children ages 3–5 develop counting skills at different rates. Some may complete the activity independently, while others benefit from modeling, repeated counting, and hands-on support.
Parent & Teacher Tips:
Model the Counting Process: Demonstrate touching each picture once while saying the numbers slowly and clearly.
Start With One: Begin with the soccer ball before moving to the groups of two and three.
Use the Covering Step Gently: If remembering the total is difficult, allow your child to uncover and count again. The goal is understanding, not memorizing answers under pressure.
Offer Different Ways to Respond: Children who are not ready to write numerals can draw dots, hold up fingers, or say the answer aloud.
Encourage Math Talk: Ask questions such as “How did you know?” or “Can we count them again to check?”
Keep Practice Positive: Celebrate careful counting and willingness to try, even when your child needs assistance.
Extend the Learning
Continue practicing counting with everyday objects and simple hands-on activities.
Count Household Objects: Place one spoon, two blocks, or three crayons on a table. Ask your child to count them and tell how many altogether.
Play Cover and Remember: Arrange up to three small objects, count them together, and cover them with a cloth. Ask your child to remember the total.
Show It With Fingers: After counting a group, invite your child to hold up the same number of fingers.
Make Matching Groups: Say a number from one to three and have your child collect that many toys or counters.
Optional Challenge: For children who are ready, briefly show a small group of two or three objects and ask how many they see before counting to check.
Materials Needed
Printed How Many Altogether? worksheet
Pencil or crayon
A small piece of paper or a hand to cover the pictures
Optional: Small counters or blocks for additional hands-on counting practice.
The worksheet is black and white, making it convenient to print and suitable for coloring after the counting activity.
Perfect for Homeschool or Classroom Learning
This free preschool math worksheet is a flexible addition to homeschool routines, preschool centers, small-group lessons, and individual practice.
Homeschool families can use it as a short guided counting activity followed by hands-on practice with household objects. Teachers can introduce the Count, Cover, and Tell routine during small-group instruction or provide the worksheet as an independent activity for children who are ready.
Because children may respond with spoken answers, numerals, or dots, the activity can be adapted to different levels of counting and writing readiness.
The simple picture groups and built-in parent/teacher note make it easy to incorporate into everyday early math learning.
Building Early Counting and Number Sense Skills
Early number sense begins with meaningful experiences counting and comparing small groups of objects.
In this worksheet, children explore quantities from one to three by counting pictures, remembering how many they counted, and representing each total. These experiences help connect number words, quantities, and written symbols.
The activity also introduces a useful counting habit: checking an answer by returning to the objects and counting again.
Pairing printable activities with hands-on counting games gives preschoolers additional opportunities to explore numbers through play, conversation, and everyday experiences.
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