A child's preschool years are a time of discovery and learning basic skills that will carry him through kindergarten and primary grades. Using that time wisely to reinforce those skills will make a difference when your child starts a formal education. Worksheets are a fun and simple way to learn numbers, the alphabet, basic reading, colors and shapes, and other skills.
Unique Printable Worksheets for Preschoolers
To print any of the worksheets in this article, make sure you have the most recent version of Adobe reader. If you don't have it, you can download it free from the Adobe website.
Colors
Help your child learn his colors with this printable worksheet. You'll need a box of crayons with at least 16 colors to make sure you have all the colors listed here. You'll need:
- Yellow
- Orange
- Purple
- Pink
- Blue
- Green
- Black
- Red
- Grey
The worksheet features a fun circus clown holding balloons. The balloons have the name of the color inside, and your child will fill in the blank balloon with that color. This worksheet not only helps your child learn colors but will reinforce basic motor skills as he strives to color within the lines.
Counting
Get a head start on numbers by helping your child learn to count to 10 with this worksheet. The worksheet features one tree for the number one and so on. This printable reinforces skills, such as:
- Counting
- Number recognition
- Basic math (1 tree plus 1 tree = 2 trees)
- Writing numbers
Have your child count the trees and write the corresponding number.
Shapes
Children are expected to know basic information like the different shapes by the time they start school. This worksheet has traceable shapes, including:
- Circle
- Square
- Rectangle
- Oval
- Star
- Triangle
Have your child name the shape and then trace it with a pencil or crayon. You also have the option to have your child color in each shape.
Other Worksheets
Once your child finishes these activities you might want to print out more worksheets.
- Printable Kindergarten Activities offers advanced preschoolers a glimpse at kindergarten work. You'll find worksheets on counting, figuring out more or less and printable mazes.
- Color by the numbers printables can help children learn numbers, colors and manual dexterity by coloring in the lines. Choose from a jungle scene or beach scene.
Additional Preschool Printables
There are numerous companies offering preschool worksheets and lesson plans. From the ABC's and pre-reading to number recognition and pre-math, there are printable forms available in most topics. Some companies offer these for free, while others charge membership fees.
Enchanted Learning
Despite a no-frills web site design, Enchanted Learning boasts an impressive 19,000 pages of fun and educational content. The site offers printables for all ages, including preschool students. Preschool offerings include:
- Themed unit studies
- Coloring pages
- Nursery rhymes
- Crafts
- Easy reader books
- Calendars
- Handwriting practice
- Number printouts
- Cutting templates
The site offers free samples of many pages, although they will print with an ad. If you want to avoid the ad, and support the site, you can purchase a membership for $20 per year.
ABC Teach
ABC Teach is a simple-looking, easy-to-navigate site. The site offers:
- ABC booklets
- Colors
- Shapes
- Letters & numbers
- Flash cards
- Classroom signs & posters
The site offers over 5,000 pages for free access. For complete access, users must pay a membership fee. Membership also entitles users to use several design-your-own-worksheet wizards.
Activity Pad
Activity Pad offers fun printable activities for preschoolers, including coloring pages, mazes, connect-the-dots, matching games, and cutting & glueing activities. The site's coloring pages are organized by topic, including:
- Animals
- Bible
- Christian
- Nature
- Cartoons
- Holidays
Many of this sites sheets are offered in full-color, so they use a lot of ink. Remember that you always have the option of printing in greyscale or black and white.
Help Along Basic Skills
While preschool printables and worksheets can be wonderful tools in a well-rounded preschool program, they should not form the foundation of the program. Young children learn best by doing, interacting, and imitating. They should have daily conversations with parents, caregivers, or teachers. Young kids should also engage in a wide variety of hands-on activities. Physical activity is also a must. Used along with these other tools, worksheets can be a valuable part of the preschool experience.
