Add this coin sorting mat to your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten math centers any time of year. Once you’re done here, be sure to check out the rest of my free preschool printables.
I think the sorting coins printable is a great addition to your Presidents’ Day lesson plans! You can also incorporate it into your next United States theme, your July 4th activities, or add it to your July 4th unit.
No matter when you try the coin sorting activity, your students will practice a lot of early math skills! All in an engaging, hands-on way.
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Related: Math Activities for Preschoolers
I’ve used some form of this printable coin sorting sheet for so many years now. I recently updated it, so the old pictures aren’t quite right. The images along the top of the pages are clearer, which is definitely more helpful for the children!
You can request a copy of the coin mats near the bottom of this post. Read some of my prep ideas and usage tips, then be sure to grab your own copy.
Coin Sorting Mat
The original version of this sorting page was during a mini-unit my co-teacher and I planned around Presidents’ Day many years ago. The printable isn’t super fancy, but it doesn’t have to be!
My co-teacher and I decided to stick with sorting pennies and quarters for this activity. Since we were exploring the concept of Presidents’ Day, which celebrates the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln, this made sense.
Plus, pennies and quarters are distinctly different in both color and size, making the task a good introduction to coins for preschool children.
How to Prep the Sorting Coins Printable
I love that this is a very low-prep activity! You can definitely have it ready for your students by tomorrow, if you want.
Start things off by grabbing the supplies you’ll need. Here’s what we used (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
- Printer
- Laminator
- Real pennies
- Real quarters
Please keep in mind that you can also use fake pennies and quarters with the coin sorting mat. It all depends on what’s easily available to you. If possible, I do recommend having at least a few real coins for the children to touch and look at.
Once you have your materials, it’s time to prep the pages. Here’s what to do:
- First, request your own copy of the coin sorting mat near the bottom of this post.
- Then print the pages, making as many copies as you’d like.
- Laminate the sorting mats or place them in dry erase pockets.
- Place coins near the pages.
- Finally, call your students over!
And that’s all there is to it! Now let’s jump into having fun with your students.
How to Use the Sorting Coins Activity with Kids
Start off by talking with your students about coins. Many of them will already have some knowledge about this version of American money. Some will know the names of a few (or all!) coins, while others will still be learning. That’s okay, either way.
Let your students touch and observe some real pennies and quarters. Ask some open-ended questions to engage the kids in conversation. Here are some ideas:
- How are the coins the same? Different?
- What do you notice about the front of the penny?
- How is the back of the quarter different?
If your students are anything like mine, they’ll have a lot of observations to share with you! Encourage them to touch the coins and comment about what they feel, too. You can even have the kids share how they think the coins smell. I’m sure you’ll receive some entertaining answers!
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Related: Magnetic Letter Sorting
After this, have your students use the coin sorting mat. Explain and model what to do, and let the children practice sorting coins while you’re available to assist them if needed.
Many of my students really enjoyed this basic sorting activity. I was especially entertained when one of the kids sorted every single coin in the math center!
Ways to Extend the Coin Sorting Mat Fun
Once your kids are about done sorting, there are a few other things you can do. It all depends on your preference, the time available to you, and your students’ interest.
Here are some ideas:
- Have the kids count how many pennies they sorted, as well as how many quarters. Which one had more, and which one had less?
- Challenge the children to sort with their eyes closed. Can they feel the difference in size as they’re sorting?
- Turn the coin sorting mat into a game. Kids can play in pairs, seeing who can sort the same amount of coins the fastest.
- Ask your students to make their own sorting pages, incorporating other coins into the mix!
Clik here to view.
I’m sure you and the kids can come up with even more ideas for the coin sorting mat! Oh, and I keep saying mat, but it’s actually mats. One page has just the front of the coins, while the other sheet contains both fronts and backs of each coin for reference.
What Math Skills Does the Printable Practice?
As I’ve mentioned multiple times, the coin sorting printable is very simple. It’s a grid with real images of pennies and quarters. But the simplicity of the printable doesn’t mean it’s not worth a lot in your classroom!
You can use this low-prep page to teach and practice multiple concepts with your students. Here are some of them:
- Visual discrimination
- Tactile discrimination
- Descriptive vocabulary
- Sorting
- Counting
- U.S. history
Not too bad, right? How will you use the coin sorting mat with your students? Don’t forget to request your own copy below.
Presidents’ Day Activity Pack
We created my sister site, Preschool Teacher 101, for teachers just like you! You’ll find hundreds of early childhood resources there, from lesson plans to math games to center guides and so much more. Our goal is to make your life easier so you can focus on the important job of teaching.
I think our Presidents’ Day activity pack is a great complement to the coin sorting mat. In fact, you’ll find additional coin activities within this resources. Click on the image below to see for yourself:
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Join The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101 today! Our members have access to our resources at a steep discount, along with a variety of freebies!
More Coin Activities for Kids
If the coin sorting printable activity is a hit with your students, here are a few more ideas to try:
Do you have any fun go-to coin ideas the kids love? Feel free to share them in the comments.
Get the Coin Sorting Printable Here
As promised, you can request a copy of the coin printable for yourself! It’s available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If that’s you, enter your email address in the form below to gain access. If you’re not a member of my email community yet, that’s okay! You can add your information in the form to join. Then you’ll receive the coin sorting printable as a welcome gift.
You can also access the form here if needed.
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Originally posted February 2013.
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