Free St Patrick's Day Counting Activity

This free St Patrick’s Day counting activity is the perfect addition to your March math centers! In this blog post I’m sharing how we used this counting to 10 activity.. As well as a link for you to download the resource for FREE too! Scroll on below to find out more..

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Are you looking for a fun, hands-on way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day while building early math skills? This St. Patrick’s Day Counting Task Box is the perfect way to engage students in learning numbers 1-10 while incorporating fine motor skills and sensory play. Best of all, this resource is a FREE download in my Free Resource Library!

What is the St. Patrick’s Day Counting Task Box?

This activity focuses on number recognition, counting, and fine motor skills in an engaging and sensory-rich way. Each task card features a pot of gold with a number on it. Students will:

Form the number on the task card.
Find the correct number of gold coins and place them into the pot.
Enjoy a sensory experience by digging into a green Jell-O sensory bin filled with hidden leprechaun coins and Lucky Charms marshmallows!

This activity is perfect for small group instruction, independent task boxes, or a fun sensory center during St. Patrick’s Day week.

What You’ll Need

To set up this interactive counting activity, you’ll need the following materials:

Free Printable St. Patrick’s Day Counting Cards (Download in my Free Resource Library!)
Plastic gold coins (or coin cutouts from paper)
Dry-erase markers (for writing on the laminated task cards)
Small plastic pot (optional, to act as the ‘pot of gold’)
Green Jell-O (for a fun, squishy texture)
Lucky Charms marshmallows (for extra St. Patrick’s Day flair!)
Plastic leprechaun coins
A small spoon or scoop for digging (optional)

How to Set Up the Activity

1. Prepare the Task Cards

Print, laminate and cut out the free St. Patrick’s Day counting task cards for durability.
Provide dry-erase markers so students can form the numbers repeatedly.

2. Create the Sensory Bin

Make green Jell-O and let it set overnight in a large tray or bin.
Before it fully sets, hide the gold coins and Lucky Charms marshmallows inside.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
(Optional) Use a spoon for students who prefer not to touch the Jell-O directly.

3. Run the Activity

Give each student a counting card.
Have them trace or write the number.
Let them dig through the Jell-O sensory bin to find the correct number of coins.
Place the coins into a pot or on top of the task card’s pot image.
Repeat with different numbers!

Why This Activity Work

This St. Patrick’s Day counting task box isn’t just about math—it provides multiple learning benefits:

Hands-on Math Learning – Helps students visually connect numbers to quantities, reinforcing counting skills.
Sensory Exploration – The Jell-O bin provides a tactile, engaging experience that encourages sensory play.
Fine Motor Skill Development – Digging out coins and placing them in the pot strengthens finger muscles and coordination.
Engagement & Fun – Students LOVE treasure-hunting for gold, making this a perfect high-interest, low-pressure learning opportunity.
Supports Multiple Learning Styles – Works for visual, kinesthetic, and tactile learners, making it ideal for special education and early childhood classrooms.

Tips for Adaptations

For students with sensory sensitivities:
Offer gloves or a spoon to scoop out coins instead of direct Jell-O contact.

For higher-level students:
Add simple addition problems (e.g., “Find 2 gold coins + 3 gold coins. How many in total?”)

For non-verbal students:
Use number boards or AAC devices to express numbers.

For mess-free learning:
Use dry sensory bin fillers like rice, shredded paper, or kinetic sand instead of Jell-O.

Where to Get This Free Resource?

Get this resource and over 200 others for free by joining up to my (FREE) resource library.
If you’re already a member of the free resource library, just log in here and download your resource.

Helpful Links

St Patrick’s Day Favorites

You can find all of my St Patrick’s Day favorites in my Amazon storefronts here;

I’d love to hear how your students enjoy this activity! Tag me on Instagram @teachingautism and share your classroom photos!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day & Happy Teaching! 🍀🌈

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Nikki