Turn a Coloring Page into a Preschool Board Game

A familiar printable can become a simple path game with a start, a finish, and a few child-made rules. Keep play cooperative and the counting visible.

Set up the activity

Draw a short path of six to ten spaces on scrap paper or around the edge of a coloring page. Add a start and finish, then let children color the spaces and choose a small counter. Use a homemade spinner or a die with one to three dots; take turns moving one space at a time while saying the count aloud. A player can help another reach the finish, so the activity does not depend on winning.

Leave room for the child’s choices

For a shorter game, use fewer spaces. If recognizing numerals is not the aim, use colors or simple marks instead. NAEYC describes number-path games as a playful context for counting, one-to-one movement, and turn-taking; this homemade version is only an activity idea, not a standardized learning measure. Stop or change the rules whenever the group loses interest.

Choose the pages

Start with the Numbers collection. Combine your selected pages with the PDF creator.

Build and test the game together

Use a spare sheet to draw a path of six spaces, a clear start, and a finish. Let the children color the spaces and choose a counter. Before adding rules, play one practice round: roll one to three dots, move one space per dot, and say the count while moving. Ask the players whether they would rather race, take turns helping one counter reach the finish, or add a “choose a page” space. Let them test one rule and change it if it slows the game down.

For a child who is still learning to wait, keep the path short and give each player a visible turn marker. A spinner with one or two choices can replace a die. Children who do not want to move a piece can be the counter, roll caller, or color designer. Avoid elimination and rewards that leave one child watching for a long time.

NAEYC’s number-path examples show how movement along a path can make counting and turn-taking concrete. Keep the goal modest: shared play and a visible counting sequence. If the rules become more interesting than the game, simplify them together.