A Fun Learning Game for Preschoolers

Homeschool parents know that keeping a preschooler challenged and busy are high on the priority list, regardless of how many children are in the home. I devised a fun game one day for my preschool-age son which combines his love of toy vehicles with my desire to teach him math. It's called "The Car Auction Game", and it's very easy to set up and even easier to play.
Begin by having your child(ren) gather up eleven toy vehicles. Matchbox size is best, but anything will work. While he's doing that, you can cut eleven squares of paper about 2 or 3 inches wide each, and number them "2" through "12". The only other item you'll need for this game is a pair of ordinary dice. I usually rob these from one of our board games.
Have your child(ren) line up the cars in the order they wish, and then place a number beside or in front of each vehicle. Each participant takes turns rolling the dice. The vehicle corresponding to the number on the dice is "won" by the roller, and the game progresses until no more cars remain in the lineup. If a number is rolled that corresponds to an empty slot (meaning that car has already been won), the roller loses his turn and the next player rolls the dice. When no more vehicles are left to be won, each player counts up his winnings. The one with the most cars in his possession wins the game.
To increase my son's counting skills, I have him count up the dice on his roll and on mine. He also learns number recognition by comparing the count of the dice to the label on each vehicle. This game also provides an excellent tool for teaching a child how to deal with losing. Sometimes he wins a vehicle; and sometimes he loses his turn. The moments of sadness over losing a turn are quickly replaced by the joys over winning on another turn. It's a wonderful way to show our children that you can't have it all, but what you do get is pretty good!