| Looking for a fun and exciting way to teach | | | | |
| math concepts to children? Increase | | | | The goal is for the child with the blind fold |
| motivation and learning in a way that is | | | | to follow the directions so that he/she ends |
| enjoyable and pleasant by using the following | | | | up on the mat. The trick is that the child |
| math games for kids. | | | | doing the talking can only give a set number |
| | | | of clues and can only use numbers for how |
| A Book Scavenger Hunt | | | | many feet or yards, and the words forward, |
| | | | backward, right, or left. You can put |
| This is a game that teaches counting and | | | | obstacles in the way such as orange road |
| ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd...). The | | | | cones or beach balls that they have to |
| first thing to do is find a book for each | | | | maneuver around to get to the mat. The kids |
| child. It works well, and takes less time, | | | | giving the directions must stay stationary |
| for all children to use the same book title | | | | while giving the clues. Make sure this game |
| and edition, but it is not necessary. The | | | | is supervised by an adult who can make sure |
| idea is that the answer will spell out a | | | | that the kids do not run into one another or |
| sentence or two and the winner is the first | | | | trip and fall. |
| one to decipher it. Each child will be | | | | |
| provided with a clue sheet which will list | | | | Board Games |
| directions for finding each word. | | | | |
| | | | Board games offer a variety of creative and |
| An example would be to say "find the 5th word | | | | interesting ways for teaching math concepts |
| of the 3rd paragraph on the 11th page after | | | | to children. There are many math games for |
| page 101." The children would then look for | | | | kids that are in board game format. Some of |
| this word and write it down. You can also | | | | these include Sorry, Yahtzee, and Rummikub. |
| work in math problems, such as "go to the | | | | There are also many board games for kids that |
| page that is twenty-one less than eighty-four | | | | can be altered to include math skills. One |
| and find the 7th word in the 2nd paragraph | | | | example is to play Scrabble and give triple |
| from the end of the page." Increase the | | | | the points for each math term spelled out, as |
| complexity for older children and simplify | | | | well as having the children keep a running |
| for younger ones. | | | | score for every player. |
| | | | |
| Picture Shapes | | | | Matching Math Cards |
| | | | |
| Math games for kids, especially the younger | | | | This is a twist on Old Maid where the goal is |
| ones, can benefit from including pictures | | | | to match two cards by putting all of them |
| from books or coloring books. This game | | | | face-down and turning over two cards at a |
| accomplishes this by using a picture that has | | | | time on each turn to see if they match. This |
| obvious shapes in it, such as balloons for | | | | game is different than Old Maid because it is |
| circles, doors for rectangles, etc., then | | | | centered around math concepts. You start by |
| seeing who can find the most shapes hidden. | | | | writing a math problem on an index card, |
| For older children you can include things | | | | using addition, subtraction, multiplication, |
| such as octagons, cylinders, and cones. | | | | or division. Then you make another math |
| | | | problem on the next index card that is |
| Taking Directions | | | | different but has the same answer. After you |
| | | | have made between twelve and twenty of these |
| This is a great math game for a larger group | | | | cards you lay them face down. Whenever |
| of kids to play. The great thing about this | | | | someone turns over two cards with the same |
| game is that it shows us that math games for | | | | answer they get to keep them. The person |
| kids do not need to involve sitting at a | | | | with the most cards at the end of the game |
| table with a pencil in hand. This is played | | | | wins. |
| outdoors and involves putting a mat, or other | | | | |
| flat object, in the yard and pairing the kids | | | | Learning math does not need to be dull and |
| up. One child in each group wears a blind | | | | boring. It can be fun and challenging by |
| fold. The other child will give them | | | | using the above math games for kids, where |
| directions. | | | | math becomes play instead of work. |