Addition

An Addition Game
This single-player game is designed to help a first grader practice adding up to sums of 14. You'll need a deck of playing cards and a basic knowledge of addition facts in order to play. Work together with your child at first, and gradually allow him to take over as he masters the rules. Challenge him to play multiple times with the goal of improving his score. You'll see his confidence and speed grow as he plays again and again!

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck. Deal all 52 cards into 13 piles of four cards each. All cards should be face up. 2. Look for combinations of cards that equal 14. Keep in mind aces = 1, jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13. You may pick up any two-card combinations and discard them, but only if those cards are on top! 3. Play until there are no more possible moves. Count the remaining cards. This is your score. 4. Play again, and try for a lower score! With practice, you might be able to clear all of the cards!

Variations:

Add jokers into the game (dealing a few piles of five, in order to accommodate them). Let jokers be wild, on the condition the player must say what number a joker represents each time it is used. Play with multiple players! Take turns removing cards from the board. Players should keep the cards they've removed; these will be their points. If a player is stuck, they may take any one card (instead of two) to help the game move along. Play until all cards have been picked up.

Save the Ducklings

Sneak a little addition and counting practice in with this creative game! Your kindergartner or first grader will love trying to save all of the ducklings from the trap! Add up the total when you roll the dice and count out those ducklings. Hopefully, they will be safe in your hands!

Save the Ducklings is an engaging way to work on counting and addition with your child. He will want to play over and over again!

Skills:

Counting Simple addition

What You Need:

Two standard dice Game Board 30 counters (e.g. beans, pennies) for each player

What You Do:

1. Give each player 30 counters to start with. Each counter represents one duckling. Place the trap (game board) in the center of the group. 2. Players take turns rolling the dice. Players add the dice together. Then, they place that number of ducklings (counters) on the corresponding cell. (Lets say they rolled a 3 and 5, which equal 8. They will place 8 ducklings in cell 8.) 3. If a player rolls a number that corresponds to a cell on the game board that already has ducklings on it, the player takes the ducklings on that cell for themselves and rolls again. 4. Box 7 is the solitary cell. If a player rolls a 7, they must always add 7 more counters to this space, even if there are already ducklings there. 5. If a player rolls a total of 2 or 12, they may collect all of the ducklings in the trap (game board), including those in section 7. They also receive another turn. However, if they roll a 2 or 12 on their second turn, they must place ducklings in every cell (77 ducklings in all). 6. If a player loses all of their ducklings, they must drop out of the game. 7. Play continues until time is called, or until only one person remains in the game. The player who has saved the most ducklings wins.

Variations:

Simplify the rules. Ignore instructions 4 and 5. Instead of players dropping out when they have lost all of their ducklings, allow them to continue taking turns until they can collect ducklings. Set a time limit (e.g. 5 minutes) to find the winner.

Defensive Struggle
Looking for a fun way to practice your addition facts? This game combines strategy with math! You and your child will battle to control the game board and earn points. Your child will be using their addition facts constantly as they consider where to place their cards. Youll see them improve in their speed and accuracy in no time!

Skills:

Addition Strategy

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards One Defensive Struggle game board and tape them together to make a 4x4 game board.) Pencil and paper (to record scores)

What You Do:

1. Create the game board by printing out two copies of the attachment and taping them together to create a 4x4 grid. 2. Use all of the aces, twos, threes, and fours from the deck. Divide the aces through fours into red and black cards. Give each player (or team) either the red or black aces through fours. 3. Players take turns placing any one of their cards in an empty space on the game board. 4. Whenever a player finishes a line of four cards (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) that adds up to 10, that player earns ten points. (If your child is still a beginning counter, help them add up the cards by pointing to the symbols on each card as you count together.) 5. Play continues until all spaces on the board are filled. The player with the most points wins.

Variations:

Play until 100 points. Each time the board is filled, clear it, redistribute the cards, and keep going. Play best out of 3 rounds or best out of 5 rounds. Use a 3x3 board and only Ace through 3s (Sum = 6). Or use a 5x5 board with Ace through 5s (Sum = 15). Use different numbers. For example, take just the 3s through 6s out of the deck. Adjust the total of each row to 18, or another number of your choosing. (A good

way to determine an appropriate total is to add up the cards youve chosen. In this example, 3+4+5+6 = 18.) Keep the 4x4 board and the Ace through 4s, but use multiplication instead of addition. Change the total for each row to 24.

Elevens Card Game

Get out a deck of cards and practice finding sums of 11 in this one-player math game! You'll lay out nine cards, then try to find sets of cards that add up to 11. This is excellent practice for any first grader working on her addition facts. By using playing cards, you'll be incorporating an element of fun into learning an important skill. Your child will feel more confident with adding in no time!

What You Need:

Deck of playing cards

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the cards. Deal 9 cards into a 3 x 3 array, face up. Place the remaining deck face down, in a pack. 2. First, cover any face cards you see by taking cards from the deck and placing these cards face up on top of the face cards. 3. Then, look for combinations of cards that add up to 11. When you see a combination, take face cards from the deck and place them on top of these cards as well. 4. Continue until the pack is depleted, or there are no more possible moves. 5. If you have successfully used all the cards from your deck, congratulations! You've won!

Variations:

Find sums of a different amount, such as 10, or 12. Change the value of face cards to jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13. You can add in jokers, have them count as "free" numbers, and cover them up immediately. Subtract to find a difference of 5. Make all face cards equal 11.

Bowling for Addition

When you don't want to wear rented shoes at the bowling alley, try whipping up this homemade water bottle bowling set! Help your first grader improve his math skills while having hours of fun at the same time. Play this on a family game night, a rainy day, or at a party and it's sure to bring a smile to everyone's face. This game is great for all ages!

What You Need:

10 assorted clean, empty plastic water or soda bottles White paper Scissors Clear tape Permanent marker Lightweight ball (volleyball, tennis ball, etc) If you're desperate, you can use an orange or grapefruit! Notepad and pen

What to Do:
1. Cut wide bands out of the paper for each soda bottle, and number each one with different point values from 1 to 10. 2. Wrap one strip of paper around each bottle, and have your child tape it down for you. 3. Arrange the bottles in a triangular shape at the end of a long hallway or uncarpeted room, with one pin in the front, two behind it, three behind those and so on. 4. Divide a page in the notepad into columns, one for each player. Write each person's name at the top of the column so that you can keep score of everybody's points. 5. Now play! Take turns rolling the ball towards the pins and see how many you can knock over in one try! Count up the numbers on each pin that gets knocked over and recruit your child to help you keep score so he can practice his addition. Whoever gets the most points wins! Make some victory snacks to enjoy together when the game is over. 6. If you want to make the game a little more challenging, try filling the bottles with a small amount of sand so they're harder to knock over!

Seventeen: A Math-Builder Card Game

Your child probably knows that two plus two equals four. But what does it take to get to seventeen? Try this card game to explore all the possibilities, build math fact skills, and have a great time while youre at it.

What You Need:

1 deck of playing cards 1 sheet of plain paper for a scorecard Scrap paper and a pencil for each player/mathematician

What You Do: 1. Prepare your materials. Start with your deck of cards. You will need all aces (each counts as 1), and all numbered cards between 2 and 8. Make sure you pull out all nines, tens, jacks, queens, and kings. You can save them for more advanced games later. 2. While this game can be played by up to four players, youll probably want to start with just two. Shuffle your number cards and put them face down on a table. Then have each player pull out five cards. Take turns putting cards down, one at a time, and counting the total made when you add the pile together. 3. Winning and Losing: The goal is to get as close to 17 as possible. Lets say, for example, that Player 1 puts down a 7 card, and then Player 2 puts down a 5 card. If Player 1 can add another 5, she wins the round and gets a score of 17! Thats the clean way to win a round. But she can also win if she goes slightly over say, to 19but she must subtract the extra 2 from her score, so she only gets 15 points. The goal of the game (aside from complete Math Facts Mastery, of course!), is to have the largest number of points when the game is done. Special note: Counting up the final scores usually means adding several digits. This may be a good stretch for some kids, but lots of first graders will find it hard. Its helpful to have either a calculator, or a parent helper, or both ready.

Dice Addition!
Addition is not for the faint of heart! Roll the die, and cross your fingers for a big number. Add that number to your total and race to earn 30 points. Be careful not to go over 30, though! This game is a great opportunity to put the flash cards and worksheets away for a while and have fun while learning. Your child will love the competition and challenge Over the Edge brings.

Skill:

Addition

What You Need:

One die Paper and pencil for each player (to record scores)

What You Do:

1. Each player begins with a score of zero. Players take turns rolling the die. After each roll, players add the value of their toss to the previous score in order to create a running total. 2. Play continues for 8 rounds. The player with the score closest to 30, without going over, wins.

Variations:

Play for the best out of 3 rounds, or award a point to whoever wins each round and play for a specified amount of time. Use two standard dice, or one or two customized dice. Change the goal. Instead of reaching 30, try to reach 50, or 42. Start at a higher number (e.g. 30 or 99) and finish at zero using subtraction.

Getting Even
Memorizing addition facts is an important step in a first grader's learning. Teach your child this fun card game in order to squeeze in a little extra addition practice. All you need is a deck of cards, and you are ready to get started! You will be helping your child build confidence with his math facts as well as develop the skill of differentiating between even and odd numbers.

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards

What You Do:

1. Lay out all of the cards, face up, in a single overlapping line. 2. Scan for pairs of cards that are next to each other and add up to an even number. (For the purposes of this game, aces = 1, jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13.) In the example below, the 9 and 7 of spades on the right could be removed together, because 9 + 7 = 16, an even number. 3. Remove all even sums. 4. Continue until no plays are left. Count the remaining cards. 5. Play again and try to remove more cards the next time! If you can remove all of the cards, you are a champion!

Variations:

For younger players, remove the face cards from the deck. Change the rules so that players must remove odd sums. Rename the game Playing the Odds. Try playing the game using subtraction or multiplication.

Shake 'em Up
Practice adding in a whole new way! You'll need five dice, a paper and pencil in order to get started. Shake those dice and try to roll big numbers. Add them up and cross your fingers. If your sum is larger than the other players, you win! Guide your child through the process at first, and gradually let him take ownership of the game. You'll see his confidence with addition improve in no time!

What You Need:

5 standard dice Paper and pencil for each player (to record scores) Highlighter(s) (optional)

What You Do:

1. Each player takes a turn rolling all 5 dice. Each player adds up the total from their roll and records it. 2. The player with the highest sum from round 1 circles or highlights that sum on their paper. 3. Play continues for 10 rounds, or until time is called. The player with the most sums circled wins.

Variations:

Change the goal. For example, the lowest score wins.

Make the addition portion of the activity more difficult. Have each player keep a running total of all of their rolls for all 10 rounds. Instead of circling totals after each round, wait until the end to see who has the most points. Create custom dice, using any numbers you'd like.

Cover All
Try to use as many numbers as possible in a quest to take over the game board! Draw from a deck of cards to determine your number, then create an addition problem with that sum. Your child will need to engage his problem solving skills in order to participate in this game. By manipulating numbers, he'll improve his confidence and ability to work with them. Soon, he'll be ready to tackle subtraction!

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards One Cover All game board A different type of place markers for each player (e.g. beans, coins, confetti, torn paper)

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the cards and place them face down in a pile. 2. For the purposes of this game, aces = 1, jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13. 3. Players take turns drawing either one or two cards (their choice). On a turn, a player may cover up any number(s) that equals the sum of their card(s). (For example, if a player draws an 8, they could cover up "8", "1" and "7", "2" and "6", "3" and "5", "1" and "2" and "5", OR "3" and "4" and "1".) 4. Players may need to pass on a turn if no usable numbers remain uncovered. 5. When all of the numbers have been covered, each player should count how many they claimed. The player with the most spaces covered wins.

Variations:

Try working as a team. Draw cards and work out addition problems together. You win if you can cover the board! Print out a game board for every player. Players then race to cover their entire game board first.

Cover Up
Check out this exciting way to practice addition! This two player game uses dice to get its point across. Players add up numbers to find different sums. The goal is to find the most sums first. There's plenty of repetition, but because there's dice and a game board, this game feels less boring than flashcards. Use it to work your child's automatic recall of addition facts.

What You Need:

2 dice 1 Cover Up playing board Place markers (26 total) - Beans, coins, or torn paper work well.

What You Do:

1. Players sit on opposite sides of the playing board. Players take turns rolling the dice and adding the two numbers that appear. If their answer is correct, they may cover the corresponding number on their game board. 2. If a number is already covered, or an incorrect answer is given, a player must pass. 3. Play until a player covers all of the numbers on their side or time is up. The player with the most numbers covered wins. Variation: try subtraction or multiplication!

Lucky Number
In this math game, the lucky number is 13! All you need is a deck of playing cards to begin practicing your addition facts in this fun activity. Use cards to create a game board, which you will scan looking for sums of 13. Begin by playing together with your first grader, and gradually let him take ownership of the game. He will love the challenge of trying to get rid of all of the cards in the deck!

What You Need:

One deck of cards

What You Do:

1. Shuffle and deal 2 rows of 5 cards each, as shown in the picture below. 2. Scan the cards for sums of 13. (For the purposes of this game, aces = 1, jacks =11, queens = 12, and kings = 13.) 3. Remove all combinations of 13, and place these cards in a discard pile. (In the example below, the king of spades could be removed, as well as 8 + 5 and 7 + 6.) 4. Deal new cards into the empty spaces, using the remaining pack. 5. Play until no more moves can be made. If you succeed in dealing and clearing the entire deck, you have won!

Variations:

Change the amount cards you work with at one time by adding or subtracting a row, changing the size of a row, etc. Remove the kings and make the required sum 12, remove the kings and queens and make the sum 11, or remove all face cards and change the required sum to 10. Instead of finding sums, find differences of 6.

Plan Ahead: A Math Card Game

Theres strategy in numbers! Challenge your first grader for the best score in this math game. Examine the cards to find the largest value. Whichever card you pick up will limit what the other player(s) can take. Add up your cards to see whos won! Plan Ahead is a great way to improve critical thinking skills, which are necessary to succeed in math. Your child will use his knowledge of numeric value and combine it with strategy in order to win the game. Practice makes perfect, and this is definitely a game you'll be wanting to play again and again!

Skills:

Numerical value Adding Strategy

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards Pencil and paper (to add up scores)

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck. Place the top 9 cards in a 3x3 array, face up. 2. The first player picks up a card and keeps it. The goal is to select the highest possible card. 3. The second player then picks up a card from the same row or column only. 4. Continue picking up cards until no more plays are possible. 5. Each player adds up the total value of the cards they have collected. (Aces count as 1, while face cards count 10.) The highest score wins.

Variations:

Remove face cards from the deck, as their values can be confusing for younger children. Play the game with a larger array. Use 16 cards in a 4x4 array, or 25 in a 5x5 array. Create a challenge by making the black cards count positively and the red cards negatively. Place a mystery card in the array, face down.

Scan for Compatible Sums

Add up to ten in this math game. Find a deck of playing cards and shuffle them. Lay them out, then scan the cards to find different combinations that equal ten. If you can find them, theyre yours! Play against a friend and try to find the most. Youll have great fun practicing addition facts in a whole new way! Soon youll be ready to find sums of 12, or 23!

Skill:

Simple addition

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck of cards. Lay out 10 cards, face up, in a long row. 2. Player 1 looks for sets of cards that equal ten. (For example, they could pick up 1 + 7 + 2, or 6 + 4. All face cards equal 10, so a player can pick up a J, Q, or K easily.) Player 1 picks up all of the sets they can find. If they pick up all 10 cards, a new set of 10 cards is dealt, and they get another turn. 3. When a player cant find any more sets of 10, the empty spaces are filled in so that there are 10 cards total once again, and the next player gets a turn. 4. Play until the deck runs out, or there are no more possible combinations. This may mean that the last round will consist of less than 10 cards. 5. The player who has collected the most cards wins.

Variations:

Instead of adding up to 10, try adding up to a larger number, like 15. Deal less cards each round, or deal more cards each round. Make face cards worth a larger point value: Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 13. Make Jokers WILD. Make each card worth 10 times its value. Aim for sums of 100. (This is a great way to help your child compare adding by tens with adding by ones.)

Play Popsicle Math

Now that its first grade, Math Facts are here. This year, you can expect addition and some subtraction; then, when your child hits second grade, get ready for timed tests and even early explorations in multiplication and division. Worried? Dont be. This is a time to be excited with your child about this new knowledge, and to explore lots of fun ways to develop it. Heres a hands-on activity that classroom teachers use to help kids get a feel for equations and start building lifelong skills.

What You Need:

23 popsicle sticks kitchen timer crayons or markers construction paper child safety scissors 2 Ziploc bags

What You Do:

Label Sticks. Have your child hold each stick vertically and label it with one number, going from 1-20. Use the remaining three sticks to write a plus, minus, and equals sign (+, -, =) using crayons or markers. Build an equation. Start with addition. Help your child make problems by using the popsicle sticks and having her hold up the answers. ( Ex. 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 1+3=4, etc.) Later, using the same popsicle sticks she already labeled, you can have your child practice making subtraction facts and holding up the answers. If you like, add a challenge. Set a kitchen timer, for example, and see if your child can answer each problem correctly in three seconds or less. Or have your child write a list of problems and keep a scorecard of correct equations which you can mark with a happy face or star. Moving forward, you can also extend the activity by having your child make flashcards using construction paper, child safety scissors, and crayons or markers. She should write one number per card, and make separate cards for plus, minus, and equals signs. Then, she can make addition and subtraction problems using the cards and holding up the answers the same way she did with the popsicle sticks. When youre done, you can save both the popsicle sticks and the flashcards in ziploc bagstheyre a great game to pull out over snacks, in the car, or even when youre sitting in the dentist office. Math is all around us; and with your help, it will be safely inside your kids head for the long haul, too.

Fun With Math Facts

Trying to find another way to make practicing math facts fun? Here's a simple activity that gives your child the chance to break a "secret code" (in pasta form) using only a few clues. Can she solve these math mysteries? This game is a fun and easy way to practice addition and reinforce basic math concepts.

What You Need:

Large bowl Variety of different pasta shapes (uncooked) Laminated piece of tag board or cardstock inside of a sheet protector Erasable marker Small scoop Paper napkins Some blank paper and a pencil

What You Do:

1. Fill the bowl with a variety of uncooked pasta shapes. 2. Attach a sample of each shape to the laminated piece of tag board. With the erasable marker, label the tag board Pasta Values. 3. Create a pasta code, assigning one numeric value to each different shape. For instance, if you have three different pasta shapes, the first shape can have a value of 2; the second, a value of 4; and the third, a value of 6. 4. Once the game is set up, it's time to play. With the scoop, have your child scoop some of the pasta into a napkin. 5. Have her use the "Pasta Value" code to find out the total value of the pasta she has on her napkin. If she is not able to mentally calculate it, give her a piece of paper and a pencil for her to write the problem out. 6. After a few rounds, change the value of the pasta to give her more puzzles to solve! As your child progresses, make the game harder by telling her the total value and only one of the pasta values to see if she can figure out what the other values are.

Tic-Tac-Toe Addition
Tic-Tac-Toe is more than just a strategy game; it's a great way to practice addition! Help your first grader on his way to mastering sums of single-digit numbers. We have five different game boards for you to print out, with endless possibilities. Once you've mastered them all, try creating your own game!

What You Do:

1. Decide which player will uses Xs and which player will use Os. 2. Take turns selecting boxes and solving the addition problems within them. 3. If a player adds correctly, they may claim that box by putting either an X or an O in it. 4. Play until one player has attained three boxes in any row, column, or diagonal.

Hexagon Puzzle
Try this fun puzzle, and help your first grader dig a little deeper into his addition facts. Start out by filling in the grid and adding up values. Then, create a challenge by asking your student to choose new numbers so that every row will equal the same value. He'll need to use critical thinking skills to solve this problem, an essential component to mathematical reasoning.

What You Need:

One deck of miniature playing cards One Hexagon Puzzle template

What You Do:

1. Place seven cards inside the hexagon. Add up every row of three and record their totals. 2. Challenge yourself to use new cards so that every row of three adds up to the same number. Is there more than one way to do this?

Sandbox Math Facts

One of the goals for first graders is to memorize basic addition and subtraction math facts by the end of the year. This will become especially important in the later grades, when students move on to more challenging computation, such as regrouping with two and threedigit numbers. Lots and lots of repetition and practice are the key to memorizing math facts. Practicing at home can really help, but you dont want this kind of repetition to become drudgery. So why not mix practice with play? Heres an activity thats so much fun, your child will want to stick with his fact practice!

What You Need:

a set of wooden craft "popsicle" sticks (about 20-30) an extra fine point permanent marker, black a sandbox filled with sand

What You Do:

1. Use the marker to write a math problem on the top end of the craft stick. Write the answer to the math problem on the bottom of the stick. Continue in this manner until all the sticks are labeled. (Note: These problems should be very simple addition and subtraction problems. Check with your child's teacher if you are unsure what kinds of equations are appropriate.) 2. Have your child submerge the sticks in the sand so that the problems are visible, but the answers are not. 3. Point out that these sticks would make great building materials in the sandbox. They could become bridges for sandcastles! But before your child can pull them out of the sand to play with them, he has to say the math fact and its answer out loud. Show him how to do this by choosing a stick, saying aloud the problem and the answer, then pulling the stick out of the sand to check the answer. If the answer is

correct, keep the stick for sandbox play. If the answer is not correct, put the stick back in the sand. 4. After your child has practiced all his Sandbox Math Sticks, join him in some fun, creative play. Then store the sticks for later by filling a sand pail with sticks, or simply plant them in the sand again!

Horseshoe Race
Race to the finish in this fun addition board game! Your first grader will work on the important skill of adding in this two-player game. Take turns drawing playing cards to find your numbers. Add them together correctly in order to move ahead. The first player to reach the finish line will win! Your student will gain confidence with his addition facts as he works towards mastery. You can set the flash cards aside for a little while and add a little something extra to your math practice with this exciting activity.

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards One Horseshoe Race game board A place marker for each player (e.g. beans, coins, etc.)

What You Do:

1. Players each select a place marker and put in at the starting point on the game board. 2. Players take turns drawing two cards each and adding up their values. (All face cards equal 10, and aces equal 1.) 3. If a player adds correctly, they may move forward one space. 4. The first player to reach the finish line wins!

Variations:

Allow players to only add numbers that are in their color. (Notice the red and black labels on the game board.) Thus, a player must draw two cards of their color in order to have a chance at moving ahead. Change the values of face cards to jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13. Subtract or multiply instead of adding. For younger players, each player may select a color to represent (red or black). Draw one card at a time. If a player draws their color, they may move ahead one space. If not, they stay where they are.

Decision Maker

Decide to play this game, and you won't regret it! You can practice addition, subtraction, or multiplication using just a deck of cards. Decision Maker combines mathematical skill with an element of chance to keep players on their toes. Draw two cards at a time and find the sum, difference, or product of the numbers. If you're correct, you'll earn points. But watch out for the face cards! If you draw one, your score will be erased!

What You Need:

Deck of playing cards Pencil for keeping score Decision Maker score sheets

What You Do:

1. Decide whether you will be using addition, subtraction, or multiplication. 2. Shuffle the deck and place it in the center of the table. In this game, ace = 1. 3. On your turn, draw two cards. Compute the sum, difference, or product of those cards (as chosen in step 1). If you are correct, you earn a point and may draw again. If your answer is incorrect, or you draw a face card, you lose any points for that round and your turn ends. If you draw two face cards, your total game score reverts to zero! 4. The first player to earn 10 points wins.

Math Facts Secret Codes

When it comes to those basic math facts, there's nothing like practice, practice, practice. But making them interesting is quite another matter. Here's an irresistible activity you can use with your second grader to send messages in secret code. Next time you pack a school lunch, for example, try putting in a special note with your love and good wishes in a code that your child and her friends can decipher over their meal.

What You Need:

Paper Pen Math Fact "Decoder" Key Sample message

What to Do:
1. Download our Math Fact code sheet, or make your own based on your child's level. 2. Write your message on the decoder key, by making a small line for each letter of the alphabet in the message. See our sample message as an example. 3. Write out your message lines, and then let your child take a whack at the math facts to decode your words. The sum of each pair of numbers appears under each line of

the message, and matches up with a letter. For a child who is making good progress on math facts, this is a fairly fast activity but one that will bring a sense of accomplishment that lasts all day and beyond!
Math Fact Decoder Key A = 2+2 B = 2+3 C = 3+3 D = 6-3 E = 9+3 F = 8 -7 G = 13+10 H = 7+2 I = 5+6 Math Facts Secret Codes Sample Message _____ _____ _____ _____ 9 4 7 12

Play Terrific Tens Go Fish!

Make practicing addition facts more fun with this spin off of the traditional Go Fish game. As you work with your child on his math facts, it will be helpful to find tricks and strategies to help him build his confidence and skill. One way to do this is to have him learn the combinations of numbers that add up to ten. This game is an exciting way to practice that strategy. And he'll be building skills that he'll use for years to come.

What You Need:

48 index cards Marker or crayon Lined notebook paper One pencil per player

What You Do:

1. In order to play this game, you will first need to prepare your number cards. Using your marker or crayon and index cards, you will need to make a deck of number cards. You will need four cards each of the numbers 0-10 and four WILD cards, for a total of 48 cards. 2. Simply write the numbers or the word WILD on each card making sure that the numbers cannot be seen on the other side. 3. The object of the game is to get as many pairs of cards as you can that total 10. The winner of the game is the player with the most pairs of cards that equal 10.

4. Each player is dealt five cards. The remaining cards are placed face down in a deck in the center of the table or play area. 5. If you have any pairs that total 10 in your first hand, put them down in front of you and replace those cards with cards from the deck. 6. As you find combinations of numbers that equal 10, each player will use a pencil to write that addition problem on his or her own lined sheet of paper. Place all of your combinations of ten in one pile after you have written that combination on your paper. 7. Take turns. On a turn, ask one of the other players for a card that will go with a card in your hand to make 10. (Note: a "WILD" card can be whatever number you would like it to be to make a pair that adds up to 10.) 8. If you get a card that makes 10, put the pair of cards down. Then take one card from the deck. Your turn is over. 9. If you do not get a card that makes 10 because the other player did not have the card you asked for, take a card from the deck. Then your turn is over. 10. If the card you take from the deck makes 10 with a card in your hand, put the pair down and take another card. 11. If there are no cards left in your hand but still cards in the deck, take two cards. 12. The game is over when there are no more cards left unpaired. Whoever has the most pairs of tens at the end of the game wins! This is a great math game that the whole family can play!

Play Pattern Hopscotch!

Creating number patterns with pencil and paper can be dull. But creating patterns with hopscotch? Way cool! Get your child's game on, and give her some math practice in the process. While developing pattern skills, students build a firm foundation for algebraic thinking. Heres a fun at-home activity that will have your child recognizing, describing, and extending patterns using hopscotch squares.

What You Need:

Chalk Sidewalk or driveway Stone

What to Do:
1. Using chalk, draw a series of six connecting hopscotch boxes on the sidewalk or on a driveway. In the first four boxes, write a series of four numbers showing a pattern of counting by 2s. (For example, 2,4,6,8). Write one number in each box. 2. Have your child extend the pattern by filling in the empty boxes with numbers that extend this sequence. To demonstrate the pattern, ask your child to hop on each of the boxes in the series, saying each number aloud. 3. This time, ask your child to draw two more sets of six to eight boxes. Fill in each set of boxes with a series of four numbers that show a pattern, such as counting by 5s, counting by 10s, decreasing by 1s, or decreasing by 2s. Do you have a math whiz? You can also experiment with counting by 3, 4, or 6...this lays the foundation for multiplication. 4. Although the boxes may look non-traditional, the game of hopscotch is still timelessly fun. Make your boxes...and then hop on. In teacher terms, you're doing "kinesthetic" learningusing the body to integrate key intellectual skills and knowledge. In kid terms, you'll be having tons of fun!

Play Math Flash Bingo

Flash cards, while an effective way to learn and study, can often be tedious and repetitive, especially for your second grader. Math Flash Bingo is a great way to engage your child with the math concepts she is learning, while making it fun for her at the same time.

What You Need:

Flash cards of choice (addition or subtraction) Blank unlined paper (enough to create BINGO cards for all players) Pencil or pen Crayons or BINGO markers (plastic chips, coins, kidney beans) Computer and Printer (optional)

What You Do:

1. Before playing the game, you must make the Bingo cards. You can either create the cards by hand or use a computer. You will need to create the cards by making a 5x5 square table (5 rows and 5 columns) on each card, and write the word "BINGO" across the top (one letter per column). 2. Inside each square, use your pencil or pen to write a number. These numbers are the answers that correspond to the equations on the flashcards. If you are working on addition or subtraction flash cards, these numbers will usually be 1-20. Place them randomly on the card. Some numbers will need to be repeated. 3. You will need at least two players to play Bingo. Give each player a Bingo card and Bingo markers. 4. Each player will take turns answering a flash card.

5. Find the answer to the flash card. Cover the square where the answer appears on your Bingo card using one of your Bingo markers. 6. Put the flash card to the side. Continue answering the flash cards until someone has covered enough squares to reach Bingo. This game can also be adapted for older children to practice their multiplication and division cards. Simply create different Bingo cards using different numbers to correspond to the multiplication and division equations you are using. Dont be surprised if she wants to play Math Flash Bingo each time you get the flash cards out to practice her math facts! Shell be a math whiz in no time!

Zero to Ninety-Nine
Mental math has never been more exciting! Practice adding and subtracting as a group. Help each other keep track of the running total as the game progresses. Roll the die, and wish for the best. Use a little bit of strategy to help control this game of chance, and you could come out the winner.

What You Need:

Two standard dice Scratch paper and pencil (optional)

What You Do:

1. Start with a running total of zero. 2. Players take turns rolling the dice and adding their score to the running total. The goal is to not go over 99. Players are able to control the game when they roll a 9 or a 10. A score of 9 or 10 may be added or subtracted, and it's up to the player who rolls it what operation will be used. 3. The player who causes the score to go over 99 has lost.

Variations:

Use a different goal and starting value. For example, start at 1895 and stop at 2000. Use customized dice. Use a calculator. This allows you to focus on the skill and not the computation.

Five-Pointed Star

Your second grader will love finding sums in this fun card game! He will need to use problem solving and critical thinking skills as he tries to fill the board. By combining addition with mathematical reasoning, your student will have the opportunity to improve his understanding of an important math concept. Print out the worksheet and use a miniature card deck. (You can print a deck, if you'd like.) Look at the challenges below for different ways to play. What You Need: One Five-Pointed Star game board (Print this out.) One deck of mini-playing cards (Print a deck.)

Challenges: Use the ace through ten of a suit. Place the cards on the star so that no line of 4 cards has the same sum. (Keep in mind aces = 1.) Use the 2s, 4s, 6s, and 8s. Place the cards on the star so that the sum of each line of 4 cards is 20. Use the ace through 10 of a suit. Place the cards on the star so that the sum of each line of 4 cards is the same. Make up your own Five-Pointed Star card puzzle!

Flashcard Junction: Teach Key Math Facts

Flashcards are a traditional and effective method for practicing math facts, but with a little ingenuity they can also be fun! We've provided you with a printable page of addition and subtraction flashcards for your second grader: stick some oak tag in your printer, cut out the individual cards and you are ready to rock and roll. But keep in mind that a child who is struggling with learning the basic facts should never be asked to study this whole set of flashcards until you know them. It is simply too overwhelming. So, what's the best way to use these flashcards with your child? Here's a guide:

Success Tips:

Initially, work on addition facts through ten. When your child is quick and confident with those facts, introduce the subtraction facts through ten. Then move to addition facts between ten and twenty, and finally the subtraction facts through twenty. If your child already has a base of knowledge, start there and proceed slowly never adding more than ten new cards at a time, and being certain to mix the new with the old. For example, lets say your second grader knows his addition facts through 6 very well, but stumbles after that. Show her the 7 fact cards (1 + 7, 7 + 2, etc.), discuss them, mix them up with the facts she has mastered, and when the new answers become automatic (see process that follows), add the 8 fact cards.

Process

Encourage your child to practice the flashcards independently (with only a few new ones added) and to let you know when he thinks hes a FACT MASTER. Try to make the FACT MASTER check pleasant and non-threatening. Show her one fact; if she answers correctly within a second or two, she puts the card in her pile. If her answer is incorrect or too late, put the card in your pile. Compare size of piles at end of game. Offer encouragement if shes not quite there yet, or whoop and holler if shes ready to add more facts to her study pile.

Culminating Activity:

When your child is proficient enough (at whatever level shes working on) to be called a FACT MASTER... celebrate! Make a large notice (with bright markers) for the refrigerator that says, for example, Zoe is a subtraction FACT MASTER through twelve." When Zoe nails thirteen, make a new sign and post it. And while youre at it, give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it.

Ten-Twenty-Thirty
Try this single-player addition game! All you need is a deck of playing cards to get started. Try to find sums of 10, 20, or 30 in order to clear cards. Practice your adding, and double check your work. If you can clear all of the cards, youll win! "Ten-Twenty-Thirty" is a great way to have fun while practicing simple addition facts. After you've mastered the directions, check out the variations for new ways to play.

Skill:

Addition

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards (Print a deck.)

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck. Create a row of seven cards, face up. Place two cards on top of each of the seven so you have seven piles of 3 cards each. Arrange the cards so you can see the face value of every card. 2. Place the rest of the deck to the side, to be used later. 3. The object of the game is to remove a pile when the sum of all of its cards is 10, 20, or 30. All face cards equal 10. For example, if a pile has an ace, 9, and jack in it, it could be removed because its sum is 20 (1 + 9 + 10). Go ahead and remove all of the piles that equal 10 to start. 4. Deal a fourth card on top of every pile that remains. Remove any stacks that now equal a multiple of 10. 5. Deal a fifth card on top of every pile that remains. Remove any stacks possible. 6. Continue adding cards and removing stacks until your deck is depleted or the stacks have all been removed. 7. If you remove all the stacks first, you have won! If your deck is emptied first, try again.

Variations:

Remove two sets of cards at once if their combined sum is a multiple of 10. Look for different sums, lets say 9, 19, and 29. Or multiples of 6.

Turn Over Ten: An Addition Game

Make learning math facts easier with the strategy of looking for numbers that add up to ten. Since ten is a landmark number that is easy to add with, spotting combinations that make ten is one way to improve your child's speed and accuracy in addition. In this activity, help your child practice making ten by creating and playing this fun and simple card game! Note: The Terrific Tens Go Fish game works on the same set of skills as this game and uses the same deck of number cards. If you have already created the cards for the Terrific Tens Go Fish game, you can use the same number cards for this game.

What You Need:

48 index cards Marker or crayon Lined notebook paper 2 Pencils

Set Up: 1. Create a deck of number cards using the marker or crayon and index cards. You will need four cards each of the numbers 0 through 10 and four WILD cards for a total of 48 cards. 2. Simply write the numbers or the word WILD on each card making sure that the numbers cannot be seen on the other side. How to Play: 1. Arrange the cards face down in four rows of five cards. Place the remaining cards in the deck face down in a pile. 2. Play the game. The objective is to turn over and collect combinations of cards that total 10. The winner is the player who makes the most combinations of 10. 3. Take turns. On a turn, turn one card over and then another. A "WILD" card can be made into any number. If the total of the two cards is less than 10, turn over a third card. If the total is more than 10, your turn ends, and the cards are turned face down and put in their original positions. If the total is 10, take the cards, replace them with the remaining cards in the deck, and go again. 4. As you find combinations of numbers that equal 10, write that addition problem on your lined sheet of paper. Place all your combinations of 10 in one pile after you have written the problem down. 5. The game is over when no more 10s can be made. As your child becomes more proficient at adding, this game can be adapted to different addition facts. Create Turn Over 20, for instance, to practice adding numbers adding to 20, and so onthe possibilities are endless!

Rolling 3 Dice Trick

Do you want to learn a magic trick? Here is a simple trick using only 3 dice and a little bit of addition. Try it on your second grader, and then teach him how it works! We won't be surprised if he wants to show off his new skills... What a wonderful way to reinforce what your child is learning in math class! What You Need:

3 standard dice (Make your own.)

What You Do:

Find someone to trick. Ask that person to roll 3 dice while your back is turned. Then ask them to add the totals on the tops of the dice together. (For example, if they rolled a 5, 6, and 1, they would find 5 + 6 + 1 = 12.) Then, ask them to secretly choose one of the dice. They should pick up that die and look at the number on its bottom. They will need to add this number to the total. (Continuing with our example, let's say they picked up the 5. The number on the bottom of the 5 is a 2. They would add 12 + 2 = 14.) Ask them to roll this same die one more time. They should add the number that comes up onto their total. (If they rolled a 6, they would add 14 + 6 = 20.) Now, it's time to show off your magic. Turn around. Look at the numbers on the die faces. Add them up. Then add 7 more. You should have the same total as your partner! Are they surprised?

Why This Works:

The three numbers you see when you turn around have been added to the total already. (Two of the dice were added in step 1, and one in step 4.) It's an obvious first step to add these up yourself. The only other addition that was done was with that third die. What you asked the player to do was add the number they rolled plus the number on the opposite (or bottom) side of the die. Look at one of your dice carefully. You'll notice that the opposite sides always add up to 7! This is why you add 7 more to find your answer.

Woodchuck Addition Game

Practice adding in this fun game of risk and chance. The rules are simple: roll the dice, and add up the numbersbut watch out for sixes! Sixes are sneaky "woodchucks", and they'll make you lose points. Get to 100 and you win, and you also get hands-on practice with an important second grade math skill: adding to 100.

What You Need:

Two dice Scratch paper Pencils

What You Do:

1. Players start with 0 points. 2. On a player's turn, he may roll the dice as many times as he likes, adding each number that comes up to his point total. If a woodchuck appears (he rolls a six), however, he loses his turn and his score for that round. If two woodchucks appear (he rolls two sixes), his score for the game reverts back to zero. 3. The first player to reach 100 points wins.

Variations:

For younger children, use only one die and change the point goal to 40. Use custom dice with different numbers on them. Draw a woodchuck on one side, if you'd like. (Print out blank dice templates here.) Use subtraction instead. Start with 100 points and work your way to zero. Use multiplication instead. Change the goal to 500.

Math Facts Game

Practice makes perfect especially when it comes to memorizing math facts. But does your child balk at flashcards, making multiplication practice a struggle? If so, consider playing this fun game to help your child review the math problems that tend to trip him up.

Especially enjoyable for kinesthetic learners or musically inclined children, the game combines music with movement and allows children to move around as they practice. Although the game is perfect for practicing the multiplication tables, it can be used for any math concept that children should be able to do in their heads rather than through writing.

What You Need:

Paper Markers Tape CD or MP3 player

What to Do:
1. Make a list of math problems that your child is having difficulty with. 2. Write the answer to each of the math problems on its own piece of paper with a thick marker. Each number should fill up the paper and be dark enough for your child to see easily from several feet away. 3. Tape the numbers at random on a driveway, bare floor, or patio. 4. Turn on the music and let your child dance around on top of the numbers. After a few seconds, pause the music and call out a math problem, such as Three times eight! 5. Your child should then jump as quickly as possible onto the number that is the correct answer to the problem you called out. 6. You can keep on calling out math problems while repeating the previous steps. If your child has a friend over you can change the game into more of a competition, in which children race to see which one can jump on the correct number first.

Make a Math Monster!

The only way for children to polish their arithmetic skills is to practice their math facts. However, doing simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division drills can bore even the most motivated child! Here comes the Math Monster to save the day; he will spark your child's interest by challenging him to guess mystery math facts!

What You Need:

Paper, blackboard, or white board Pencil, chalk, or white board pens

What to Do:
1. Explain to your child that a friendly Math Monster has been living in the house, and that he has come up with a fun game to play! 2. Draw a circle with a large X inside of it to divide it into four sections. This shape represents the Math Monster's head, with three blank spaces for eyes and one for a mouth. These spaces will be filled in if your child does not guess the equation correctly, and the Math Monster will win. 3. Write the digits 0 through 9 on the side, to help your child keep track of which numbers he has already guessed. In the top corner, keep a tally of the two teams. For example, Monster versus John. 4. Think of an equation, but do not reveal it. Write the equation, hangman style, on the paper or board. For example, 4 plus 5 equals 9 would look like: _ + _ = _. If you have a double digit number in the equation, such as 14 minus 6 equals 8, draw a line for each digit: _ _ - _ = _. 5. Ask your child to guess a single digit to fill in one of the blanks. Cross off the digit from the list and fill it in on the equation. If the digit is not in the equation, draw an evil eye on the Math Monster. 6. Encourage him to guess another number. Fill in the equation or another evil eye on the Math Monster. 7. Invite your child to continue guessing numbers until the entire equation is filled, hopefully before all four sections of the Math Monster have been drawn. 8. Draw a tally mark by the winning team! If your child lost this round, remind him that he has many more chances to beat the Math Monster! He will be improving his math skills along the way. This simple game keeps children focused on math facts. You can adapt the Math Monster to more advanced levels of math, working toward double digit addition and subtraction, or multiplication and division. The game can also be used to reinforce mathematical rules, such as the relationship between addition and subtraction, or the effects of using "0" in an equation.

Ring Your Neck: A Math Game

Add up your cards in this strategy game. Deal 13 playing cards into a circle, face down. Take turns selecting one or two cards at a time and adding their values to your total. Carefully plan your moves. The player who picks up the last card will add 50 points to his score! Use a calculator for help, if you'd like the game to focus on strategy, or use scratch paper if you'd like some extra practice with addition.

What You Need:

One deck of cards (ace = 1, jack = 11, queen = 12, king = 13) One Ring Your Neck record sheet for each player A calculator (optional)

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck. Then place 13 cards in the center of the playing area, face down, in a circle. 2. Players take turns picking up 1 or 2 cards at a time (their choice). Players write their score (the sum of their cards) on their record sheet. 3. The player who picks up the last card scores 50 extra points. 4. Deal another 13 cards. Play until ten rounds are over and the score sheets are complete. The player with the highest score wins.

Variations:

Play multiplication-style. Multiply the card(s) that are drawn to the total. Start with a value of 1. Play subtraction-style. Start with an initial score of 1,000. Play division-style. Start with an initial score of 1,000,000. Change the number of cards in the circle. Change the value of all face cards to 10.

Toss Up Game
Take turns tossing playing cards into the air in this fun addition game! Second grade is the time to master sums up to 100, and this activity provides a very engaging way to do just that. All you need to play is a deck of playing cards, paper and pencils. You'll take turns tossing cards and adding their values onto your totals. The first player to reach 100 points wins!

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards

Paper and pencils

What You Do:

1. Take turns drawing 3 cards from the pack and tossing them into the air. 2. Players earn points equal to the value of every card that lands face up. (Keep in mind aces = 1, jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13.) 3. The first player to reach 100 points wins!

Variations:

Toss just two cards. Subtract the lesser card if both cards land face up. Multiply cards instead of adding them. Play to 500 points.

An Equation Card Game

Make equations to remove cards in this strategic single-player game. Use all of the math facts you would like: addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division! Think carefully as you develop a strategy to get rid of all the cards. As you play this game, you will notice your critical thinking skills improving, which help with school work and problem solving as well!

Skills:

Simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division

Term to Know:
Equation: a statement that uses an equals sign to show that both sides are the same. (e.g. 3 + 4 = 7)

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards (Print a deck.) Scratch paper and pencil (optional)

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck. Deal nine cards face up into a 3 x 3 array. Deal three helper cards face up to the side of your array. Place the remaining deck face down nearby. 2. The object of the game is to remove all of the cards from the array. To do this, create math problems using the helper cards. For example, if you have the helper cards 3, 4, and 7, you can create the problem 3 + 7. This would allow you to remove a 10 from the array (because 3 + 7 = 10), along with the 3 and 7 from the

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

helper cards. Or you could create the problem 3 x 4 and remove a queen from the array (because 3 x 4 = 12). To repeat, helper cards create problems while cards in the array always need to be the answers. Remember, aces count as 1, jacks are 11, queens are 12, and kings are 13. If youre using jokers, they can be zeros or wild. Your choice! Discard cards that have been used in an equation. Replace helper cards with new cards from the deck. If you are stuck, discard your helper cards and deal three new helper cards from the deck. Play until the deck runs out or every card in the array has been removed. If your array is empty, youve won!

Variations:

For an additional challenge, begin with 16 cards in a 4 x 4 array. Compete for the highest score. Each player needs their own deck of cards and can play either at their own pace or with a timer. Record your scores and try to improve with practice.

"I'm the Greatest!" A Math Card Game

Grab a deck of playing cards, and lets go! Challenge your child to find the largest sums possible. Whoever can find the biggest answers gets the points! Your second grader will have fun while improving his knowledge of how addition works. He will better his understanding of addition as he uses a critical thinking process to determine the best position for each number. With this fun alternative to studying, we won't be surprised if the flash cards grow a little dusty! Skills:

Addition Place value

What You Need:

One deck of cards (Print a deck.)

Pencil and paper (for each player) Timer (optional)

What You Do:

The object of the game is to win points by forming the largest sum. Remove tens and face cards from the deck. If you have jokers, add them into the deck. Jokers will equal zero. Shuffle the cards. Give each player six cards. Players have exactly one minute to make a 3-digit plus 3-digit addition problem using the numbers on their six cards. Players should experiment and double check their work to ensure they have the largest sum possible. The player with the greatest sum wins the round and one point. The first player to earn 10 points wins the game.

Variations:

For younger players, deal two or four cards and form 1 or 2 digit sums. Adjust or remove the time limit. Change the scoring so players earn the number of points in their sum. Change the name of the game to Think Big! Change the name of the game to Small is Beautiful. Create subtraction problems instead. Use more cards. Try adding four digit numbers or five digit numbers. Work on place value. Have players try to create the largest possible 6-digit number with their 6 cards.

Top It Off
This is the perfect game for practicing addition with 3-digit numbers. Your second grader will love the element of chance combined with computation challenges as she competes to win! You'll need to create your own dice (We have a template for you to print out below.) and a record sheet. Simply roll the dice, find their sum, and add it to your total. You'll be sneaking in quite a bit of addition practice as you play! Feel free to assist your child with her work or allow her to work through problems on her own.

What You Need:

2 custom dice (Print out a dice template and make them, according to the picture shown.) One Top It Off record sheet (Print this out.) Pencils

What You Do:

1. Record "200" as the starting number on the score sheet.

2. Players take turns rolling the two custom dice, adding up their total, and writing it into their answer sheet. Look at the example score sheet on the right. You'll notice that each round includes the previous total (For the first round, it's 200.), + the total of the dice.

3. Play until one player reaches or goes above 2000. That player is the winner!

Variations:

Make the game more challenging and require players to finish exactly at 2000. Use any starting and stopping point. For example, start at 700 and stop at 2500. Change the numbers on the dice.

Math Race
Looking for ways to make math more than just a bore? Make math fun and exciting for your child by turning it into a game. The basic math skills we learn as children are the building blocks of all mathematical thinking in the years following. Thats why fundamental skills like addition are so important. By turning basic math problems into a game that is fun and challenging, your child will not only learn to enjoy math, but hell also begin to solidify a foundation of key skills to use in years to come. And who knows if you play along with him, you might even be able to brush up on those basics that may make the next time you balance your checkbook a little bit easier!

What You Need:

Paper Pencil Calculator 15-20 Index Cards

What You Do: To prepare for this activity, use the index cards to create 15-20 game cards. Write one addition problem with 5-10 addends (numbers to add) on each card. Place the answer to the problem on the back of the card. Note: At a second grade level these numbers should be single digits to begin. (For example, 5+9+8+7+5=) If you would like to adapt this game for older children, simply change the problems to include 2 digit numbers. Activity: 1. To play the game, you will need a partner, but you can play this game with as many players as you like. One player will be using the calculator to try to solve the addition problem. The other player will use pencil and paper. 2. The goal of the player using pencil and paper would be to practice strategies that will enable him to add the string of numbers in the quickest way possible. For

example, the player would want to look for numbers that add to 10, or doubles. (4+6, 7+3, 8+2 all equal ten) (Doubles would be 4+4, 2+2, etc.) 3. The first person to get the answer will get a point. The player with the most points at the end of the game would be the winner. Remember, practice makes perfect! The more you practice your adding skills the quicker you will become and the higher your chances of beating the calculator!

Step on It: A Math Game

Help your child step up to math challenges with a fun game in your very own kitchen. Not only will this help your child learn basic addition and subtraction facts in an engaging way, it will also get her up and moving--with math!

What You Need:

Heavy paper, such as oak tag or construction paper Marker Masking tape Hard floors, such as kitchen tiles

What You Do:

1. Before you start the game, write a complete math fact in large type on one side of a sheet of typing paper. If your child is struggling with early math facts, start with low numbers like 1+2=3. By second grade, however, most kids are working with number facts closer to ten, such as 9+8=17; or with subtraction. Wherever you start, write one math equation on one side of each paper, such as 6+6=12; and write just the question (such as 6+6) on the other side. Make at least 20 facts, and then mix them all up. 2. Set up the challenge: tell your child that her mission, should she choose to accept it, is to cross the room without touching the floor, using only her knowledge of math facts. Tape a square of blank construction paper on one side of the room. This is "start." Explain that you will show her a math problem, and every one she gets right will become her next "step" allowing her to move across the floor. 3. Stand in front of your child, and show her the question side of the construction paper. If she states the correct answer to the math problem, turn it around and tape down the answer side a good step-width away. Allow her to move one space forward. Guide your child through the problems as needed, so that she doesn't become frustrated if the math concept is new to her. If your child does not answer the problem correctly, she must stay on the same space. When your youngster gets all the way across the kitchen, she has successfully completed her mission! In order to keep the Step Game a challenge, try using multiplication or division flashcards as your child advances in math.

Make My Day: Addition Style

Addition with 3-digit numbers has never been so fun! This activity uses a deck of cards to create addition problems and figure out sums. Start out playing with your child, and gradually allow him to solve problems more independently. You'll see his confidence with adding improve as he practices in a more engaging way. Soon enough, he'll be racing through the deck to create sums! What You Need:

One deck of playing cards One Make My Day game board (Print this out.)

What You Do:

Use a joker and the cards ace through nine of all suits. (joker = 0, aces = 1) Deal 6 cards face up into the first and second rows of the game board.

Go through the pack, flipping one card over at a time, and try to find numbers to fill in the bottom row. The bottom row must hold the correct answer to your addition problem. (Note: You may need to create a fourth row if your hundreds column adds up to more than 10!) If you can complete the task before the deck runs out of cards, you win.

Variation:

Play "Subtraction Style." Print out the subtraction game board here.

Math Solitaire for Two

Who doesnt love a good, old-fashioned game of solitaireespecially when you dont have to play alone? Engage your third grader in this version of the classic game and she will get lots of practice using mental math to solve addition and subtraction problems. An added bonus is that she will increase her speed when identifying basic math facts and her selfconfidence will soar! So, put away that drill sheet of addition and subtraction facts and have a little fun playing Solitaire for Two with your third-grader. The resultsand the final scoremay shock you!

What You Need:

Deck of cards Paper and pencil for keeping score

What You Do:

1. Begin the game by shuffling the deck and dealing 20 cards to each player in the following manner: o Deal 4 cards face-down to each player. Position the cards straight across in a row. o Deal 4 rows of 4 cards face-up to each player. Line them up under the previous rows as you would in solitaire. o After dealing, there should be 12 cards left in the deck. Divide them evenly and give each player a face-down deck of 6 cards. 2. Player 1 begins with his first column (moving left to right) and mentally adds all of the face-up cards in the column. The goal is for your total to be as close to 20 as possible. Face cards (Ace, King, Queen, Jack) count as 10. 3. Once the cards in the first column are added, Player 1 must choose to turn over the remaining card in the column or the first card in his deck of 6. Once he turns over

the card, he must choose whether to add or subtract the card in order to have the column total be as close to 20 as possible. For example, if Player 1s face-up cards total 14 and he chooses from his deck and turns over a 10, the column total is 24. 4. Player 2 follows the same process with her first column. Once Player 2 gets a column total, the players compare answers. The player with the total closest to 20 wins the column. In the event of a tie, mark it as a tie. Play continues moving left to right across the columns until one player wins 3 out of 4 columns to win the game! In the event of a tie for the grand total of columns (i.e. both players win 2 columns), players add their remaining face down cards (cards in their decks and those at the top of the columns). The highest total wins!

Knock Off Numbers For Mental Math Practice!

If you counted the number of times in a day you use mental math, the answer would probably shock you! To your child, math may seem easier when hes able to do the work on paper rather than in his head. If he only knew how much these mental math strategies will help in the future! This activity is a great starting point because it is quick, easy and involves only simple addition facts. Starting with mental math basics will give your child the confidence to take on longer, more complex problems. Hell want to continue knocking off the math in his head because he can!

What You Need:

1 die paper pencil

What to Do:
1. With your child, do a quick warm-up review of addition facts to 10. Use flashcards or just quickly write out some facts on paper. 2. Give your child the die. Ask her to roll it 10 times. Each time she rolls the die, write down the number she rolls. You will end up with a vertical list of 10 numbers. 3. Next, explain to your third-grader that she will be learning a way to add the 10 numbers quickly and without writing anything! Help her find 2 numbers in the list that add to 10, such as 4 and 6. Model for her what to do. Say, 4 +6 = 10 and cross out the 4 and 6 while you say it. Then look for 2 more numbers in the list that add to 10, such as 5 and 5, and repeat the process. Once youve added all pairs that add to 10, add 3 digits to get 10. Say, 2 + 5 = 7, 7 + 3 = 10 and cross out the numbers you used. Explain that now youre up to 20 and add the remaining numbers to get a total.

4. Continue practicing mental math with your third-grader. Have her roll the die as you record the numbers, then watch as she crosses out the numbers and talks her way through adding the list. Make it fun and competitive by timing how long she takes to add the list mentally. After you time her, challenge her to beat her time on the next list. A small reward for beating her time is always a good incentive, too!

Quick Stop: An Addition Card Game

Are you tired of worksheets and flashcards? This card game is a fun way to practice addition. Compete for the highest score as you flip over cards. Add up your cards until you reach 100 points. The first one there wins! Ready for a challenge? Check out the variations at the bottom of the page!

Skills:

Addition Subtraction (see variations)

What You Need:

Deck of cards Pencil and paper for every player (to add up scores)

What You Do:

1. Place a well shuffled deck of cards, face down, in the center of the playing area. 2. Each player begins by drawing one card and placing it face up in front of themselves. Players write the value of this card down at the top of their papers. (Aces are worth 1, and face cards are all 10.) 3. When all players are ready, everyone draws a second card. They add the value of these cards to their totals. 4. Keep playing until one player reaches 100.

Variations:

Play until the deck runs out. The player closest to 100, without going over, wins. Add jokers into the deck. If a player draws a joker, their score drops back to zero. Start with 100 points, and subtract your way to the finish. Need a challenge? Use multiplication to reach 1000. (This is a good adaptation for a fourth grader!)

Next Activity Back to Activities List

Master Money Skills With a Mock Card Shop

Once your third grader has mastered counting coins up to $1.00, in school he'll begin to working numbers that make up larger dollar amounts. Chances are, he'll want to go to a store and make a purchase using his own allowance and savings. In which case, he will need to know what bills and coins he'll need to make his purchase. And when it comes to numbers, practice makes perfect. This activity will not only help him practice his math skills, like counting and addition and subtraction, but it will also give him a chance to learn more about things like purchasing and money exchange, which are important concepts to learn as he grows up.

What You Need:

Collection of several old greeting cards (or you can make your own) Dollar bills and coins (5 one dollar bills and several of each coins (half-dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies) Unlined paper to make your cards and markers to decorate you them (if you make them yourself) Several shoppers and one cashier

What You Do:

1. Begin this activity with a warm up. Show your child a greeting card, toy or book and state the price. Have him arrange his bills and show what he would use to buy the card. Provide him with assistance if needed. Challenge him to come up with different dollar and coin combinations to reach the same amount. 2. You will need to either collect (you can use cards that are already used) or make a collection of greeting cards and write prices ranging from one to five dollars on the backs of the items. If you decide to make your own greeting cards, have your child make cards for various occasions using the unlined paper. Be sure he writes the prices on the backs. When the cards are completed, display them on a table for a "shopper" to browse the selection. 3. Choose one person to be the cashier for the card shop and at least one more person to be a shopper. Recruit Moms, Dads, siblings, grandparents, etc. to shop or take turns being the cashier in the card shop. Each person will select a greeting card and will give the cashier the appropriate number of bills and coins. The cashier should check that the amount is correct. You may want to have the shopper count the dollars and coins aloud for the cashier. (Everyone will most likely need to share the same money and use it more than once for multiple purchases.) 4. Allow your third grader to take turns playing both the role of the cashier and the shopper.

You can also do this activity with things other than greeting cards. A collection of baseball cards, for example, or any toys you have lying around the house. Just be sure not to write the prices on anything that you wouldn't want to be written on! A small piece of paper with the price will work just fine, if you prefer. This activity will allow your child to practice his counting skills and prepare him to make purchases on his own the next time you travel to the store together. You may be surprised at his new found confidence and purchasing skills!

Math Magic: A Card Trick to Practice Multiplication

Impress your child with a bit of math magic by performing a card trick anchored in addition and multiplication. Sure, this trick may not be real magic, but it has some pretty magical results: your kid will want to know every detail of the secret behind the trick, and he'll be digging into math as he figures it out! Help him memorize how to perform it, and you'll have a practicing mathemagician in no time.

What You Need:

Deck of 52 playing cards with no Jokers

What to Do:
1. Have your child shuffle the cards as many times as he wants. When he's finished, tell him to look at the bottom card and memorize it. 2. Have him place the deck on the table, then turn over the top 3 cards. 3. Tell him to deal cards face down below each of the face-up cards. To figure out how many cards to deal, subtract the number on the face-up card from 15 (if it's a face card, use these values: Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, and King = 13). For example, if the card is a 9, he should deal 6 cards under it (15-9 = 6). 4. Have him put all the cards he dealt in step 3 on the bottom of the deck. Keep the 3 face-up cards on the table. 5. Have him add values of the face-up cards together. If there is a 9, a Queen, and a 3 on the table, he should add 9 + 12 + 3 = 24. Deal out that many cards, then put them on the bottom of the deck. 6. Explain that you can magically force any card to come out of the deck on command. Ask your child for the name of his card (the one he picked in step 1). Let's pretend it was the Ace of hearts. 7. Pretend to do some hocus-pocus as you say, Ace of hearts, come forth! Repeat the command, and then smile mischieviously. 8. Your child, of course, won't see anything happen, but insist to him that his card did come forth. Have him turn over cards from the top of the deck one at a time. As he does, say, "Here's the first card, here's the second, here's the third, and the Ace of hearts comes fourth!" The fourth card he turns over is his card!

What's Going On?

Each face-up card + the value of the card subtracted from 15 + the value of the card = 16. So? Well, 16 3 face-up cards = 48. Then 48 + 4 (come fourth) = 52 cards in the deck.

The Place Value Board Game Give Me a Clue

Challenge your child to create and solve math riddles! Draw from a deck of playing cards to find your numbers. Then, take turns inventing clues that will help others figure out what cards you have. Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. By articulating math problems and using backwards thinking, your child will improve his critical thinking and math reasoning skills.

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards (Print a deck.)

What You Do:

1. Take turns being the dealer and the guesser. 2. The dealer first draws between 2 and 4 cards from a well-shuffled deck. After examining the cards, they must give 2 clues that involve a math operation and relate the cards to one another. For example, if the dealer has a 3, a 5, and a jack, their clues might be: Clue #1 When you find the product of two of the cards, the answer is 15. Clue #2 When you double one of the cards, the answer is 22.

3. Next, the guesser tries to guess the value of the cards. If they are unable to guess correctly on their first try, the dealer gives another clue. 4. When the numbers have been guessed correctly, switch roles and play again.

Come Closer: A Card Game

Critical thinking is an extremely important math skill. Challenge your child to put on his thinking cap in this game! Players may use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to arrive at answers. Anything goes, as long as it's mathematical! Your child will need to use mental math to combine numbers in a variety of ways. He'll be using more computation than with flash cards, and he'll improve his problem solving skills at the same time.

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards (Print a deck) Paper and pencil (for recording scores)

What You Do:

1. Remove 10s and face cards from the deck. (Keep aces. They will count as 0s.) 2. Deal five cards to each player. Deal two cards face up in the center of the table. 3. Players must select three cards from their hand that, when combined using any math operation, come close to or equal the number represented by the cards in the center of the table. (For example, if an ace and 5 are in the center of the table, the number represented is 15 or 51. In this case, a player may choose a 3, 5, and 2 to create the problem 53 - 2 = 51.) 4. After players have selected their three cards, they should place them face up in front of themselves. Give players a minute or so to examine the other players' cards. If a player feels they will not win the round, they can fold (turn over their cards). 5. Then, all of the players still in the game take turns explaining the math they used and what number their cards created. The player with the number closest to the number in the center of the table wins a point for every player who stayed in the game, including themselves. If there is a tie, both players score points. 6. Discard all of the cards on the table, then replenish the players' hands. 7. Play until the pack has been depleted. The player with the highest score wins.

Variation:
Change the difficulty of the game. Deal 1, 3, or 4 cards into the center of the table.

Name the Operation

Problem solving is an essential math skill, and all you need is a deck of cards to practice it. Flip over cards to determine what numbers you can use. Take turns formulating equations and figuring out others players' equations. Use any operation you would like to arrive at answers. Share your answers with other players, and allow them to guess which operation you used to create them. This type of backwards thinking is a great way to improve critical thinking skills!

What You Need:

One deck of cards (Print a deck.)

What You Do:

1. Provide each player with one complete suit of cards. (For the purposes of this game, aces = 1, jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13.) 2. Players take turns laying out three cards, face up, for other players to see. Then they must create a problem using a single operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division). They only tell their opponent the answer to their problem. (Look at the picture shown above for an example.) 3. Their opponent must try to guess which operation was used and demonstrate how the answer was arrived at. If they are correct, they are awarded 3 points. If they give an incorrect response, they earn 0 points. If they disprove the other player's answer, they earn 4 points. (In the example shown above, a player might guess, "Your problem is 8 - (6 - 2)," and earn 3 points.) 4. The first player to earn 50 points wins.

Variations:

For younger players, remove the face cards. Change the goal from 50 points to another goal. Allow the use of 2 operations to find each answer. Make the game more challenging by increasing the number of cards that can be used.

Tic-tac-toe with an Added Twist

Math and fun go together like, 7 + 3 + 5? In this new take on tic-tac-toe, players add it all up to equal a win! Tic-tac-toe, or naughts and crosses, is one of the best-known games in the world. In this version, the game is played with numbers, and the first player who makes a tick-tack-toe with a sum of 15 wins the game.

What You Need:

Paper and pencil

What You Do:

1. Draw a tick-tack-toe game board on a piece of paper. Write the even numbers and odd numbers from 1 to 10 underneath, with the evens on one side and the odds of the other, like this: (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) (1, 3, 5, 7, 9)

2. This game is played just like regular tick-tack-toe, but instead of using X's, one player uses the even numbers. Instead of O's, the other player uses the odd numbers. 3. You and your friend decide who goes first. Then each player takes turns writing a number in a space. When a number is used, cross it off because it cannot be used again. 4. The winner is the person who makes a tick-tack-toe horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, with a sum of 15. If neither player is able to make a tick-tack-toe, the game is a tie. 5. Take turns using the even numbers and the odd numbers when you play more than one game.

Winning Strategy
Try to set up winning sums in two directions. If your opponent blocks one way, you can still win with the other.

Magic Square Card Puzzles

Check out this problem solving activity! Your student will need to use his knowledge of basic addition facts in order to solve these puzzles. Get out a deck of playing cards, and you'll be ready to start. Create a "magic square," or a square made up of numbers in which all rows, columns, and diagonals add up to the same amount. Look at the instructions below for some challenging suggestions.

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards (Print a deck.)

What You Do:

1. Using a deck of playing cards, create a 3 x 3 array so that the sum of each row, column, and diagonal is the same. You may use one one joker, and have it equal zero. Jacks = 11, queens = 12, and kings = 13. 2. Try creating the following sums:

Using the ace through 8 of one suit, and a joker, create the sum of 12. Using the ace through 9 of one suit, create the sum of 15. Using the 2 through 10 of one suit, create the sum of 18. Using the 3 through jack of one suit, create the sum of 21. Using the 4 through queen of one suit, create the sum of 24. Using the 5 through king of one suit, create the sum of 27.

Fraction :

2 or 22
Add using simple fractions in this fun math card game. All you need is a deck of cards, and you're ready to begin! This game is very similar to Blackjack, or 21, but with one key difference: the face cards are all worth 1/2. Players will need to carefully calculate the value of their hands and decide whether or not they'd like more cards-- and they'll practice adding the fraction 1/2 in the process. This activity is an excellent way to help second graders develop reasoning skills and improve their understanding of fractions.

What You Need:

Deck of playing cards Paper and pencil for keeping score

What You Do:

1. For the purposes of this game, jokers = 0 (optional), aces = 1 or 11, jacks = 1/2, queens = 1/2, and kings = 1/2. 2. Deal two cards to each player. Players can use mental math to add the value of their cards together.

3. The goal of the game is to come the closest to 2 or 22. In each round, players can request another card from the dealer. Players can also stop playing whenever they'd like by placing their cards face up on the table. 4. Players may play for as many rounds as they'd like. 5. When all players have laid out their cards, it's time to count up the hands and decide who's won! Let your kid do the tabulating-- which player has come the closest to 2 or 22? That player wins one point. If there's a tie, multiple players earn points. 6. Play until the deck runs out.

Variation:
Change the scoring so that instead of receiving points, players receive all of the cards from the round they've won. After one pass through the deck, the winner is the player with the most cards.

Name the Fraction

Review fractions with this board game. Practice describing fractions out loud in order to roll the die and move ahead. Once you've mastered the board, try creating your own game! You'll be able to match the game with any ability level. Name the Fraction is guaranteed to be more fun than flash cards! What You Need:

One die (Print a template.) A place marker for each player (a bean, coin, etc.) One Name the Number playing board (Print this out.)

What You Do:

Players each select a place marker and put it at the starting point on the game board. Players take turns rolling the die. The roll determines how many cells they may move. All players may move for "free" on their first turn. Beginning in the second round, a player must say the name of the fraction shown inside their marker's space before being allowed to roll.

Only one marker may occupy a space. If two players land on the same space, the last one stays and the other player must return to start. The first player to reach the halfway point and then return to start wins.

Variation:

Create your own game board. (Print a blank game board here.)

Pizza Fractions
Fractions have never been more enticing! Roll the dice and create a simple fraction with the numbers you find. Color in pizza slices to represent that fraction. Try to "eat" the most pizzas to win this game! Coach your child through at first, then watch as he grows more confident with creating fractions on his own. You'll see his understanding expand as he applies his knowledge other everyday objects. He'll be hungry for more! Terms to Know: numerator: the number above the line in a fraction; indicates the number of parts being considered denominator: the number below the line in a fraction; indicates the total number of parts in the whole What You Need: Two standard dice (Make them.) One Pizza Fractions game board (Print this out.) A different colored pencil/crayon/marker for each player What You Do: Players take turns rolling the dice and forming fractions. When creating a fraction out of the two numbers, players must always choose the smaller number as the numerator and the larger number as the denominator. Once the fraction has been determined, a player should find an appropriate amount of pizza to color in on the game board. (For example, If the numbers 1 and 3 were rolled, the fraction is 1/3, and a player would need to find a pizza divided into 3 slices then color in 1 slice.) Continue playing until all of the pizzas are colored in at least partially.

A players win a pizza if they colored in at least half of it. If two teams colored in exactly half of a pizza, neither team can claim it. Count up the total pizzas won for each team. The team with the most pizzas wins.

Design a Fraction Collage

Break out the ruler and brush up on a little elementary math. Don't despair if numerators and denominators seem like a bore to your child. This colorful collage is sure to show him the brighter side of fractions. This is a great activity for kids having a hard time grasping the concept; being able to see and touch fractions visually and tactile-ly helps kids understand fractions more clearly.

What You Need:

Construction paper in a variety of colors Thick black marker Scissors Ruler Pencil Glue stick

What to Do:
1. Choose a fraction to start with. It's better to start simple even if your child is confident in his fraction skills. 2. Have him write the chosen fraction on a sheet of construction paper with the black marker. Ask him to point out the numerator (top number) and the denominator (bottom number). 3. Select a shape to represent the fraction, such as a rectangle or triangle. Help him draw the shape on another sheet of construction paper (preferably in a different color) using the pencil and ruler. Make sure the dimensions of the shape are in whole inches, ideally in a multiple of the denominator so the shape will be easy to cut up. For example, if your fraction is 3/4, you could make a rectangle that is 8" long, since 8 is a multiple of 4. 4. Still using the ruler, divide the shape up into a number of segments equal to the denominator of your fraction. Using the example from step 3, you would divide the rectangle into 4 2" segments. 5. Have him cut out the whole shape from the construction paper. 6. Flip over the sheet of construction paper that you wrote the fraction on and glue the shape onto the other side. 7. Now have him choose another sheet of construction paper in a different color than the shape. Using the same measurements you used in step 4, draw a number of

segments equal to the numerator of the fraction. Using the same example again, you would cut three 2" wide segments. 8. Cut out the segments and glue them on top of the shape within the lines. 9. You're done! Go back to step 1and repeat for a different fraction. Try attaching all your fraction collages to a large piece of poster board, overlapping them and arranging them in different directions for artistic effect.

Learn Fraction Basics

When first introduced into a child's education, fractions are often intimidating and difficult to understand. Make the concept easier to grasp by applying the idea of fractions to an everyday, familiar situation such as cooking and meals. By involving your child in activities that you do on a daily basis that involve fractions, you will help to familiarize him with this big idea in a non-threatening, encouraging way. To understand the basics of fractions, your child must begin to gain knowledge about the idea that things can be divided evenly and that objects and numbers can be expressed as parts of a whole. Understanding this essential principle will form a foundation for learning concepts such as measurement, time, and money, which are all discussed in terms of a parts of a whole.

What You Need:

Round or square food items such as sandwiches, bagels, cookies, donuts, pies, or pizza. Measuring cups and spoons

Fun and easy activities you can do at home:

Encourage your child to cut sandwiches, bagels, or other food items into halves, quarters and thirds. Invite your child to help you in the kitchen, especially when you are measuring. Talk about cups, 1/2 cup, 1/4 teaspoon and so on. Give your child a plate of cookies and encourage him to divide them equally among friends.

Vocabulary Builders: These are some vocabulary words that can be used to enhance your child's understanding of fractions.

Divide Equal Fourth

Half Part Fraction Share Whole

Next time you visit the library, check out one of these books: Moonbear by Frank Asch. Simon & Schuster, 1993. Half a Moon and One Whole Star by Crescent Dragonwagon. Macmillan, 1986. The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. Greenwillow, 1986. Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan. Scholastic, 1991.

Geometry

Play the Shape Twister Game

Young kids love bright colors and shapes. Visit an elementary school playground some time and you'll also see: they adore moving around. Here is a kindergarten activity that combines all threeshape, color, and motion to review basic shape terms that will be especially useful in math later on, when kids move to studying three dimensional shapes and early geometry. More importantly, it gets kids writing and reading, by inspiring them to take an active role. It's a fun game that's kind of like Twister...with a twist!

What You Need:

Construction paper- various colors Child safety scissors Crayons or markers 1 metal paper fastener Scotch tape Pencil Lined paper

What to Do:
1. Set the stage. Explain that this is a fun game using colors and shapes, while following a set of directions that can be a little tricky. Let your child know you consider this a challengebut one that she can also do well. 2. Make the game. Have your child use crayons or markers to draw 2 of each of the following shapes: square, rectangle, triangle, diamond, circle, & star. Make them fairly largeat least 6-8 across, and use plenty of different colors of paper. Then lay them in rows on the floor. 3. Make directions. Ask your child to create a list of directions. Either you or he can write them on a sheet of lined paper. Examples: "Place your right hand on the ____ ." "Place your left hand on the _____ ." "Place your right foot on the ______ ." "Place your left foot on the ______ ." "Move your right hand and place it on the _____ ." 4. Make a spinner. Help your child use crayons and construction paper to create a paper spinner showing each of the colored shapes they have created. Draw a circle on white paper, and divide it into sections using a pencil. Have your child color each section with one color crayon. Have your child draw a picture on each colored section to match the shapes they created. Then cut out an arrow from another piece of construction paper, cut it to fit the spinner circle, and fasten it at the center with the paper fastener. 5. Play! Help your child play the game by reading a direction from their list. Then spin the spinner to determine which colored shape they will land on. Continue until they have identified all of the colors and shapes. This is a great game to play with older siblings as well. After all, you're never too old to have funand learn math while you're doing it. Snowflakes are amazing things no two are exactly alike, just like humans! Your child can learn more about symmetry and the art of paper folding by creating a glittering garland out of snowflakes. Along with making a lovely holiday decoration to display around the house, your child will hone his cutting skills!

What You Need:

White paper Scissors Hole puncher Ribbon Glue Glitter Paintbrush Easel paper (optional, for covering work surface)

What You Do:

1. Start by taking a closer look at snowflakes and their unique qualities by heading out to the library for books about snowflakes or using the Internet to do some research with your child. Not only will he learn more about snowflakes, but he'll also learn that taking the time to research something new is fun! 2. Offer your child a sheet of white paper and scissors. You can fold it in half a couple times and also encourage him to experiment folding and cutting the paper various ways to create a unique snowflake. 3. Invite him to open the snowflake and notice how it's the same on both sides symmetrical, or if it's asymmetrical and different! 4. Go on a scavenger hunt around the house looking for as many things that he can find that are symmetrical. 5. Now he can make several more snowflakes to create his garland of all different shapes and sizes! 6. Once your child has a big collection of snowflakes he can select his favorites to use for creating the special garland. About 8 to 10 snowflakes will make a good 6-foot garland. 7. Help your child cover the work area with a large sheet of easel paper and then offer him watered-down glue and a paintbrush to gently coat one side of the snowflakes. He can then sprinkle the snowflakes with glitter and let dry. 8. Now your child can punch a hole in each snowflake close to an edge and then thread the snowflakes with a long length of silver ribbon. He can gently tie a knot after adding each snowflake to hold them in place on the garland. 9. Hang the garland along the mantle or around a doorway for others to enjoy! Real snow flakes are so small we hardly to get to notice them all clumped together collected on the ground and in the cold, but on a garland made of paper the snowflakes from your child's creativity will warm the spot its hanging from.

Make a Positive-Negative Space Shamrock

This St. Patrick's Day, help your child play and learn with important elements like space and shape! Using a hands-on approach, this fun art exploration activity will introduce your young learner to the concepts of positive and negative space. Your child can learn about shape, space, fractions, symmetry, and other mathematically-inspired art principles while designing a very special symbol for the upcoming Irish holiday.

What You Need:

2 pieces of white construction paper 1 piece of green construction paper Marker, crayon, or pencil Scissors Glue or glue stick

What to Do:
1. Ask your child to stack one piece of white paper and one piece of green paper on top of each other, and then fold in half like a book. 2. Invite her to draw half of a shamrock onto the folded paper, starting at the fold. Try using a picture or illustration from a book as a model for the shamrock shape. It may be helpful for your child to first trace this shape onto another paper to get the feel of it. 3. Have your child cut the shamrock out. She should have two shamrock shapes (one green and one white). The fold should be in the center of the shape. Point out that the shamrock shape (or image) that has been removed is the positive space. This is a great opportunity to introduce new art vocabulary such as the words organic shape (shapes that nature or associated with the natural world). 4. From the remaining paper, have your child cut a line down the fold. Your child should now have four half pieces of paper with the negative shamrock space towards the center. This is a great way to introduce the concept of fractions. Choose one half of the green paper (with the half shamrock cut out) and glue it to a new (non-cut) piece of white paper. It should be lined up exactly with the sides, top, and bottom of the new paper. 5. Have your child cut both shamrocks in half. She should take one of the green half shamrocks and glue it onto the white side of the paper that is blank.

When your child has finished gluing, you should see a whole shamrock with one positive green side, and one negative space white side. Make sure to discuss what has occurred, and talk about the positive and negative features of the shamrock.

Develop Spatial Awareness with a Tangram

Tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle. The word tangram literally translates to seven boards of skill. Your child will develop her spatial awareness and get an introduction to basic geometry as she makes her own tangram, using it to create two different mathematical shapes. She can take things a step further by creating her own pictures and shapes using the seven pieces What You Need: 6 1/2" square sheet of card stock Colored felt-tip pens or pencils (six or seven different colors) Scissors Glue Tangram template What You Do: Print out the template. Ask your child to color each segment in the template a different color. Ask your child to carefully glue the template to the card. When the glue is dry, help your child to cut out the tangram along all the dotted lines. This should result in seven different colored pieces. Jumble up the pieces and see how quickly your child can make a square from the pieces. Mix the pieces up again and see if he can improve his assembly time. Mix the pieces up again and see if he is able to make a rectangle. Ask your child to make other pictures using the pieces. Try playing other games with your tangram. Here's one idea: make a second tangram set. Give your child one set, and arrange the other into a shape. Challenge your child to arrange her set into the same shape.

Make a Maze with Drinking Straws!

On those lazy summer afternoons, theres nothing like a fun puzzle or maze to keep your third grader fascinated. You can find books of mazes in toy shops, but with a piece of corrugated cardboard, a marble, and some bendable drinking straws, you and your child can make a three dimensional toy that you can enjoy again and again. And while youre busy crafting, remember this: for third and fourth graders, mazes are an excellent math tool. Teachers encourage kids to explore them as a way to strengthen logical reasoning and spatial thinking, both of which are crucial to success in geometry. Kids will benefit from

this activity if you make the maze, but the learning will be even deeper if your child designs it herself. With these simple materials, that should be a snap!

What You Need:

Flat piece of corrugated cardboard, 12x18 or so Box of bendable drinking straws Exacto knife Plastic mesh bag, such as for onions or oranges Hot glue gun Ruler and pen Bright colored marker Marble

What You Do:

1. Lay the corrugated cardboard on a flat surface, and start by marking a 1 square in the middle. Use the Exacto knife to cut it out completely. This will be home base for your maze. 2. Turn the cardboard over. Cut out a 3x 3 section of plastic netting, stretch it across the hole, and tape it down. 3. Now use your ruler and pen to mark out a maze with 1 channels, all the way out to the far edge of your cardboard. Be sure to create plenty of false turns and twists! When you reach the far corner of your maze, make a star with your markerthat will be the starting point for your marble. 4. Lay the drinking straws along the maze lines, and glue them down with your hot glue gun or with strong craft glue. 5. When the glue has dried, your child will have a fabulous maze toy to mess around with by the hourand you can feel satisfaction, too, in providing an activity that is so much fun while being great for learning, too.

Time

Minute Math: How to Estimate Time

Second graders spend lots of time building skills for telling time. You can expect plenty of worksheets with clocks to identify; but it's also important for kids to get a feel for time. What does a minute feel like? An hour? This fun game helps children learn to estimate the most basic unit of time--a minute--without a clock. Instead, they will use repeated activities that each last a minute to truly understand what fits into 60 seconds!

What You Need:

Two players

Watch or clock with a second hand

What You Do:

1. Start this activity by letting your child know you will be playing a game with time. Review with him how many seconds are in one minute. Tell your child you'll be timing him to see how many activities he can do in a minute, including jumping jacks, hopping on one foot, counting to ten, and clapping his hands. 2. Using a clock or watch, time your child for one minute as he counts how many jumping jacks he can do. Be sure to tell him when to begin and stop counting. 3. Repeat Step 2 with each of the following activities: have your child hop on one foot, count to 10, and clap his hands. As your child becomes more used to the amount of time elapsed with these activities, have him guess when one minute has elapsed as you time him. Variation: Switch roles, and let your child be the timer while you count how many of the above activities you can do in a minute. Your child will love learning time this way with you!

Make a Clock!
You thought this day would never come, but guess what, its time! Time for your child to learn to tell time, that is. Mastering this skill can seem hard at first, but with hands-on practice, students strengthen their understanding of how clocks move. Heres a fun at-home activity that lets kids make a clock of their own, then connect it to real world events, like a soccer game!

What You Need:

Old frisbee, or a thick paper plate Markers Scissors or a drill Poster board or heavy paper Paper fasteners (available at any stationary store) Circle shaped stickers Paper Pencil

What You Do:

1. Start by making a small hole in the center (with a plate, you can use scissors, with a frisbee, youll need to use a drill). Let your child know hes going to make his very own clock and that the frisbee or paper plate will serve as the clock face. If you

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have an analog watch or clock somewhere in the house, bring it to the table to use as a model. Ask your child to place one sticker at the top of the clock face and one directly opposite, on the bottom. With the marker, have him write the number 12 on the top sticker and the number 6 on the bottom sticker. Now ask him to place one sticker on each side, halfway in between the top and bottom. He should write 3 on the right hand sticker, and 9 on the left hand one. Then, using your analog clock as a model, ask him to fill in the other numbers on the clock, using the stickers and his marker. Now its time for the clock hands! Using the poster board, cut two arrowsone longer one for the minute hand, and a shorter one for the hour hand. Pierce the ends of the arrows with the paper fastener, slide it through the hole in the center of your clock face, and secure at the back. Pick a day of the week and with your childs help, create a list of his activities. This might include soccer practice, a violin lesson, going to school, a play date, a shopping trip with grandmaor just time spent eating a snack. Next to each entry, write the time the activity begins, rounding to the nearest half hour. Make it concrete! Help your child identify the hour hand and the minute hand on the clock face. Remind her that the hour hand shows the hour and the minute hand shows the minutes. Now make sure she knows which hand of the clock is longer (the minute hand) and which hand of the clock is shorter (the hour hand). Now pick an activity and find its time on the clock. Start with the activities that begin on the hour and then move to the activities that are on the half hour. If your child is having trouble, move the hands around the clock, naming each hour as you go. Then give your kid a go at it. Not quite there yet? Dont worry. Telling time always becomes easier with practiceand time!

Subtraction

Play Subtraction "War"

Play this fun card game with your second grader, and before long those challenging subtraction math facts will be part of her mathematical skill set. Besides strengthening subtraction skills, this game also provides practice in comparing numbers. Your teacher will thank you: in school, second graders are spending lots of time going up and down the number line, counting objects, and developing deep understanding of these all-important number concepts.

What You Need:

Deck of cards Kitchen timer

What You Do:

1. Shuffle the deck of cards and deal them face down, giving each player an equal number of cards until the deck runs out. Each player keeps his cards in a stack. Assign picture cards, such as jacks, queens, and kings, a value of 10. Give aces a value of 1. 2. Demonstrate to your child how to play the game: Each player turns two cards face up, reads the number sentence and supplies the answer. For example, if your child draws a 5 and a 4, he says 5 - 4 = 1. If you draw a 7 and an 2, then your number sentence is 7-2 = 5. Because your result is larger, you win the four cards and you put them at the bottom of your pile. 3. If each of you has a number sentence with the same answer, then it's war! At this point, you'll reverse the math "operation" and do an addition problem. Each player puts four cards face down and turns up two of them. The player with the sum wins all eight cards. 4. Set up the timer and play the game for 10 to 15 minutes. When the bell goes off, each player counts his cards. The player with the most cards wins. If one player runs out of cards before time is up, then the other player wins. Say no to boring "drill and kill". Get your game on! Subtraction Math War is an marvelous, high-speed way to build up math skills while spending a richly enjoyable time with your child.

Play Subtraction Sacks

Want a simple solution for your child's struggles with subtraction? Invite her to play this subtraction sacks game! This kinesthetic learning activity will strengthen her understanding of subtraction and help her memorize basic subtraction facts. The combination of visually counting and removing counters, guessing how many counters remain in the sack, and then checking how many counters are actually left, is a surefire way to get her actively involved in math.

What You Need:

Six paper bags Index cards Markers Counters

What to Do:
Sack Number 0 1 2 3 4 5 # of Counters 0 1 2 3 4 5 Number Cards -0 -0, -1 -0, -1, -2 -0, -1, -2, -3 -0, -1, -2, -3, -4 -0, -1, -2, -3, -4, -5

1. Have your child write the numbers 0-5 on the sacks. 2. Make number cards for each sack by writing the numbers shown in the above chart on index cards. 3. Stack each set of cards in front of the appropriate sack and ask your child to place one, two, three, four, or five counters into its corresponding sack. 4. Invite your child to draw a card, subtract the number of counters shown on the card from the sack, and guess the number of counters that are left in the sack. 5. The number of counters in the sack will validate her answer. 6. Encourage your child to say a number sentence that explains what she's done. 7. Repeat this activity multiple times with different number cards for each sack. Try practicing this game every evening until she gets the hang of these fundamental subtraction facts. When she is ready to move on, try extending the game to include numbers 6-10.

Patterns Rounding & estimation

A Rapid Rounding Game

As third graders begin to work on more complex computations, they will need some way to quickly double check their answers. That's why rounding is such an important skill set to master in third grade. The good part? "Rapid Fire Rounding" can be fun. This kinesthetic game will help your child practice this skill and get her adrenaline rushing.

What You Need:

9 pieces of poster board in various colors masking tape large black marker index cards stop watch

What You Do:

Label the poster boards by hundreds from 100 to 900 (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900). Each poster board should have one number on it. Tape these all in a row to the ground outside, or in an open space in your home where it's okay to stomp on them. On the index cards, write a variety of numbers from 100 to 900, such as 136, 879, 510, etc... There should be about 40 cards. Tell your child that you are going to hand him a card, and he has to round the number to the nearest hundreds place and then jump on the correct answer as quickly as he can. After three tries to get the slickest time, switch places. Now it's your turn to claim the title as the fastest rounder! After a few rounds like this, shuffle the poster boards around so that they are no longer in order, but all mixed up. How does this affect your time?

This game is especially helpful to kids who struggle with pen and pencil sitting tasks. In this activity, there's nothing like "voting with your feet" when it comes to understanding how this math concept works.

Probability & Data

What Doesn't Belong? A Categorization Game

n this outdoor activity you and your child will have fun hunting for objects that have something in common and choosing one that doesnt belong in the group. The object of the game is to have the other person figure out what item doesnt quite fit. Your child will have so much fun playing this game she wont even know that shell be practicing some important learning skills like: understanding relationships, categorizing, comparing, contrasting and observing.

What You Need:

1 shoebox for each player

What You Do:

1. Introduce the game to your child and play one round together so she knows exactly what to do. You can start by gathering the following 5 objects: rock, ball, twig, leaf, piece of grass 2. Pretend youre guessing which one doesnt belong. Model your thinking for your child so she can see how you go about deducing what doesnt fit. You can say something like: I see a rock, a ball, twig, a leaf and a piece of grassI found them all outside, so they have all that in common. A rock and a ball are both round, but I dont think shape works with this one. They are all different colors, so it cant be that. A piece of grass is much smaller than everything, but the twig is pretty small too. I keep looking at the ball because it doesnt seem to fit in this group. Let me thinkoh! A rock, a twig, a leaf and a piece of grass are all things that come from nature, and a ball doesnt! A ball is man-made it doesnt come from the earth, so it has to be the one that doesnt belong! 3. Review with your child different ways you can categorize things based on your thinking. Shape, color, and size are some you thought about when modeling your thinking. But there are also other categories that you can use like: textures, how things are made, and even what letter each object starts with. Have your child think about some ways to categorize objects as well so she understands how to go about playing this game. After going over these different categories, youre ready to play the game with your child. 4. Get a shoebox for yourself and give one to your child. Give yourself and your child ample time to find 5 objects, and remind her to pick one that doesnt fit into the group. 5. When youre both done, sit next to each other and trade shoeboxes. Focus on one shoebox together. Start with yours. If your child is having trouble finding what doesnt belong, ask her questions like: Do they have similar colors? What about their textures? Do you think their sizes are all the same? What do you think about their shapes? 6. These guiding questions will get her thinking and will help her deduce which object doesnt belong. 7. When she figures out what doesnt belong, take a look at the items in her shoebox. Model your thinking like you did in Step 1 until you find the object that doesnt fit. The more practice you have with this game, the easier it will be to find what doesnt belong. For each round, encourage your child to find a different way to categorize objects and to try to make them harder and more challenging to make the game more interesting. What's going on? Although the game may seem simple at first, classification is a core skill throughout elementary school science, and it's almost impossible to overdo practice!

Create a Venn Diagram Creature!

Teachers have employed graphic organizers as a way to help students arrange and manage their ideas for years. These popular techniques, such as the Venn diagram, are widely-used

for good reason. They provide the perfect starting point to brainstorm the ways that two ideas or objects are similar or different! Introduce your child to this organizational method by helping her create a Venn diagram fantasy creature!

What You Need:

Paper Pencil Colored pencils, watercolors, markers, or crayons

What to Do: 1. Begin with a sheet of lined or unlined paper. The paper should be at least letter size, if not larger. Turn the sheet of paper so that it is oriented horizontally. 2. Have your child draw two large circles on the paper. The circles should take up nearly all of the paper and they should overlap one another at their midpoints, as if they were two Olympics rings. 3. Ask your child to name two animals or insects. She should write each name at the top of each circle, in the sections that do not overlap. Then, she can draw each animal below the name, also in the segments of the circles that do not overlap. 4. Brainstorm ways to combine the two animal names. Write the new name at the top of the overlapping section of the two circles. For example, a butterfly and a bumblebee can be combined to become a butterbee or bumblefly. 5. Talk about the characteristics of the two animals and how they are similar and different. Discuss what the new combined creature (based on their similarities) would look like. Invite your child to draw and decorate her new fantasy creature in the overlapping section, using colored pencils, crayons, etc. This activity provides a fun visual representation of comparing and contrasting. Encourage your child to use the fantasy creature as a springboard for a journal entry or a writing activity!

Diamond Draw
"That's not fair!" is a phrase parents often hear. This game takes a mathematical approach to that statement. Introduce probability to your third grader with this fun card game. You'll play a game of chance, then evaluate the odds of winning. Once you've each had a turn, change the game. Use the suggestions at the bottom of the page for ideas. Discuss whether or not the probability of winning changes when you change the rules.

Term to Know:
probability: the chance that a particular outcome will occur

What You Need:

One deck of playing cards (Print a deck.) A Diamond Draw record sheet (Print this out.) A pencil

What You Do:

1. Among the two participants, select a dealer and a player. 2. The dealer shuffles the deck, then places two cards face down on the table. 3. The player turns the cards face up. If at least one card is a diamond, the player wins one point. If neither card is a diamond, the dealer wins one point. (Record these scores.) 4. Play for ten rounds. Whoever has the most points wins. 5. Switch roles and play again. 6. Consider the following questions: Is the game fair? Do the dealer and the player have an equal chance at winning? How do you know? (Yes, the game is fair, when you think about probability. One out of every four cards in a deck is a diamond. When dealt one card, there is a 25%, or 1/4 chance it is a diamond. When dealt two cards, it is more likely you will find a diamond. The odds of finding one in this case is 50%. Therefore, the player should win about half of the time, and the dealer should win the other half of the time.)

Variations:

Change the winning suit from diamonds to clubs. Is the game still fair? Have the dealer provide only one card each round. Is the game still fair? (Who's more likely to win in this game?) Change the winning requirements to finding at least one red card. Is the game fair now? Try to come up with different variations on your own, and test them for fairness.