This is a great way to practice higher order math skills. For example, you can turn the cards upside down and make it a memory game! You can also mix all the cards together, then pull two cards from a face down pile and add or subtract them.
Once you’ve printed out dot cards, you can make up your own games with more challenging rules. This is a great game to play because you can make it more difficult as your preschoolers’ skills advance. The person with the most cards at the end of the game wins!.Play passes around the table until all the cards have been claimed. If the person finds the correct match, they keep their cards.Then that person looks at the other cards on the table to find one that matches the number of dots on their first card.The person whose turn it is selects one card from the deck, then counts the number of dots on that card out loud.Spread the other cards face up on the table so everyone can see them. In the deck you print out, there are two of each dice pair (so two ones, two twos, and so on.) Split those cards into two separate piles where the numbers don't repeat.Match the Dots is a game for kids age three and older and can be played with up to four people, so you can get multiple little ones involved in this math activity! The goal of Match the Dots is to match the number on printed cards (which are linked below). Preschool Math Activity #2: Match the Dots
As your child gets older and has more practice, you can ask them how many fingers you are not raising.Ĭheck out this website for more free math games for kids that use finger counting. You can also ask them to use their fingers to show you one more or one fewer than the number of fingers you held up.
To make the game a little more challenging, ask your child to use both hands and show five in a different way. You can do this over and over, holding up different numbers of fingers and combinations on each hand. For instance, show two fingers on your right hand and three fingers on your left hand. Reveal your hands holding up a few fingers on each hand.Chant this rhyme together with your child: “Fingers, fingers, 1,2,3, how many fingers do you see?” (You can even come up with your own tune!).Subitizing (recognizing a numerical value on sight).
Kids love tactile activities, so why not use that to your advantage? Here’s how to play a simple finger game to help your child learn and understand arithmetic. Preschool Math Activity #1: Simple Finger Game Check out our seven favorite activities below. Though preschoolers are still new to the whole “math” thing, there are many math activities for preschoolers that are fun and easy to do at home. In fact, you can have fun using just your fingers! The great thing about math games for preschoolers is you don't need any special equipment.
We’ve also included links to additional resources to make things even easier! Math games work best for your children when they’re properly matched with your child’s developmental stage and skill level, so we’ve divided our list of 20 fun math games for kids up into sections based on age (preschool, elementary, and middle school).įor each game, we’ve included a description of the math activity, a list of the materials you’ll need to implement it, the skills it teaches, and step-by-step directions for how to play or implement it. How to Use This List of Fun Math Games for Kids We’ve compiled a mix of analog and digital games, too.so you’ll be able to choose the learning option that best suits your family.īest of all, you can implement all of these games at home-and most of them are free! Our expert guide to 20 math games for preschoolers, elementary, and middle schoolers will help you choose games that are both educational and fun. But choosing math games that are educational and fun can be tough, especially when you’re already juggling a busy schedule.ĭon’t worry: we’re here to help. Math games are a fun and easy way to help your kids work on their math skills at home while school’s in and out of session.