Count 'Em Up: 5 Skill-Building Math Activities
Does your child need math-facts practice? These creative games require little to no prep and help keep skills sharp.
1. Math Memory Game: Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with a do-it-yourself memory game. Instead of matching images, you'll pair equations with their correct solutions. For example, a card might read "3 + 5 = ?" and its match would be 8. When creating cards (index cards cut in half work well), be sure to think of problems that have distinct answers. In other words, don't use "2 x 3 = ?" and "36 / 6 = ?" as the solution for both is 6.
2. Numerical 20 Questions: A numerical take on 20 Questions, this game is a great way to practice math in a creative way. Have your child think of a number (instead of a person), then hone in on that number by asking questions such as "Is it greater than 50?", "Is it divisible by 3?", or "Does it end in 0?" Have your child write down and keep track of the questions on a piece of paper. If you get to 20 questions without figuring out the answer, you lose. Next, switch sides — you think of number and have your child try to figure it out using only yes or no questions.
3. I Spy Numbers: It can be tough to get math practice in on the road. Try playing I Spy with numbers. For example, "I Spy... Multiples of 2 up to 20," where the first one to spy 2, 4, 6, 8, and so on, through 20, is the winner. Have your child look for numbers on billboards, road signs, license plates, etc. This game can be adapted depending on the age of the child: If your child is just learning to count, just identifying the numbers 1 through 10 might be appropriate; for older kids, go with odds/evens, multiples, or prime numbers.
4. Riddle me this, riddle me that: Most children love the challenge of riddles, trying to put clues together to come up with the right answer. Creating math riddles, involving the properties of numbers, is an easy way to make math fun; it also helps teach children important math vocabulary such as sum, product, equals, and less than. Here's an example of a fairly simple riddle: "I am a perfect square, divisible by two and three. The sum of my digits is nine. Who am I?" (Answer: 36). Write the riddles — as easy or as difficult as you wish — on blank index cards and keep them in the kitchen, the car, and the bathroom for puzzling while you're cooking, driving to school, or supervising bath time. As a twist, come up with a riddle with multiple answers and have your kids compete to see who can come up with the greatest number of correct answers.
5. Money matters: Teach your kids about money using just your spare change. The goal is three-fold: (1) First, sort the money into piles of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, (2) then create as many piles as possible equal to $1.00, (3) and finally find the total value of all the coins. Some $1.00 piles will be easier than others (four quarters or ten dimes, for example), but others will be more difficult, using some quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. You can even use the money as an incentive: If your child gets the right answer for the total, he can keep the change.
