5 Fun & Easy Early Math Games that Won't Put Preschoolers to Sleep

Kids begin learning math in the womb. Seriously. They identify tones and patterns early in life. I am not one to push a child (there is a range of development for everything with kids) to learn math in the academic sense but there are easy and non-invasive ways to introduce children to math concepts without pressuring them.

Logical Quantification

Early Math Games with One Child

#1 – Unit Block to Card Match Game is an easy way to introduce young kids to math. There is a lot of opportunity for variation. So make it find! Use your child’s hook and make him love math!

Materials & Approach:

A basket of unit blocks (15)
A set of cards with squares that match the corresponding base of the unit block.
The cards are marked with 1,2,3,4, and 5 blocks.
Have the child match the blocks to the card.

#2 – The Sharing Game introduces slightly more complex math thinking.

Materials & Approach:

Box divided into four compartments or four baskets/containers
4 cards each with a picture of a child
A basket with 12 blocks or matching objects
Explain to the child that these children are playing together and that in order to be fair they need to divide the blocks up evenly amongst the children.
Leave the children to divide the objects
Then explain that one child has to go home & take away one picture
Ask the child to divide the blocks to the remaining children
Continue by removing another card and asking the child to divide by two

Early Math Game for Two Children

#3 – A Card Game

You need a set of cards with pictures of sets of objects up to five and a basket of counters.
Place the cards face down between the children
Ask the child to draw a card and then take the same amount of objects (on the card) from the basket. At the end, ask the children to determine who has the most objects.

#4 – Cover the Grid Game

Each child has a grid with 12 to 15 squares
There is a basket with just as many counters
A die marked with a set of 1, 2, or 3 dots
The child rolls the die and then subsequently covers that amount of squares with counters
The winner covers the board
You can add a more advanced die as the children master the game

#5 – Give & Take Game

A set of cards marked with a set of squares
A set of cards marked with a set of circles
A basket of counters
Place the basket between two children
Place cards face down between them
Children take turns drawing a card
If that child draws a circle card, the child places that quantity into the basket
If the child draws a square card, the child takes that quantity from the basket
The game ends when there are no more objects left in the basket

Hope you enjoyed these ideas! You should also check out this Super Cool Math & Art Pi Day Activities for Kids of All Ages! You will love it!

For more math games check out this awesome list of 11 Cool Math Games

Marnie