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:

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

Related: Ideas for Early Math Estimation Activities

#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