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5 Fun & Easy Early Math Games Preschoolers Love

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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.

Easy & Fun Early Math Games for Kids

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

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