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July 9, 2015

Hands On Math Game

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Making math hands on and fun makes it much easier for kids to learn and practice new concepts. This is especially true for kids who are just starting to work with computations like addition and subtraction. Shake and Add is a hands on math game that gets kids moving and learning!

Shake and Add! An active addition game that makes math fun and hands on!
I first started playing this game with the kids in my elementary school class. They loved to use manipulatives like bingo chips and marbles while they added and subtracted, but it got a little old after awhile. We decided to add shaking and dumping into the routine and it got a lot more exciting! It’s the perfect game for week two of Camp Mathematics.

Hands on Math Addition Game

  • 2 cups
  • bowl or tray
  • dice
  • pom poms, marbles, stones, etc

Hands on math game that teaches kids to add!

The premise of the game is super simple. Roll each die and add the corresponding number of pom poms to each cup. Then shake them up!

When the cups are properly shaken the child dumps it into the bowl and counts to see how many is there. It’s the same concept of adding with manipulatives, but more fun!

Simple and fun math addition game for kids! Lots of hands on learning!

Some kids are more sensitive to noise and some need more sensory input so you can choose the best shaking material for your kids or class. Marbles have a much different sound and experience compared to pom poms. You may also want to switch it up based on how much noise you are in the mood for that day!

Camp Mathematics

There’s more math fun coming your way this summer–6 weeks worth to be exact!

This is week two of Camp Mathematics and both Erica and I are sharing fun ideas for computation. She has a magic squares game your kids will love so go see how to play!

Have you missed a week of Camp Mathematics? Catch up now!

Week 1: DIY Abacus for Kids and Counting Down Math Game

Week 2: Shake and Add Math Game and Magic Squares Game

Week 3: Grape Shapes STEM Activity and T Puzzle

Week 4: Math Patterns in Nature and Spirolaterals

Week 5: Sandwich Fractions and a Printable Fraction Game

Week 6: Math Card Games and Cooperative Dice Games

Stay tuned each week for more math ideas you can do with your kids this summer!

About Megan Sheakoski

Megan is the creator of Coffee Cups and Crayons, a blog full of simple fun and learning. She believes that kids’ activities don’t have to be complicated to be fun and that learning is better with play.

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Comments

  1. Becca Pierce says

    January 23, 2016 at 5:06 pm

    This assortment of math games and activities are amazing! I am already adding some of them to my collection of math centers in my classroom. Thanks for sharing!
    Chalkboard Creations

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