numeracy activities for problem solving

20 Best Math Puzzles to Engage and Challenge Your Students

Written by Maria Kampen

• Teacher Resources

• 1. Math crossword puzzles
• 2. Math problem search
• 3. Math riddles

It’s time for math class, and your students are bored.

It might sound harsh, but it’s true -- less than half of 8th grade students report being engaged at school according to this Gallup survey , and engagement levels only drop as students get older.

Math puzzles are one of the best -- and oldest -- ways to encourage student engagement. Brain teasers, logic puzzles and math riddles give students challenges that encourage problem-solving and logical thinking. They can be used in classroom gamification , and to inspire students to tackle problems they might have previously seen as too difficult.

Math puzzles for kids

Puzzles to Print

Take a crossword, and make it math: that’s the basic concept behind this highly adaptable math challenge. Instead of words, students use numbers to complete the vertical and horizontal strips. Math crossword puzzles can be adapted to teach concepts like money, addition, or rounding numbers. Solutions can be the products of equations or numbers given by clues.

Have students practice their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills by searching for hidden math equations in a word search-style puzzle . It can be adapted to any skill you want students to practice, and promotes a solid understanding of basic math facts.

My PreCalc students love riddles... can you figure out where the other dollar went?? #MathRiddles pic.twitter.com/BclqW9nq98 — Rachel Frasier (@MsFrasierMHS) January 8, 2019

Do your students love word problems ? Try giving them some math riddles that combine critical thinking with basic math skills. Put one up on the board for students to think about before class begins, or hand them out as extra practice after they’ve finished their work.

Prodigy is an engaging, game-based platform that turns math into an adventure! While it’s not a math puzzle in the traditional sense, Prodigy uses many of the same principles to develop critical thinking skills and mathematical fluency.

Students complete standards-aligned math questions to earn coins, collect pets and go on quests. Teachers can deliver differentiated math content to each student, prep for standardized tests and easily analyze student achievement data with a free account.

See how it works below!

KenKenKenKen

is a “grid-based numerical puzzle” that looks like a combined number cross and sudoku grid. Invented in 2004 by a famous Japanese math instructor named Tetsuya Miyamoto, it is featured daily in The New York Times and other newspapers. It challenges students to practice their basic math skills while they apply logic and critical thinking skills to the problem.

6. Pre-algebraic puzzles

Pre-algebraic puzzles use fun substitutions to get students ready to perform basic functions and encourage them to build problem-solving skills. They promote abstract reasoning and challenge students to think critically about the problems in front of them. As an added bonus, students who suffer from math anxiety might find the lack of complicated equations reassuring, and be more willing to attempt a solution.

7. Domino puzzle board

Games 4 Gains

There are hundreds of ways to use dominoes in your math classroom, but this puzzle gives students a chance to practice addition and multiplication in a fun, hands-on way. You can have students work alone or in pairs to complete the puzzle.

This online game and app challenges players to slide numbered tiles around a grid until they reach 2048. It’s super fun and not as easy as it sounds, so consider sending it home with students or assigning it after the rest of the lesson is over. It encourages students to think strategically about their next move, and it’s a great tool for learning about exponents.

Math in English

Kakuro , also called “Cross Sums,” is another mathematical crossword puzzle. Players must use the numbers one through nine to reach “clues” on the outside of the row. Decrease the size of the grid to make it easier for younger players, or keep it as is for students who need a challenge. Students can combine addition and critical thinking and develop multiple skills with one fun challenge.

10. Magic square

Magic squares have been around for thousands of years, and were introduced to Western civilization by translated Arabic texts during the Renaissance. While magic squares can be a variety of sizes, the three by three grid is the smallest possible version and is the most accessible for young students.

This is also a great math puzzle to try if your students are tactile learners. Using recycled bottle caps, label each with a number from one to nine. Have your students arrange them in a three by three square so that the sum of any three caps in a line (horizontally, vertically and diagonally) equals 15.

11. Perimeter magic triangle

This activity uses the same materials and concept as the magic square, but asks students to arrange the numbers one to six in a triangle where all three sides equal the same number. There are a few different solutions to this puzzle, so encourage students to see how many they can find.

Sudoku is an excellent after-lesson activity that encourages logical thinking and problem solving. You’ve probably already played this classic puzzle, and it’s a great choice for your students. Sudoku puzzles appear in newspapers around the world every day, and there are hundreds of online resources that generate puzzles based on difficulty.

13. Flexagon

There’s a pretty good chance that by now, fidget spinners have infiltrated your classroom. If you want to counter that invasion, consider challenging your students to create flexagons. Flexagons are paper-folded objects that can be transformed into different shapes through pinching and folding, and will keep wandering fingers busy and focused on the wonders of geometry.

14. Turn the fish

This puzzle seems simple, but it just might stump your students. After setting up sticks in the required order, challenge them to make the fish swim in the other direction -- by moving just three matchsticks.

15. Join the dots

Cool Math 4 Kids

This puzzle challenges students to connect all the dots in a three by three grid using only four straight lines. While it may sound easy, chances are that it will take your class a while to come up with the solution. (Hint: it requires some “out of the box” thinking.)

16. Brain teasers

While they don’t always deal directly with math skills, brain teasers can be important tools in the development of a child’s critical thinking skills. Incorporate brain teasers into a classroom discussion, or use them as math journal prompts and challenge students to explain their thinking.

Bonus: For a discussion on probability introduce an older class to the Monty Hall Problem, one of the most controversial math logic problems of all time.

17. Tower of Hanoi

This interactive logic puzzle was invented by a French mathematician named Edouard Lucas in 1883. It even comes with an origin story: According to legend, there is a temple with three posts and 64 golden disks.

Priests move these disks in accordance with the rules of the game, in order to fulfill a prophecy that claims the world will end with the last move of the puzzle. But not to worry -- it’s going to take the priests about 585 billion years to finish, so you’ll be able to fit in the rest of your math class.

Starting with three disks stacked on top of each other, students must move all of the disks from the first to the third pole without stacking a larger disk on top of a smaller one. Older students can even learn about the functions behind the solution: the minimum number of moves can be expressed by the equation 2n-1, where n is the number of disks.

18. Tangram

Tangram puzzles -- which originated in China and were brought to Europe during the early 19th century through trade routes -- use seven flat, geometric shapes to make silhouettes. While Tangrams are usually made out of wood, you can make sets for your class out of colored construction paper or felt.

Tangrams are an excellent tool for learners who enjoy being able to manipulate their work, and there are thousands of published problems to keep your students busy.

Similar to Sudoku, Str8ts challenges players to use their logic skills to place numbers in blank squares. The numbers might be consecutive, but can appear in any order. For example, a row could be filled with 5, 7, 4, 6 and 8 . This puzzle is better suited to older students, and can be used as a before-class or after-lesson activity to reinforce essential logic skills.

20. Mobius band

Is it magic? Is it geometry? Your students will be so amazed they might have a hard time figuring it out. Have them model the problem with strips of paper and see for themselves how it works in real life. With older students, use mobius bands to talk about geometry and surface area.

Why use math puzzles to teach?

Math puzzles encourage critical thinking.

Critical thinking and logic skills are important for all careers, not just STEM-related ones. Puzzles challenge students to understand structure and apply logical thinking skills to new problems.

A study from the Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education found that puzzles “develop logical thinking, combinatorial abilities, strengthen the capacity of abstract thinking and operating with spatial images, instill critical thinking and develop mathematical memory.”

All these skills allow young students to build a foundation of skills they’ll draw on for the rest of their lives, no matter what kind of post-secondary route they pursue.

They help build math fluency

Math games can help students build a basic understanding of essential math concepts, and as another study shows, can also help them retain concepts longer .

In the study, early elementary students gradually moved from using the “counting” part of their brains to complete math problems to the “remembering” part that adults use, suggesting math puzzles and repeated problems can help build the essential skill of math fluency .

Many of the math puzzles above allow students to practice essential addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills, while advanced or modified problems can be used to introduce pre-algebraic concepts and advanced logic skills.

Math puzzles connect to existing curricula

No matter what curriculum you’re using, there’s a good chance it emphasizes problem-solving, critique and abstract thinking. This is especially true of Common Core math and similar curricula.

How Math Skills Impact Student Development

Math puzzles allow students to develop foundational skills in a number of key areas, and can influence how students approach math practically and abstractly. You can also tie them into strategies like active learning and differentiated instruction.

Instead of just teaching facts and formulas, math puzzles allow you to connect directly with core standards in the curriculum. You can also use them to provide a valuable starting point for measuring how well students are developing their critical thinking and abstract reasoning skills.

Tips for using math puzzles in the classroom

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sarah Werstuik (@teach.plan.love)

Now that you’ve got some great math puzzles, it might be tricky to figure out how to best incorporate them into your classroom. Here are some suggestions for making the most of your lesson time:

Make sure the puzzles are the right level for your class

If the problems are too easy, students will get bored and disengage from the lesson. However, if the problems are too difficult to solve, there’s a good chance they’ll get frustrated and give up early.

There’s a time and a place

While fun math puzzles are a great way to engage your students in developing critical thinking skills, they’re not a tool for teaching important math concepts. Instead, use them to reinforce the concepts they’ve already learned.

Kitty Rutherford , a Mathematics Consultant in North Carolina, emphasizes that math puzzles and games shouldn’t be based solely on mental math skills , but on “conceptual understanding” that builds fluency over time. Math puzzles help build the essential balance between thinking and remembering.

Give them space to figure it out

Rachel Keen , from the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia, conducted a study about problem-solving skills in preschoolers. She found that “playful, exploratory learning leads to more creative and flexible use of materials than does explicit training from an adult.”

Give your students space to struggle with a problem and apply their own solutions before jumping in to help them. If the problem is grade-appropriate and solvable, students will learn more from applying their own reasoning to it than just watching you solve it for them.

Model puzzles for your students

Use problems like the mobius strip to awe and amaze your students before drawing them into a larger discussion about the mathematical concept that it represents. If possible, make math puzzles physical using recycled craft supplies or modular tools.

Afterward, have a class discussion or put up math journal prompts. What methods did your students try? What tools did they use? What worked and what didn’t? Having students explicitly state how they got to their solution (or even where they got stuck) challenges them to examine their process and draw conclusions from their experience.

Final thoughts on math puzzles

Be aware that it might take a while to get all your students on board -- they could be hesitant about approaching unfamiliar problems or stuck in the unenthusiasm that math class often brings. Consider creating a weekly leaderboard in your classroom for the students that complete the most puzzles, or work through a few as a class before sending students off on their own.

Instead of yawns and bored stares , get ready to see eager participants and thoughtful concentration. Whether you choose to use them as an after-class bonus, a first day of school activity or as part of a targeted lesson plan, math puzzles will delight your students while also allowing them to develop critical skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives.

What are you waiting for? Get puzzling!

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Math and Logic Puzzles

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Every student deserves to have the opportunity to problem-solve and engage in genuine mathematical thinking. Rich tasks are designed to make these rich learning experiences possible. We’ve written these tasks to launch quickly, engage students, and promote the habits of mind mathematicians need: perseverance & pattern-seeking, courage & curiosity, organization & communication.

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• Common Core Math Practices
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11 Real World Math Activities That Engage Students

Bridging the gap between abstract math concepts and real life experiences can make the subject accessible and relevant for kids.

During a unit on slope, José Vilson’s students just weren’t getting it, and their frustration was growing. The former middle school math teacher began brainstorming creative ways to illustrate the concept. “I kept thinking, ‘My students already understand how this works—they just don’t know that they know,’” Vilson writes in a recent article for Teacher2Teacher . “How can I activate knowledge they don’t believe they have?”

Then he thought about a hill a couple of blocks from school that his students “walk up every day to get to the subway.” He tacked up paper and began sketching stick figures on the hill. “One was at the top of the hill, one was halfway up, one was near the bottom skating on flat ground, and one was on a cliff,” writes Vilson, now the executive director of EduColor. “Which of these figures will go faster and why?” he asked his students. “That got my kids laughing because, of course, my stick figures weren’t going to hang in the MoMA.” Still, his sketch got them thinking and talking, and it provided a simple stepping stone that “gave that math relevance and belonging in their own lives,” Vilson concludes. 

“It’s not unusual for students to walk into our classrooms thinking that math belongs to people who are smarter, who are older, or who aren’t in their immediate circle,” Vilson writes. “But every time I teach math in a way that’s accessible and real for my students, I’m teaching them: ‘The math is yours.’”

To build on Vilson’s idea, we posted on our social channels asking teachers to share their favorite strategies for connecting math to students’ experiences and lives outside of school. We received hundreds of responses from math educators across grade levels. Here are 11 teacher-tested ideas that get students seeing and interacting with the math that surrounds them each day.

Hunt for clues

Coordinate systems can feel abstract to some students—but using coordinates to navigate a familiar space can solidify the concept in a relevant and fun way. “Before starting a unit on coordinates, I make gridded maps of the school—I make them look old using tea staining —and send my students off on a treasure hunt using the grid references to locate clues,” says Kolbe Burgoyne, an educator in Australia. “It’s meaningful, it’s fun, and definitely gets them engaged.”

Budget a trip

Students enjoy planning and budgeting for imaginary trips, teachers tell us, offering ample opportunities to practice adding, subtracting, and multiplying large numbers. In Miranda Henry’s resource classroom, for example, students are assigned a budget for a fictional spring break trip; then they find flights, hotels, food, and whatever else they’ll need, while staying within budget.

Math teacher Alicia Wimberley has her Texas students plan and budget a hypothetical trip to the Grand Canyon. “They love the real world context of it and start to see the relevance of the digits after the decimal—including how the .00 at the end of a price was relevant when adding.” One of Wimberley’s students, she writes, mixed up his decimals and nearly planned a $25,000 trip, but found his mistake and dialed back his expenses to under $3,000.

Tap into pizza love

Educators in our audience are big fans of “pizza math”—that is, any kind of math problem that involves pizza. “Pizza math was always a favorite when teaching area of a circle,” notes Shane Capps. If a store is selling a 10-inch pizza, for example, and we know that’s referring to its diameter, what is its total area? “Pizza math is a great tool for addition, subtraction, multiplication, word problems, fractions, and geometry,” another educator writes on our Instagram. There are endless pizza-based word problems online. Here’s a simple one to start, from Jump2Math : “The medium pizza had six slices. Mom and Dad each ate one slice. How much pizza is left?”

Break out the measuring cups

Lindsey Allan has her third-grade students break into pairs, find a recipe they like online, and use multiplication to calculate how much of each ingredient they’d need in order to feed the whole class. The class then votes on a favorite recipe, and they write up a shopping list—“which involves more math, because we have to decide, ‘OK, if we need this much butter for the doubled recipe, will we need three or four sticks, and then how much will be left over?’” Allan writes. “And then it turns out students were also doing division without even realizing!” 

Sometimes, a cooking mistake teaches students about proportions the hard way. “Nobody wants a sad chocolate chip cookie where you doubled the dough but not the chocolate chips,” adds teacher Holly Satter.

Heading outdoors is good for kids’ bodies , of course, but it can also be a rich mathematical experience. In second grade, kids can head out to measure perimeters, teacher Jenna McCann suggests—perhaps of the flower boxes in the school garden. If outdoors isn’t an option, there’s plenty of math to be found by walking around inside school—like measuring the perimeter of the tables in the cafeteria or the diameters of circles taped off on the gym floor.

In Maricris Lamigo’s eighth-grade geometry class, “I let [students] roam around the school and take photos of things where congruent triangles were applied,” says Lamigo. “I have students find distances in our indoor courtyard between two stickers that I place on the floor using the Pythagorean theorem,” adds Christopher Morrone, another eighth-grade teacher. In trigonometry, Cathee Cullison sends students outside “with tape measures and homemade clinometers to find heights, lengths, and areas using learned formulas for right and non-right triangles.” Students can make their own clinometers , devices that measure angles of elevation, using protractors and a few other household items.

Plan for adult life

To keep her math lessons both rigorous and engaging, Pamela Kranz runs a monthlong project-based learning activity where her middle school students choose an occupation and receive a salary based on government data. Then they have to budget their earnings to “pay rent, figure out transportation, buy groceries,” and navigate any number of unexpected financial dilemmas, such as medical expenses or car repairs. While learning about personal finance, they develop their mathematical understanding of fractions, decimals, and percents, Kranz writes.

Dig into sports stats

To help students learn how to draw conclusions from data and boost their comfort with decimals and percentages, fourth-grade teacher Kyle Pisselmyer has his students compare the win-loss ratio of the local sports team to that of Pisselmyer’s hometown team. While students can struggle to grasp the relevance of decimals—or to care about how 0.3 differs from 0.305—the details snap into place when they look at baseball players’ stats, educator Maggierose Bennion says.

March Madness is a great source of real world data for students to analyze in math class, says sixth-grade math teacher Jeff Norris. Last March, Norris decorated his classroom like a basketball court, then had his students do basic statistical analysis—like calculating mean, median, and mode—using March Madness data, including individual game scores and the total win rate of each team. “We also did some data collection through our own basketball stations to make it personally relevant,” Norris says; students lined up in teams to shoot paper balls into a basket in a set amount of time, recorded their scores in a worksheet, and then examined the scoring data of the entire class to answer questions about mean, median, mode, range, and outliers.

Go on a (pretend) shopping spree

“My students love any activities that include SHOPPING!” says Jessie, a sixth-grade teacher who creates shopping-related problems using fake (or sometimes real) store ads and receipts. Her students practice solving percentage problems, and the exercise includes opportunities to work with fractions and decimals.

To get students more engaged with the work, math educator Rachel Aleo-Cha zeroes in on objects she knows students are excited about. “I make questions that incorporate items like AirPods, Nike shoes, makeup, etc.,” Aleo-Cha says. She also has students calculate sales tax and prompts them to figure out “what a 50% off plus 20% off discount is—it’s not 70% off.”

Capture math on the fly

Math is everywhere, and whipping out a smartphone when opportunities arise can lead to excellent content for math class. At the foot of Mount Elbert in Colorado, for example, math teacher Ryan Walker recorded a short word problem for his fourth- and fifth-grade students. In the video, he revealed that it was 4:42 a.m., and it would probably take him 249 minutes to reach the summit. What time would he reach the summit, he asked his students—and, assuming it took two-thirds as long to descend, what time would he get back down?

Everyday examples can be especially relatable. At the gas station, “I record a video that tells the size of my gas tank, shows the current price of gas per gallon, and shows how empty my gas tank is,” says Walker. “Students then use a variety of skills (estimation, division, multiplying fractions, multiplying decimals, etc.) to make their estimate on how much money it will cost to fill my tank.”

Connect to social issues

It can be a powerful exercise to connect math to compelling social issues that students care about. In a unit on ratios and proportions, middle school teacher Jennifer Schmerler starts by having students design the “most unfair and unjust city”—where resources and public services like fire departments are distributed extremely unevenly. Using tables and graphs that reflect the distribution of the city’s population and the distribution of its resources, students then design a more equitable city.

Play entrepreneur

Each year, educator Karen Hanson has her fourth- and fifth-grade students brainstorm a list of potential business ideas and survey the school about which venture is most popular. Then the math begins: “We graph the survey results and explore all sorts of questions,” Hanson writes, like whether student preferences vary with age. Winning ideas in the past included selling T-shirts and wallets made of duct tape.

Next, students develop a resource list for the business, research prices, and tally everything up. They calculate a fair price point for the good they’re selling and the sales quantity needed to turn a profit. As a wrap-up, they generate financial statements examining how their profits stack up against the sales figures they had projected.

HELP OTHER TEACHERS OUT!

We’d love this article to be an evolving document of lesson ideas that make math relevant to kids. So, teachers, please tell us about your go-to activities that connect math to kids’ real world experiences.

Small Group Math Activities

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• Math Stations

Discover small group math activities that promote student engagement and foster a love for math. This blog post explores 10 activities, including math games, hands-on manipulatives, real-world investigations, technology tools, problem solving activities, and more to help you transform your math stations into a dynamic learning environment.

I have a secret confession to make. 

Teaching reading has never been my cup of tea. 

Don’t get me wrong, I adore immersing my students in captivating books and opening their minds to new worlds. 

But when it comes to reading workshop, let’s just say it didn’t exactly light a fire in my soul. 

The never-ending cycle of reading from the textbook series and completing author’s purpose, inference, and comprehension worksheets felt mundane and, dare I say it, a bit dull. #yawn 🥱 

Despite my best efforts, I struggled to make it truly exciting. 

So, when the opportunity to introduce math workshop came knocking, I must admit, I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.

It’s All About Engagement

Math stations are a powerful tool for promoting student engagement and deepening our students’ mathematical understanding. 

By incorporating engaging activities into your math station rotations, you can create a dynamic learning environment that sparks excitement and curiosity in your students. 

In this blog post, we will explore 10 engaging small group math activities that will captivate your students and inspire them to develop a love for math.

10 Small Group Math Activities for Any Math Station Rotation

Activity 1: Math Games Galore

Math games are a fantastic way to make learning fun and interactive. These small group math activities provide opportunities for students to practice math skills while communicating mathematically with their peers. Here are a few examples of card and dice games that can be incorporated into your math station rotations:

• War Games: This classic math game requires only a deck of cards. Partners each turn over a card and use their math skills to compare the numbers, such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals, or even simple expressions. The player with the higher value wins the round. Players continue playing until no cards are remaining. 
• Cover-Up Games: This simple board game requires two dice. In turn, each student rolls the dice and completes the problem associated with the dice sum. Then, they cover the solution with a marker in a grid trying to get four in a row, column, or diagonal. 
• Traditional Board Games: Pair a set of task cards with a traditional board game to create this math station activity. After correctly answering a question, students can roll a die or toss a coin to move along the path.

Activity 2: Hands-On Manipulatives

Hands-on manipulatives bring abstract math concepts to life, making them more concrete and tangible. These activities provide students with a visual and kinesthetic experience, enhancing their understanding of mathematical concepts. Consider incorporating the following manipulative-based activities into your math stations:

• Pattern Block Puzzles: Provide students with pattern blocks and challenge them to create different shapes and designs, exploring concepts like symmetry, fractions, and geometry.
• Base Ten Blocks: Use base ten blocks to reinforce place value concepts. Students can build and represent numbers and explore operations with whole numbers and decimals.
• Data Analysis with Spinners: Use spinners with different sections labeled with numbers or categories. Students spin the spinner multiple times, record the results, and represent the data they collected by creating a frequency table, bar graph, or dot plot.

Want to use math manipulatives but need more resources? Try virtual manipulatives !

Activity 3: Puzzle Power

Puzzles are not only engaging but also promote critical thinking and problem solving skills. They challenge students to think creatively and persevere through complex tasks. Here are a few puzzle-based activities to include in your math stations:

• Number Crossword: Create a crossword puzzle where students respond to math-related clues and fill in the corresponding numbers in the grid.
• Logic Grids: Challenge students with logic puzzles that require them to use deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills to solve.
• Sudoku: Provide students with Sudoku puzzles focusing on numbers, shapes, or mathematical operations, encouraging them to apply logical reasoning to complete the puzzles.

Activity 4: Real-World Math Investigations

Real-world math investigations allow students to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills to authentic situations. These activities promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to connect math and the real world. Consider the following examples for your math station rotations:

• Recipe Conversions: Provide students with recipes that need to be converted to serve a different number of people. Students must adjust ingredient quantities using proportional reasoning and fractions.
• Budgeting and Shopping: Give students a budget and a list of items with prices, such as a local grocery ad or restaurant menu. They must plan a shopping trip, choose items based on their budget, and calculate the total cost.
• Measurement Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of objects in the classroom or nearby hallway students need to measure using various units of measurement. Students will use rulers, measuring tapes, or scales to gather the data and record their measurements.

Activity 5: Technology Tools

Incorporating technology into math stations can engage students and provide interactive learning experiences. Consider utilizing the following online resources and educational apps:

• Online Math Games and Activities: Websites such as IXL Learning, Prodigy, and Math Playground provide opportunities to gamify the learning experience. Students can earn points and virtual rewards while building math skills. 
• Digital Activities: Activities designed for Google Classroom and Seesaw provide engaging opportunities for students to use digital tools to review math concepts and skills .
• Digital Task Cards: Take task cards to the next level with digital task cards . Task cards created for use at Boom Learning or even with Google Forms can increase student engagement while students practice essential math skills.

Activity 6: Ready-Made Math Activities

In addition to creating your small group math activities, incorporating ready-made resources can provide a valuable and time-saving option for engaging your students. These pre-made activities offer an interactive and hands-on way to reinforce math skills and concepts. 

• Electronic Flashcard Games: Electronic flashcard games provide an exciting and interactive way for students to practice and reinforce math facts. These games often offer various difficulty levels and customizable options to cater to students’ needs. Math Whiz and Math Shark are two of my favorites!
• VersaTiles: VersaTiles is a hands-on, puzzle-inspired activity with an interactive workbook system designed to reinforce math skills. Students use a unique answer case and answer tiles to complete activities and self-check their answers. It’s a favorite of my elementary and middle school students alike!
• Marcy Cook Tiling Tasks: Marcy Cook Tiling Tasks are critical thinking activities that require students to use a set of tiles labeled 0-9 to complete math puzzles. These tasks promote problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and mathematical thinking. Students arrange the tiles to fill in the blanks and create equations and solutions that satisfy the given conditions. 

Activity 7: Math Task Cards

Math task cards offer various practice opportunities and allow students to work independently. They are also easy to make and readily available on teacher marketplaces across the web. Here are some examples of task card activities: 

• Showdown: Partners select one card and complete it individually. Then, students “showdown” and share their responses using math talk and supporting each other as necessary. 
• Math Game: Pair a set of task cards with a game board to gamify the learning experience! Students place their game markers at the start line. To move down the path, students must correctly respond to a task card, toss a die (or flip a coin), and move the number of spaces indicated on the die or based on the side of the coin visible after the coin toss (heads = 2 spaces, tails = one space).
• Cover Up: To create a Cover Up game, program a 4 x 4 grid with the solutions to a set of task cards. Then, when students respond correctly, they can cover the answer with a board marker, such as centimeter cubes, color tiles, Bingo chips, or beans. The goal is to get four markers in a row, column, or diagonal. Note: This activity works best with multiple-choice questions, true or false questions, or questions with numerical answers.  

Activity 8: Math Picture Books

Integrating math and literature activities enhances students’ mathematical understanding and develops their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Consider incorporating the following math and literacy activities into your math stations:

• Math Investigations: Use the storyline in a book to practice a skill. For example, use the Pigs Will Be Pigs book by Amy Axelrod to practice adding and subtracting decimals as the pigs find money hidden around their home and then spend it at a restaurant. 
• Story-based Problems: Use the book as a springboard to reinforce a specific skill. Either re-create scenarios from the book or create new problems based on the problems the characters faced in the story such as comparing the amounts in two different groups after reading Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream by Cindy Neuschwander.
• Famous Mathematicians Book Study: Create a set of questions to help students learn more about famous mathematicians, such as Katherine Johnson , and provide students with access to a physical or digital biography to read and use to respond to the questions.

Activity 9: Calculator Challenges

Incorporating calculator challenges into your math stations can allow upper elementary students to deepen their understanding of math concepts while developing their computational skills. Calculator activities engage students in hands-on exploration, problem-solving, and critical thinking while building their technology proficiency skillset. 

These activities encourage students to use calculators to investigate, solve problems, and make connections. Consider incorporating the following calculator challenges into your math stations:

• The Broken Calculator Challenge: In this challenge, students are shown an image of a calculator with only three or four working buttons. Students then determine how to use the remaining keys on the broken calculator to create specific values, such as using +, x, 2, and 3 to achieve a value of 8.
• Calculator Corrections: This task requires students to determine how to correct a calculator mistake without clearing the calculator. Using the calculator, students determine how to fix a mistake, check the answer, and make adjustments as necessary. After completing the task, students can justify the changes they made. For example, Brandi wanted to enter the number 4265 into her calculator. By mistake, she typed 4165. Without clearing her calculator, how can she fix her mistake? 
• Target Number: For this task, students represent place value in numbers, determine what number to add or subtract to reach the target number, and use the calculator to check their process. For example, students are given the following directions: Start with 7,254. Find a number to subtract that will result in a 0 in the hundreds column.

Activity 10: Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Problem-solving and critical thinking are essential life skills for students to develop. Engage your students in meaningful and challenging math experiences by incorporating problem solving and critical thinking activities into your small group math activities. Click here for a list of problem solving activities ; that encourage students to think critically, analyze situations, and apply their mathematical knowledge to real-world scenarios.

A Shift in Thinking

While I never found a way to make reading workshop exciting, math workshop was my students’ favorite part of the day. 

Integrating various small group math activities into the rotation was the key to keeping students engaged in learning and wanting more. 

If you’re new to math stations, the best way to get started is to choose 1-2 new activities to implement. Consider adding another activity after students are comfortable with the previous activities and staying engaged with minimal support.

Adding new small group math activities gradually will help maintain order during the rotation and save your sanity! If you’d like more tips and tools for managing math stations, download the Math Station Management Toolbox using the form at the bottom of this post. 

Math station rotation boards are an excellent organizational tool for implementing the small group math activities above. This visual display helps students understand the structure of the math station rotation and enhances their independence and accountability. 

The small group math activities shared above can be assigned to specific stations on the rotation board. Then, teachers can use the math station rotation board to effectively monitor student progress as they rotate through various math stations. 

Experiment with these small group math activities and adapt them to meet the needs and interests of your students, ensuring math station time is an exciting and transformative experience for all.

What are your favorite small group math activities? Respond in the comments below. 

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3 Problem-Solving Math Activities

Scottie Altland · September 5, 2018 · 1 Comment

A problem is simply a “problem” because there is no immediate, known solution. Problem solving activities in mathematics extend well beyond traditional word problems .

You can provide your student with activities that promote application of math skills while “busting boredom” at the same time! Puzzles and riddles, patterns, and logic problems can all be valuable exercises for students at all levels of mathematics. By engaging in short, fun activities like these, you can help your student become a more skillful, resilient, and successful problem-solver.

When practicing problem-solving skills, be certain to give your student time to explore a problem on her own to see how they might get started. Then discuss their approach together. It is important to provide support during the problem-solving process by showing that you value their ideas and helping them to see that mistakes can be useful. You can do this by asking open-ended questions to help your student gain a starting point, focus on a particular strategy, or help see a pattern or relationship. Questions such as, “What have you done before like this?”, “What can be made from …?” or “What might happen if you change…?” may serve as prompts when they needs inspiration.

Try the activities below to boost your student’s problem-solving skills.

Download the activities here .

1) Toothpick Puzzles

Toothpick puzzles (also referred to as matchstick puzzles) provide students a visualization challenge by applying their knowledge of basic geometric shapes and orientations. The only supplies you need are a box of toothpicks, a workspace, and a puzzle to solve. The goal is for students to transform given geometric figures into others by adding, moving, or removing toothpicks. These puzzles range in complexity and can be found online or in math puzzle books. As an extension, challenge your student to create their own puzzle for someone else to solve.

Sample toothpick puzzles of varying difficulty:

Download solutions to this activity here.

2) Fencing Numbers

The goal of this activity is to create a border or “fence” around each numeral by connecting dots horizontally and vertically so that each digit is bordered by the correct number of line segments.

Print a sheet of dot paper .

Use pencils and scissors to cut the size grid you want to use.

This game can be modified for abilities by adjusting the size of the grid and amount of numerals written. For example, a beginning student might begin with a grid that is 5 x 5 dots with a total of four numerals, while a more advanced student might increase the grid to 7 x 7 dots with six to eight numerals.

Begin by writing the digits 0, 1, 2, and 3 spread repeatedly in between “squares” on the dot paper. Each digit represents the number of line segments that will surround that square. For instance, a square that contains a 3 would have line segments on three sides, and a square that contains a 2 would have line segments on two sides, and so on. See the example boards and solutions for a 5 x 5 grid below.

Beware; there may be multiple solutions for the same problem! Thus, encourage your student to replicate the same problem grid multiple times and look for different solutions. A more advanced student can be challenged to create their own problem. Can they make a grid with only one solution? Is it possible to make a problem with four or more possible solutions?

3) It’s Knot a Problem!

Exercise lateral thinking skills– solving a problem through an indirect and creative approach that is not immediately obvious. You need two people, two pieces of string (or yarn) about one meter long each (or long enough so the person who will wear it can easily step over it), and some empty space to move around. If possible, use two different colored pieces of string. Each person needs a piece of string with a loop tied in both ends so it can be worn like “handcuffs”. Before tying off the loop on the second wrist, the participants loop the string around each other so they are hooked together. The figure below illustrates how the strings should appear when completed.

The goal is to unhook the strings while following these guidelines:

1) The string must remain tied and may not be removed from either participant’s wrists. 2) The string cannot be broken, cut, or damaged in any way.

Caution! This activity not only tests problem-solving skills, but it also promotes positive communication, teamwork, and persistence.

Problem-solving skills are not always taught directly but often learned indirectly through experience and practice. When incorporating problem solving activities aim to make them open-ended and playful to keep your student engaged. Incorporating fun activities like these from time to time foster creative and flexible thinking and can help your student transfer problem solving skills to other subject areas. By providing guidance and helping your student to see a problem from different perspectives, you will help foster a positive disposition towards problem-solving. As your student continues to learn how to effectively solve problems, they increase their understanding of the world around them and develop the tools they need to make decisions about the way they approach a problem.

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February 25, 2020 at 11:13 am

The ideas are very brilliant it encourages critical thinking and also help student think for a solution. Awesome!😍

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Building Problem-Solvers: Engaging Maths Challenges & Playful Games for Primary Students

Table of Contents

Building Problem-Solvers: Incorporating challenging maths puzzles and games into primary education is a powerful strategy for developing problem-solving skills in young learners. We recognise the importance of engaging pupils with interactive tasks that not only stimulate their mathematical abilities but also build their confidence in tackling complex challenges. By designing diverse mathematical exercises that range from simple to complex, we create opportunities for children to develop fluency as mathematical thinkers and problem solvers, a skill set that is essential in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving world.

It’s crucial to foster a supportive maths culture within the classroom, one that encourages risk-taking and persistence in overcoming obstacles. Education in primary mathematics should not only focus on procedural fluency but also on the understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts . Tools and strategies such as visual representations and heuristic approaches can be invaluable in promoting this kind of deep comprehension. By integrating these techniques with a varied set of maths puzzles and games, we make learning mathematics an engaging and dynamic experience.

Key Takeaways

• Developing problem-solving skills in maths is essential for primary education.
• Diverse and challenging puzzles enhance mathematical thinking.
• A supportive learning environment encourages perseverance and growth in maths.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Maths

In our pursuit of developing proficient problem solvers, it’s essential to start with a strong foundation in mathematics. We focus on building an understanding of numbers and operations, as well as recognising the significance of patterns and relationships. These components are vital in nurturing a comprehensive mathematical mindset.

Number and Operations

At the core of mathematical understanding are numbers and operations . This involves grasping how numbers work and interact with one another through basic operations : addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For example:

Addition: It’s combining quantities to increase the total.

Subtraction: It’s determining how much one quantity is greater than another

Multiplication : It simplifies repeated addition.

Division: It’s finding out how many times a number can be subtracted from another in equal parts.

Understanding these operations enables children to solve real-world problems effectively.

Patterns and Relationships

Patterns and relationships form the building blocks for higher-level mathematical thinking. They involve seeing connections and predicting what comes next, based on a sequence or rule.

Patterns: These may be numerical or geometric, allowing us to anticipate the next element in a sequence.

Relationships: Understanding that certain pieces of information are related, and using this to solve problems, is key to mathematical reasoning . An example might be in understanding that if a car covers more distance in an hour at a faster speed, there’s a direct relationship between speed and distance.

In fostering these fundamental skills, we offer our learners not just theory but engaging challenges through mathematical puzzles and games that reinforce these concepts. By participating in such activities, children can apply these foundational maths skills, making connections between theory and practice in a dynamic and enjoyable way.

Teaching Mathematics Effectively

In our quest to develop sharp problem solvers and creative thinkers, we must focus on how mathematics is taught in primary schools. Our approach bridges the gap between traditional teaching and innovative, engaging methods .

Role of Teachers

We, as educators, play a pivotal role in moulding students into proficient problem-solvers. By incorporating a variety of maths puzzles and games into our classrooms, we make abstract concepts tangible and accessible. We believe in adapting our teaching styles to meet individual learning needs, devising strategies that make mathematics more than just a subject – instead, a captivating journey of discovery.

Curriculum Integration

The curriculum should not solely dictate our teaching, but serve as a dynamic framework that integrates real-world problem-solving and logical reasoning through mathematical activities . It is essential we weave challenging exercises with relevant contexts into lessons, thus aligning with our commitment to a broad and balanced education where every child flourishes.

The Importance of Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving skills are integral to learning mathematics, as they enable children to approach complex problems strategically and with confidence. Our goal is to harness these skills through puzzles and games that challenge and engage primary school children.

Developing Critical Thinking

We understand that critical thinking is the foundation of effective problem-solving. Our puzzles and games are designed to stimulate students’ thinking and reasoning processes , encouraging them to make connections and derive solutions based on logical deduction.

Cultivating Patience and Persistence

Throughout the problem-solving journey, we foster a sense of patience and persistence in our young learners. Recognising that solutions are not always immediate or straightforward, our resources teach children the value of perseverance and resilience in the face of challenging tasks.

Engaging Pupils with Interactive Maths Games

Interactive maths games are a brilliant way for us to make mathematics appealing and accessible to primary school pupils. By selecting the right games and integrating 21st-century technology, we can transform the learning experience into an interactive adventure that captivates our young learners.

Selecting Appropriate Games

When choosing maths games, we must ensure that they are appropriately challenging and aligned with the curriculum. The games should be designed to encourage pupils to think critically and develop their problem-solving skills. We often look for options that offer multiple levels of difficulty, which enables us to cater to the diverse abilities within a classroom. The aim is to select games that not only educate but also genuinely engage the students, making the learning process both enjoyable and effective.

Integrating ICT in Maths Games

In today’s digital age, integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in maths games is not just innovative; it’s essential. We leverage ICT to provide simulations and virtual environments where pupils can explore mathematical concepts. This interactive technology helps to create immersive experiences that make abstract ideas more concrete. Using ICT, we can give pupils the chance to practise and hone their maths skills through fun, tech-driven games, fostering a more dynamic and interactive learning environment.

Incorporating interactive maths games within the classroom is a testament to our commitment to engaging and educating our pupils in a way that resonates with their experiences and interests. Through careful selection and the use of modern ICT, we are able to provide a learning experience that is both enriching and exciting.

Designing Challenging Maths Puzzles

In our pursuit to build effective problem-solvers, we focus on introducing maths puzzles that are engaging and non-routine, designed to foster natural curiosity in learners.

Creating Non-Routine Tasks

We believe that the essence of problem-solving lies in the ability to tackle non-routine tasks. These are not your everyday textbook problems, but instead, they present a scenario that requires students to apply concepts in ways they might not have anticipated. In constructing these tasks, it’s vital to strike a balance—too easy and they won’t push the envelope; too hard and they might discourage learners. For example, a puzzle involving pattern recognition might ask pupils to identify the underlying rule of a sequence and predict the next set of numbers.

Fostering Curiosity Through Puzzles

Curiosity drives us to explore the unknown, and with maths puzzles, it translates into learners venturing beyond their comfort zones. We craft puzzles that inherently provoke students’ interest and pique their natural inquisitiveness. A well-thought-out puzzle can act as an open inquiry, where the journey to the solution is as valuable as the solution itself. Consider a jigsaw arithmetic puzzle that requires learners to not only solve for missing pieces but also to understand why those pieces fit together as they do.

Incorporating Diverse Mathematical Tasks

When we introduce a variety of mathematical tasks to primary students, we lay the foundation for robust problem-solving skills. By engaging in an assortment of challenges , children can develop a deeper understanding of numbers, spatial awareness, and logical reasoning.

Exploration and Investigation

We believe that learning should be an adventure, where exploration and investigation play pivotal roles. By offering tasks that encourage students to explore, we open up opportunities for hands-on learning and inquisitive thinking. For instance, we might ask them to investigate the number of ways to reach a total of 10 using only red and blue counters. This simple task invites them to explore addition and the concept of combinations.

Measurement and Geometry

Measurement and geometry are two areas where children can apply maths to real-world scenarios. We often ask our students to measure lengths and widths of classroom objects, using rulers and other tools to relate the numbers to physical attributes. Then, we might move on to explore geometric shapes by examining and constructing models , allowing for a tangible understanding of edges, faces, and vertices. This hands-on experience is invaluable for cementing their conceptual knowledge.

Overcoming Obstacles in Problem Solving

Engaging with maths puzzles and games in primary education can sometimes present challenges. It’s essential we understand these stumbling blocks and employ effective strategies to help our children become confident problem solvers.

Identifying Common Mistakes

Often, obstacles in problem solving arise from common misunderstandings or repeated mistakes . We might see children rush through a problem without fully understanding it, or they may become fixed on one approach and not consider alternative methods. Documenting these mistakes offers us a chance to address them directly.

• Rushing : Not taking enough time to understand the problem.
• Fixation on one strategy : Failing to consider different angles.
• Overlooking details : Missing out on crucial information within the problem.

Strategies to Overcome Challenges

After pinpointing the typical mistakes, our strategies should focus on overcoming these barriers and reinforcing effective problem solving habits.

• Encourage thorough reading : Urge pupils to read problems several times.
• Promote multiple approaches : Introduce a variety of methods to tackle a single problem.
• Detail orientation : Teach children to pay attention to all the information given.

Remember, practice makes perfect, and providing children with a mixture of puzzles and games can build their resilience and adaptability in maths.

Creating a Supportive Maths Culture

At the heart of nurturing future problem-solvers is the establishment of a supportive maths culture . This means creating an environment where every child feels valued and capable of mastering mathematical challenges .

Encouraging Open Communication

We recognise the importance of open communication in the classroom. It’s crucial to foster an atmosphere where pupils feel comfortable to express their ideas, ask questions, and share their experiences. In our classroom, we encourage learners to articulate their thought processes and reasoning. This not only clarifies their understanding but also enriches peer learning, as students learn from each other’s perspectives. Such a culture not only enhances their communication skills but also demystifies complex concepts, making maths more approachable .

Building Confidence and Growth Mindset

We strive to infuse our pupils with confidence and a growth mindset . To do this, we emphasise the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This contrasts with a fixed mindset, where children might believe their skills are static and unchangeable. By celebrating effort rather than innate ability , we inspire our students to embrace challenges and learn from mistakes—an approach that is pivotal for fostering resilient problem solvers . Our aim is to show that mathematics is not about being ‘right’ all the time; instead, it’s about the adventure of learning and improving.

Assessing and Enhancing Problem-Solving Capabilities

In our quest to build adept problem-solvers through maths puzzles and games , it’s vital that we effectively assess and enhance primary students’ problem-solving capabilities. This not only involves gauging their current skill levels but also providing constructive feedback to aid their growth.

Conducting Meaningful Assessments

When it comes to assessing problem-solving activities, our approach is to create evaluations that are as engaging as the learning experiences themselves. We believe that a student’s problem-solving skills are best understood by observing them during actual problem-solving activities. Such assessments might involve practical tasks where pupils apply heuristics or use visual representations to tackle mathematical problems, as highlighted by Developing Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills . These tasks are designed to mirror ‘real life’ scenarios, requiring students to think critically and creatively.

Providing Constructive Feedback

Feedback is a powerful tool in our educational arsenal—it informs students about their performance and provides guidance on how they can improve. Our feedback is specific, timely, and always focused on strategies that students can use to enhance their problem-solving abilities. Whether it’s encouraging greater representational fluency or exploring diverse strategies, we ensure that our feedback helps students reflect and grow as problem solvers. By drawing on resources such as the Real Engagement in Active Problem Solving (REAPS) model, we support teachers in offering feedback that fosters creative problem solving in mathematics.

In all of our endeavours at LearningMole, we strive to provide learning experiences that not only educate but also excite. We’re dedicated to fostering environments where every student can become a confident and proficient problem solver.

Resources for Primary Maths Education

We know that the right resources can make all the difference in empowering primary maths education. So, let’s explore some excellent materials that you can access for free, as well as delve into the treasures offered by NRICH to enrich our young learners’ mathematical journey.

Free Teaching Materials

We pride ourselves on providing a variety of free teaching materials designed to make maths engaging and fun . You’ll find interactive tutorials , activity sheets , and articles, all tailored for the curious minds of primary children. These resources are not only educational, but they also allow children to absorb key maths concepts in a way that feels like play.

• Interactive Tutorials : Engage with our step-by-step guides that bring clarity to complex maths problems.
• Articles : Discover insights and tips targeted at enhancing the teaching experience.
• Activity Sheets : Download and print these for hands-on practice that reinforces mathematical understanding.

One platform we admire is LearningMole , which offers a wealth of content to help children discover the joy of maths through various fun and creative resources.

Utilising NRICH Resources

When it comes to using NRICH resources , we’re looking at a treasure trove of maths puzzles and activities that are perfect for primary pupils. NRICH aims to challenge and excite young minds with games that are both intriguing and highly educational.

• Challenging Puzzles : They stimulate strategic thinking and offer varying degrees of difficulty to suit all levels.
• Classroom Activities : Carefully crafted to promote collaborative problem-solving among students.

These resources from NRICH not only complement our teaching but also bring a new dimension to primary maths, making our lessons more dynamic and effective.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we’ll address some of the most common inquiries related to enhancing problem-solving skills through mathematics puzzles and games in primary education.

What are some engaging activities that can enhance problem-solving abilities in primary school children?

Children in primary school can greatly benefit from activities such as building structures using different shapes or collaborative tasks where they devise solutions to “real life” scenarios. These activities encourage them to apply mathematical concepts in practical ways.

Can you suggest some games that improve problem-solving skills for young learners?

Certainly! Games like chess, Sudoku, and even certain board games that require strategic thinking can improve problem-solving skills . These games challenge young minds to think ahead and plan their moves carefully.

How can puzzles be effectively used to develop mathematical problem-solving competencies in children?

Puzzles can be used in teaching by posing them as interesting challenges that are mathematically meaningful . Puzzles such as tangrams, magic squares, and logic puzzles encourage children to use mathematical reasoning and pattern recognition.

In what ways can teachers incorporate problem-solving exercises into their primary classroom curriculum?

Teachers can introduce problem-solving in the classroom by integrating puzzles and games into lesson plans. They might also ask thought-provoking questions that lead to problem-solving discussions or use differentiated instruction to cater to various learning styles.

Which hands-on group activities can help children build teamwork and problem-solving skills concurrently?

Group activities that involve building projects from common objects like blocks or recycled materials allow children to work together. They can also participate in team-based challenges that require collective problem-solving and decision-making.

What types of maths challenges are suitable for primary students to promote critical thinking and reasoning?

Suitable challenges include pattern identification , sequencing tasks, basic arithmetic puzzles, and solving mathematical puzzles . These can be tailored to match the students’ age and proficiency level, ensuring the tasks remain engaging and appropriately challenging.

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25 Exciting Hands on Math Activities for Elementary

Engaging elementary students in hands on math activities is a fantastic way to foster a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts while making learning enjoyable.

These activities not only make math come alive but also encourage active participation and critical thinking.

By incorporating hands-on experiences, educators can create an enriching learning environment that sets a strong foundation for future mathematical success.

We will explore a variety of creative and effective hands on math activities for elementary students, ensuring that the learning process is both fun and educational.

Math Manipulative Creations: Building Geometric Shapes

One exciting hands-on math activity for elementary students involves using math manipulatives like building blocks or interlocking cubes to create various geometric shapes. Start by introducing basic shapes like squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles. Then, challenge students to use the manipulatives to construct these shapes on their own. As they become more comfortable, encourage them to combine shapes to form more complex figures, such as making a hexagon from triangles or a parallelogram from rectangles. This activity not only reinforces shape recognition but also enhances spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.

Fraction Beach: Sandbox Exploration of Fractions

Create a tactile learning experience with a Fraction Beach activity. Fill a large sandbox with sand and divide it into sections representing different fractions. Students can use shovels, buckets, and other tools to manipulate the sand, creating visual representations of fractions. This hands-on approach offers a unique way for students to grasp the concept of fractions as parts of a whole.

Fraction Pizza Party: Understanding Fractions through Play

Fractions can be a challenging concept for elementary students to grasp, but a Fraction Pizza Party activity can make it more accessible and enjoyable. Provide students with circular paper cutouts resembling pizza slices. Ask them to divide the slice into different fractions, such as halves, thirds, and quarters, using markers or colored pencils. Then, they can decorate each slice to represent the fraction they’ve created. This hands-on approach allows students to visualize fractions and comprehend their relationship to a whole, transforming abstract ideas into tangible concepts. Related: 20 Creative Math Door Decoration Ideas

Shape Hunt Scavenger Hunt: Exploring Geometry in the Environment

Take math learning beyond the classroom with a Shape Hunt Scavenger Hunt. This activity involves going outdoors or exploring different areas of the school to identify and categorize various shapes in the environment. Provide students with a list of shapes to find, such as squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles. They can document their discoveries by taking photos or drawing sketches of the objects they find. Not only does this activity reinforce shape recognition, but it also encourages students to see the relevance of math in their surroundings.

Money Math Market: Applying Real-life Math Skills

Teaching elementary students about money can be both practical and enjoyable through a Money Math Market activity. Set up a pretend market with various items labeled with price tags. Give students play money and have them shop for items, making calculations of their purchases and finding the total cost. This hands-on experience helps students understand the value of different coins and bills, as well as practice addition and subtraction in a real-world context. It also promotes financial literacy from an early age.

Measurement Olympics: Exploring Length, Weight, and Volume

Host a Measurement Olympics to help elementary students grasp the concepts of length, weight, and volume in a playful way. Set up various stations where students can measure objects using rulers, scales, and measuring cups. They can compare the lengths of different items, weigh objects, and pour liquids into containers to understand volume. This activity not only enhances their measurement skills but also encourages them to apply mathematical reasoning to real-world scenarios.

Tangram Teasers: Puzzling with Shapes and Spatial Relationships

Tangrams are a fantastic tool to develop spatial reasoning and geometry skills in elementary students. Provide each student with a set of tangram pieces – seven flat shapes that can be combined to form various figures. Challenge students to recreate specific shapes, animals, or objects using the tangram pieces. This activity promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and spatial visualization while engaging students in a creative puzzle-solving adventure.

Math Board Games: Learning Through Play

Engage elementary students in the world of board games that are designed to teach and reinforce mathematical concepts. Games like “Monopoly,” “Chutes and Ladders,” and “Uno” can be adapted to incorporate math challenges. Students roll dice, draw cards, or spin spinners, answering math questions or performing calculations as part of the game mechanics. This approach blends learning with leisure, making math more enjoyable and interactive. Related: 20 Helpful Grief Activities for Elementary Students

Pattern Play: Unveiling the Magic of Patterns

Patterns are everywhere, and the Pattern Play activity helps elementary students discover the magic behind them. Begin with simple patterns of colors, shapes, or numbers, and let students continue the sequence. Gradually increase the complexity of the patterns as they become more confident. This activity hones pattern recognition skills and lays the foundation for understanding more intricate mathematical concepts, such as algebraic patterns and sequences.

Geometry in Art: Creating Symmetrical Masterpieces

Merge math and art with the Geometry in Art activity, where students explore symmetry and geometric shapes to design their own masterpieces. Provide them with drawing materials and guide them to create symmetrical images by drawing on one side and reflecting the design on the other. This activity not only encourages creativity but also reinforces concepts like line symmetry and geometric transformations, showcasing the beautiful intersection of math and artistic expression.

Time Travel Adventure: Learning with Elapsed Time

Help elementary students grasp the concept of elapsed time through a Time Travel Adventure. Present them with scenarios involving different start and end times, and ask them to calculate the duration in hours and minutes. You can use real-life scenarios like planning a day’s activities or calculating travel times between destinations. This activity strengthens students’ time-telling skills and develops their understanding of time intervals.

Math Storytelling: Numbers and Narratives

Combine math and literacy with the Math Storytelling activity, where students create their own mathematical stories. Encourage them to invent characters, settings, and situations that involve mathematical concepts. They can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division to solve problems within their stories. Sharing their stories not only nurtures their creative skills but also reinforces their understanding of mathematical operations in a meaningful context.

Math Puzzles and Riddles: Brain-Teasing Challenges

Engage elementary students’ critical thinking skills with Math Puzzles and Riddles. Provide them with age-appropriate puzzles that require logical reasoning and mathematical insights to solve. These puzzles can range from number sequences and logic puzzles to classic riddles with mathematical twists. The challenge of cracking these brain-teasers makes math enjoyable and encourages students to think outside the box.

Fractional Kitchen: Exploring Fractions in Cooking

Bringing fractions into the kitchen creates an interactive and delicious learning experience. Organize a Fractional Kitchen activity where students follow recipes and use measuring cups and spoons to prepare dishes. As they measure ingredients like flour, sugar, and liquids, they gain a tangible understanding of fractions in a practical context. This activity bridges the gap between abstract fractions and real-life applications.

Math Around the World: Exploring Cultural Numerical Systems

Expose elementary students to the diversity of numerical systems with the Math Around the World activity. Introduce them to various counting systems used in different cultures, such as Roman numerals or the Mayan number system. Allow them to explore these systems by representing numbers and performing basic calculations. This activity fosters cultural awareness while deepening students’ appreciation for the universality of mathematical principles.

Math Art Gallery: Graphing Coordinate Plane Creations

Transform the concept of graphing on a coordinate plane into an artistic endeavor with a Math Art Gallery activity. Provide students with a set of coordinates and guide them to plot points on graph paper. As they connect the dots, intricate designs and images will emerge. This activity allows students to explore the relationship between numbers, coordinates, and visual representations, enhancing their graphing skills in an engaging way.

Math Jeopardy: Interactive Review Game

Elevate the excitement of reviewing math concepts by playing Math Jeopardy. Create a game board with different categories and point values related to the curriculum. Divide students into teams and take turns choosing questions from the board. Students must solve the presented problems within a specified time frame to earn points. Math Jeopardy not only reinforces learning but also promotes friendly competition and collaboration among students.

Math-Inspired Building: Exploring Geometry with Construction

Combine engineering and mathematics with a Math-Inspired Building activity. Provide students with materials like toothpicks, marshmallows, or straws, and challenge them to create geometric shapes or structures using their imagination. This hands-on experience helps them understand concepts like angles, symmetry, and stability, all while fostering creativity and hands-on problem-solving skills.

Math Mysteries: Solving Interactive Math Whodunits

Engage elementary students in mathematical detective work with Math Mysteries. Present them with scenarios where they must solve mathematical clues to uncover the answers. These mysteries can involve a range of math topics, from solving equations to deciphering patterns. As students work through the clues, they not only sharpen their math skills but also enjoy the thrill of solving puzzles.

Math in Nature: Outdoor Exploration of Patterns and Shapes

Nature is a treasure trove of mathematical inspiration. Take students on an outdoor exploration to discover Math in Nature. Observe patterns in leaves, petals, and seeds. Look for symmetry in butterfly wings or geometric shapes in rock formations. Encourage students to document their findings through sketches or photographs. This activity fosters a deeper connection between math and the world around us while encouraging curiosity and observation skills. Related: 100 Fun Questions Of The Day for Elementary Students

Recommended:

• 25 Teeth Brushing Activities for Preschoolers
• 24 Fun Literacy Activities for Preschoolers
• 23 Fun Shark Activities for Preschoolers

Sohaib Hasan Shah

Sohaib's journey includes 10+ years of teaching and counseling experience at BCSS School in elementary and middle schools, coupled with a BBA (Hons) with a minor in Educational Psychology from Curtin University (Australia) . In his free time, he cherishes quality moments with his family, reveling in the joys and challenges of parenthood. His three daughters have not only enriched his personal life but also deepened his understanding of the importance of effective education and communication, spurring him to make a meaningful impact in the world of education.

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Outdoor Math Games – 50 Ideas That Really Work

Getting maths into the outdoors is one of the biggest concerns many practitioners have. It is probably the thing I am asked about the most where maths is concerned.

This post is by far the most comprehensive quantity of high-quality outdoor math activities for children aged 3 to 6 that you will be able to find all in one place.

Why do maths outside?

The benefits of maths outdoors are many, which include:

• You can do things on a bigger scale
• Maths can become really active and physical
• You can use a wider range of found objects
• You have the space for large games
• Some children prefer being outdoors and will access maths opportunities more freely than indoors

Outdoors offer both an opportunity to learn new things, as well as practice basic math concepts they already understand with bigger and more active resources.

Here we go – let’s get stuck into some of the best and tried and tested outdoor math activities that will get your children loving maths outside.

Table of Contents

Number Stones

I have created quite an array of different types of number stones. These are actually great for use either inside or out. Lots of the math games I will demonstrate below can be played with these, although you can use many other things such as sticks, leaves, or conkers.

I just bought lots of white pebbles from a hardware shop and some acrylic paint.

If you’re looking to buy similar pebbles, something on Amazon like this will work.

For acrylic paint, some bog-standard primary colors like these will do the job.

I painted the stones with acrylic paint in different ways, and sometimes used a Sharpie pen if I needed to put an outline on them.

The number stones I have created include:

Sets of 1-10 Stones

These are alternately colored, yellow, white, yellow, white, to begin the idea of odd and even in a visual way. Great for ordering or using to label.

If you don’t want to create your own stones, you can also buy beautiful number stones, thus saving you time. Yellow Door painted number stones are a good choice (check out the latest price on Amazon here.)

Matching Numeral To Quantity Stones

Have some stones with numbers on, and some with quantities. It could be dots, or it could be something like insects.

These are brilliant for one to one correspondence in particular. If you want to find out what one to one correspondence is, and the best ways to teach it, then check this out.

Animal Stones

I have some ladybird stones, some leopard ones, as well as some zebra and bee stones. Any animal that has a multi-colored pattern can be copied. These stones are great for games.

2s, 5s And 10s Stones

Great for higher-ability children in the early years, and for challenging younger kids who are starting to count in different ways.

These are perfect for ordering numbers in a range of ways.

Outdoor Models and Images

Mathematicians think in pictures.

Models and images seem to work really well outside because you can make them big, and they can be the focus of active games.

The benefits of using models and images include:

• They present maths as pictures
• They are visual
• They allow for problem-solving
• They allow for the manipulation of physical objects
• They can be used again and again, often in different ways

Chalkboard Paint

A lot of the resources that I have created are using black chalkboard paint . This is one of the ultimate resources in the early years. It is great for painting large surfaces for mark-making, such as fences, sheds, pallets, or old furniture.

I imagine any can of chalkboard paint would work, but I use American Crafts DIY Chalkboard Paint (check out the current price on Amazon) . It does the job great.

I have painted several pieces of MDF from a hardware shop and then used these for games. However, you could just as easily chalk the games on the floor. I also once painted tree stumps with lots of games using acrylic paint. They lasted for at least a year, even out in the rain.

Addition Triangles

These are great for exploring number bonds. They represent the part-part-whole model used in Singapore Maths.

I have painted my addition triangles onto a piece of MDF. Using the animal stones (or another resource such as leaves and sticks), you can explore number bonds.

For example, start with five stones in the top circle. Split them up into different quantities, and put the stones in the two lower circles. For example, it could be 1+4, or 2+3.

Higher-ability children could try to record what they have found.

2 Sets For Addition

This math game is another good one when children are beginning to add. You can use painted stones, or just found objects from the area.

Place some objects in either circle and then simply count how many you have got altogether. This is an excellent way of adding two sets and finding the total.

Trellis Models And Images

One of the best things I ever tried was sawing up a big trellis that I found at a garden center. I am pretty sure I saw this on Pinterest but cannot remember where. I cut it up into many different models, such as:

• A ten frame
• A five frame
• A two-part addition frame
• A four-part frame

There are so many games that you can play using these. Children really love finding objects to experiment with in the frames.

Ten frames are a key resource to introduce to young children both inside and out . To find out more about what ten frames are and the many ways to use them, take a look at this .

Board Games Outside

Board games are fantastic for a range of mathematical skills. They encourage:

• Counting for a purpose
• Recognizing numbers
• Problem-solving
• Find more/less

Some examples of fantastic outdoor board games include:

Noughts And Crosses

This seems to be known more by the modern generation as tic tac toe.

It is a brilliant game for problem-solving and simple counting, as well as turn-taking. You can easily create simple boards on wood or logs, and use painted stones or objects such as pine cones and conkers.

I have recently seen a board made out of rope.

It is good for simple counting, doing mental math and subitizing, as well as thinking ahead.

Connect Four

Another classic game from the old days.

If you play this game on the floor it is actually easier to get four in a row than if you play the standard plastic version.

Create a large grid board, and then use different objects for each player. It could be stones vs. conkers. Put one on at a time, and try to get four in a row. You can actually have more than 2 players if you want as well. Great for counting, subitizing numbers, tactics and problem solving.

Racetrack 1-6 Game

Have a dice with numerals on it and a board that is a simple grid, with numerals 1 to 6, and some other boxes. Pick which number you think will win, and put your colored stone at the top of the grid for that number. Then roll the dice multiple times. Every time you roll it, put a stone on the right numeral on the grid. The first number is the number that fills up its grid.

This is a fantastic activity for number recognition. If you want to find out my favorite 16 games to teach recognizing numerals, then take a look at this article.

Racetrack 1-12 Game

This is quite a bit harder, and has a lot of probability and calculating involved. But this game makes math problems and math equations more enjoyable to solve.

Have a racetrack that is a 12 x 4 grid. Have the numbers 1-12 written on the bottom of the grid.

You will need two dice, ideally a dots dice and a numeral dice.

To start with every player predicts which number they think will win. They use something such as a colored stone to signify this by putting the stone at the top of the grid in the number column.

Then you take turns to roll a dice. For example, you might get 3+4. Put a stone on the first box in the 7 column. Keep going, adding stones to the number columns. The ‘winner’ is the first number to come out 3 times and make it to the top of the grid.

This game is excellent for multiple things:

• Calculating
• Counting on
• Probability – Numbers 6 and 7 are the two most likely to win. They have the most combinations of numbers possible. Number 1 can never win as you can never throw a 1 with two dice. Children may start to get a bit of an idea of this when they play.
• Thinking about ‘more’. I.e. how many more a number needs to win.

Number Line Race

This is a great way of exploring a number line.

Have a long number line either chalked on the floor (or painted on a piece of wood). Each child has one ‘counter’ such as a colored stone.

The idea is that everyone starts at the beginning of the line. The first child rolls a 1-6 dice. They move their stone along the line to that point (e.g. 5). Then the other children go. For the next go, you simply keep moving along the number line. The winner is the person that gets to the end first.

This is good for number recognition, and also problem solving (such as how far your opponent is ahead of you)

Blank Number Line Race

I also have a number line that has blank spaces on it. Children can add their own numbers to it.

They could be 1, 2, 3, etc., or they could mix it up. They could go backwards. Or they could start from a number that’s not 1. You could also do a game counting in tens.

Active Outdoor Math Games

Here are some physical outdoor games that can get children really engaged.

Stepping Stones

This is an excellent game of cooperation and teamwork.

I use rubber spots for this game with numbers on them. You can find similar spots to these at Amazon here.

You need one more spot than you have children, so if you have a team of six children you will need 7 spots (with numbers 1 to 7 on).

The children are in a line. The child at the front has all the spots (they have a hard job). The person at the back of the line actually has the hardest job, as they have to bend down and pick the spots up.

The idea is that the floor is now lava. You cannot stand on it. However, you can stand on the spots that are the stepping stones over the lava.

The child at the front finds number 1 and puts it on the floor. They stand on it. Then they put down number 2 in front of them, and step on that. Then number 3 etc. As there is a free stepping stone behind them, the others start to step onto the stones.

When number 7 is on the floor, the children should be standing on stones 2 to 7. Then it is the turn of the person at the back to pick up stone number 1 and pass it down the line.

They help each other to pass it down and the process starts again. The person at the back keeps on bending down and picking up the spare stepping stone.

I like to get them to say the number as they stand on it. This game is good for number recognition and ordering.

Using water spray-bottles

This is dead easy. Have water spray bottles and a dice. (A spray bottle lo oks a bit like this if you weren’t sure!)

Roll the dice and spray the bottle that number of times. It could be on the fence or on wallpaper. If you are brave you add a bit of paint to the water in the bottles.

Sticks Activities

There are so many learning opportunities can you perform with sticks including:

• Making 2D shapes.
• Ordering through size
• Making pictures – such as houses, vehicles, rockets, etc.
• Counting them
• Making ten-frames, or number lines

Balloon Games

Balloons are great for physical development, cooperation, and turn taking. Some great outdoor maths games with balloons include:

• Have a small group of children in a circle (approximately 4 to 6 children). Write numbers on a balloon in pen. Maybe put about 6 numbers on the balloon. One child hits the balloon up into the air, then another hits it up and continues. When you hit the balloon, say the number that you hit.
• Have lots of balloons, each with one number on them. Start with one balloon, keep it up, and when you hit it say the number. Then add another balloon to the circle, then another. Keep saying the number as you hit each balloon.
• Have one balloon again (this time with no numbers written on it). The first person says ‘One’ as they hit the balloon. Then the next person says, ‘two’. Continue like this.
• The harder version is counting back from 10 to 0. The first person hits the balloon and says ‘ten’. Then the next person says ‘nine’ as they hit it, and so on.

Maths Ball Games

All sorts of counting and number activities can really be brought to life with ball games . Here are some great examples:

Have Bibs With Numbers

This is one of the most fun outdoor math activities on this list!

Have shirts or bibs with numbers on that the children wear. The child-size version of these number sports vests would work well, as an example.

If you don’t have anything like this, you can write numbers on stickers and they stick them on their tops.

Stand in a circle.

The first child says a number that someone else is wearing and throws the ball to them. That person says ‘thank you’. Then that person chooses someone else, says their number and throws it to them.

This game can be done as a rolling game if they are struggling with catching.

Great for numeral recognition in a fun context. 

Write Numbers On The Balls

Either put stickers with numbers on onto balls, or write directly onto them if you don’t mind having permanent number balls. We use large rubber balls that look a bit like this (check them out on Amazon).

Again this could be a rolling game or a throwing game, depending on the skills of the children.

Start with one ball, but you want to quickly extend it to at least two and hopefully more.

One child says someone’s name and throws a ball to them. That child catches it and says the number.

Then they say someone else’s name and throw it to them. Repeat.

If you have two or three balls going at once there is lots of communication and teamwork required.

Pass The Number Balls Around The Circle

Using the same balls that you created for the last game, play a simple numeral recognition game.

The children sit in a circle and pass the balls around. When they are holding a ball they say the number that is written on it, before passing the ball to the next person.

This game is good because even if you don’t recognize all the numbers, you can listen to the person next to you and copy what they have said. Hopefully, in this way, you are absorbing what the numbers are in some way.

For those who know the numbers already, it is great for speed and quick recognition practice.

Symmetry – Building Half A Giant Outside

This is a great provocation for using outdoors with natural loose parts – things like sticks, leaves, conkers, reels, and building blocks. Just whatever you can find in the outdoor space. To find out the many resources you can use for loose parts play, take a look at this list of at least 100 ideas .

There is a simple way to do it, and a trickier way.

The simple way is for the adult to draw the silhouette of a huge giant on the floor with chalk. Draw a central line down the center of the body, from the top of the head down to the feet.

Now children ‘build’ the giant. Whatever they place on one side – for example, 4 conkers for hair – they try to copy on the other side.

There are harder ways of trying this game out. One harder variation is just draw a central line on the floor with chalk and nothing else. Then, once again, they try to build the giant on one side, and copy it on the other. This will create a much more random creation, and really get them thinking

Washing Lines

There are so many things you can do with washing lines , and it really is so simple to set up. Pretty much all you need is a piece of string.

You can put the string:

• Between two fences
• Between two walls
• I know several teachers who have put wooden broomsticks into pots and then filled the pot with concrete so that the brooms stand up. These are great for creating a washing line between two brooms

If you put a washing line up outside, the big thing to be careful of is that children do not run into it by mistake. The big threat is things like neck injuries.

Some ways to combat this include:

• Having the string next to a wall or fence
• Have it above their head height, maybe with a platform for them to stand on to peg things on to it
• Have it in an area where running is not possible

Anyway, here are some fantastic outdoor washing line activities:

• Hanging up the giant’s clothes. The trick is to bring some large adult clothes in, and you will be amazed at how the children are convinced they are giant clothes. Hang them next to baby clothes, and talk about the differences in size
• Hanging up pairs of socks
• Finding objects outside, such as sticks and leaves and pegging them up. You can peg found objects up in patterns, or you can add or subtract from them. For example, you could have three red leaves and add two brown leaves. How many have you got altogether?
• Ordering numbers. Ideally use something natural, like pegs with numbers on them or wood slices with numbers on them.

Parachute Games

Parachutes are another fantastic resource that can be used either adult-led outside or can be used independently if you model the games and how to use them to the children.

The parachute that I use looks like this:

These are really resilient and can create years of fun and learning. (Check out the latest price of this parachute on Amazon).

Here are some excellent maths parachute games:

• Number dive. Have some numbers underneath the parachute. Have several children holding the parachute. Pick a child to go first, and say ‘1,2,3 – lift!’ Everyone lifts the parachute high into the air. Then shout a number. That child dives under the parachute, grabs the number, and brings it out to safety. Repeat for other children. If the children are doing it by themselves, then the child that has just gone picks the person to go next, and also what number they will get.
• Shape Dive! This is the same as number dive but with shapes.
• Singing counting songs . This works really well if you have some toys to go with it. For example, five monkey toys so you can sing 5 Cheeky Monkeys Jumping On The Bed. Great for singing the song, and taking off one monkey at a time. (Check out these gorgeous monkey finger puppets you could use for this activity here.)
• Bean bag bounce. This is an excellent number bonds game. Have ten bean-bags on the parachute. You have a few seconds where everyone tries to bounce the bean-bags off the parachute. Count back by going 5-4-3-2-1-0. When you get to zero, see now many bean bags are left on the parachute. You will always have a number bond. If there are two on the chute, then there will be three on the ground. If there are four on the chute, there will be six on the ground.
• Hit The Number! Have some rubber numbers (or something similar) and balance them on top of the parachute as everyone holds it together. Have a rubber ball for this game as well. The adult says a number, and everyone tries to roll the ball onto that number. This is a game of cooperation as well as number recognition. You can potentially make it harder by saying things like ‘one more than three’ (and trying to roll the ball onto number four).

Outdoor Games Top-Tips

• Make everything big!
• Make it active
• Use lots of models and images for games
• Use found objects like stones, sticks and leaves
• Use balls, and floor games, and things like balloons

Outdoor math games have loads of fantastic benefits.

It makes maths fun!

It consolidates prior learning in an active and concrete way.

It helps children to link maths learning to the real world.

It is also extremely cheap and quite simple to set up. Pretty much all of these outdoor math activities use resources that are easy to source, and cost next to nothing or are free.

So why not give outdoor math games a go today?

If you are reading this and are based in the UK, then you may well be interested in my Practical Early Years Maths Training Courses that I run around the UK. Check them out to find a venue near you. All sessions are hands-on, practical, and based on numerous ideas to help you find success in teaching maths.

Outdoor Loose Parts Ideas – The Essential Guide

21 Circle Time Games – That Actually Work!

Engaging Maths

Promoting creative and critical thinking in mathematics and numeracy.

What is critical and creative thinking, and why is it so important in mathematics and numeracy education?

Numeracy is often defined as the ability to apply mathematics in the context of day to day life. However, the term ‘critical numeracy’ implies much more. One of the most basic reasons for learning mathematics is to be able to apply mathematical skills and knowledge to solve both simple and complex problems, and, more than just allowing us to navigate our lives through a mathematical lens, being numerate allows us to make our world a better place.

The mathematics curriculum in Australia provides teachers with the perfect opportunity to teach mathematics through critical and creative thinking. In fact, it’s mandated. Consider the core processes of the curriculum. The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2017), requires teachers to address four proficiencies : Problem Solving, Reasoning, Fluency, and Understanding. Problem solving and reasoning require critical and creative thinking (). This requirement is emphasised more heavily in New South wales, through the graphical representation of the mathematics syllabus content , which strategically places Working Mathematically (the proficiencies in NSW) and problem solving, at its core. Alongside the mathematics curriculum, we also have the General Capabilities , one of which is Critical and Creative Thinking – there’s no excuse!

Critical and creative thinking need to be embedded in every mathematics lesson . Why? When we embed critical and creative thinking, we transform learning from disjointed, memorisation of facts, to sense-making mathematics. Learning becomes more meaningful and purposeful for students.

How and when do we embed critical and creative thinking?

There are many tools and many methods of promoting thinking. Using a range of problem solving activities is a good place to start, but you might want to also use some shorter activities and some extended activities. Open-ended tasks are easy to implement, allow all learners the opportunity to achieve success, and allow for critical thinking and creativity. Tools such as Bloom’s Taxonomy and Thinkers Keys  are also very worthwhile tasks. For good mathematical problems go to the nrich website . For more extended mathematical investigations and a wonderful array of rich tasks, my favourite resource is Maths300   (this is subscription based, but well worth the money). All of the above activities can be used in class and/or for homework, as lesson starters or within the body of a lesson.

Will critical and creative thinking take time away from teaching basic concepts?

No, we need to teach mathematics in a way that has meaning and relevance, rather than through isolated topics. Therefore, teaching through problem-solving rather than for problem-solving. A classroom that promotes and critical and creative thinking provides opportunities for:

• higher-level thinking within authentic and meaningful contexts;
• complex problem solving;
• open-ended responses; and
• substantive dialogue and interaction.

Who should be engaging in critical and creative thinking?

Is it just for students? No! There are lots of reasons that teachers should be engaged with critical and creative thinking. First, it’s important that we model this type of thinking for our students. Often students see mathematics as black or white, right or wrong. They need to learn to question, to be critical, and to be creative. They need to feel they have permission to engage in exploration and investigation. They need to move from consumers to producers of mathematics.

Secondly, teachers need to think critically and creatively about their practice as teachers of mathematics. We need to be reflective practitioners who constantly evaluate our work, questioning curriculum and practice, including assessment, student grouping, the use of technology, and our beliefs of how children best learn mathematics.

Critical and creative thinking is something we cannot ignore if we want our students to be prepared for a workforce and world that is constantly changing. Not only does it equip then for the future, it promotes higher levels of student engagement, and makes mathematics more relevant and meaningful.

How will you and your students engage in critical and creative thinking?

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Numeracy Through Problem Solving

Numeracy Through Problem Solving is a sequence of five modules which develop students' ability to use mathematics together with other skills. In tackling problems of concern or situations of interest in everyday life - the original definition of numeracy, which was reinforced by the Cockcroft Report. The five modules have all been designed for pupils of all abilities to complement the GCSE Mathematics curriculum for 16 year olds in England and Wales. Each module is designed to take between 10 and 20 hours to complete. Each provides a theme within which the students take responsibility for planning, organising or designing. They are based around the everyday interests of most students. Students work both individually and in groups and are able to choose which areas of mathematics to deploy. They also implement the results of their own decisions - a vital educational experience! It has been developed with students of all abilities in the age range 13-16, and their teachers. Each module package provides comprehensive materials for both teaching and assessment, related to a practical context which has proved interesting and enjoyable to the students who have taken part in its development. It is accessible to those who normally find mathematics difficult, while at the same time it provides a challenge for the most able.

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Design a Board Game

In this Shell Centre module, groups carefully design and produce their own board games. These games are then played and evaluated by other class members.

This involves developing ideas from 2-dimensional shape-and-...

Be a Shrewd Chooser

In this Shell Centre activity, students research and provide expert consumer advice for clients in their class.

Students listen to a radio show on audiotape which contains a number of interviews with people who have...

Plan a Trip

In this Shell Centre module students plan and undertake a class trip using costings, scheduling, surveys and everyday arithmetic.

In a card game simulation, groups undertake and record imaginary trips, encounter problems and errors of judgement, then seek to correct them by better planning. Groups share...

Be a Paper Engineer

In this Shell Centre activity students design make and evaluate 3D paper products including gift boxes and pop-up greetings cards. They explore 3D shape-and-space, making generalisations using words and algebra.

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Description:

Numeracy focuses on the core skills of applying numerical concepts. It is the ability of understanding fundamental mathematical operations such as multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. These activities are created for all ages and all cognitive levels.

Activities should be adapted based on the learner's cognitive ability.

Numeracy activities are important for learners to develop logical thinking and strategies in everyday life. Learners also need numeracy to make sense of numbers, solve problems, play sports, cook and understand instructions.

Ask the learner to write a math story or word problem and have someone else draw it out and solve it!

This activity ensures that learners understand the real world applications of mathematics and encourages them to use math to solve these problems

Ask the learner to think about a very short story for their word problem. Think of questions such as:

- Who is the character in the story?

- Where is the story happening?

- What is his or her problem?

- What question are you looking to answer?

Once the learner has the story, think about the math involved:

- How many steps will be needed to solve the problem?

- Which operation/s will be needed? (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)

- How large will the numbers be?

Finally, tell the learner to write the problem and ask someone else to solve it by drawing a picture and writing a number sentence to go with it!

Emily made 10 cookies at home for her family and herself. Her brother ate 4 cookies, how many are left for the rest of the family?

Choose a number and then show different ways to split a number into two whole numbers.

This activity ensures that learners understand how to create connections between numbers using addition.

Ask the learner to create a list with numbers and pick one number from the list, or ask the learner to think of a number in their head and say it out loud. Alternatively the learner can roll one or two dice to decide the number.

Next, ask the learner how many ways they can split the number into whole numbers. For example, if their number is 10, they can come up with:

- 10 can be added using the numbers 5, 5

- 10 can be added using the numbers 8, 2

- 10 can be added using the numbers 7, 3

- 10 can be added using the numbers 6, 4

Finally, tell the learner to see how many ways they can think of to reach their chosen number.

Ask the learner to play this with a partner or in a group, and whoever has the most ways of reaching the number, wins.

Ask the learner to try to split the number with different mathematical operations such as subtraction, division and multiplication.

Ask the learner to set a goal for themselves: “I will think of 5 different ways to make this number.”

Roll two or more dice and create math equations to solve for.

This activity ensures that learners know their math facts automatically.

Ask the learner to decide what operation they wish to do (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division)

Next, get two dice and roll them.

Finally, solve the problem.

For example: if they chose addition and rolled 2 on one dice and 3 on another dice, do 2 + 3 and solve this equation.

Assist the learner in creating their own dice like the picture!

If the learner wants to work with bigger numbers, then change the numbers on the dice.

The learner can play this with a partner or in a group, and whoever has the most correct answers, wins.

Set a timer for the learner and keep rolling the dice and solving the equations. Start the timer again and then tell the learner to try to beat their previous score.

For a longer project where the learner can create their own math games, please refer to Math Cards here: Link

Two or more people pick a card each. The person with the higher number will move their car one step ahead. Whoever reaches the finish line first, wins.

To ensure the learners are able to compare number values.

Help the learner create about 20-30 number cards. (cut an A4 piece of paper in 8 or 12 cards)

Next, ask the learner to get two toy cars and create a race track on some chart paper like the one in the picture.

Then, place the cars on the starting position and each person pick up a number card. The person with the higher number moves one step forward.

Finally, the person who reaches the finish line first, wins.

Use numbers in the tens, hundreds or thousands or even larger to make it more challenging. The number cards can also be decimals, fractions or integers if the learner knows them.

Two or more people take turns putting a playing card one on top of another. The person who calculates the decided number first says snap and collects the cards. Keep going until one person loses all their cards.

This activity ensures the learners are able to compute their basic math facts automatically.

Deal all the number cards equally among the players.

Next, ask the learner to decide which operation they wish to work with and what the total must be. For example: They decide they want to work with addition and the total number must be 10.

Then, hand out the cards to each player, facing down. Each player takes a turn picking up a card from their own pile and placing it face up in the center, one on top of each other.

Keep calculating the top 2 cards (e.g., 3+4, 2+8), and when the numbers equal the predetermined total (e.g., 10), a player calls “Snap” while slapping their hand onto the top of the pile of cards. The first player to do this wins the pile and adds these cards to the bottom of their pile.

The player that runs out of cards is out of the game and the player with the most cards wins.

If the learner wants to include the other cards (e.g., WILD, Jacks etc.), then assign each of them a number value.

Ask the learner to make their own number cards. About 30-40, with any number they wish to have.

Two or more people take turns picking up two cards at a time and adding them. The person who gets the higher total collects the cards. Keep going till one person loses all their cards.

Deal all the number cards from a playing cards deck equally among all players. If the learner wants to include the other cards (e.g., WILD, Jacks etc.), then assign each of them a number value.

Then, hand out the cards to each player, facing down. Each player takes turn placing two cards, facing up, in front of them.

Next, add the numbers on the cards (e.g.: if they get 3 and 2, then their answer is 5). Tell everyone the answer. The player with the highest answer adds everyone’s cards to the bottom of their pile.

If the player gets the same number in both cards, they can DOUBLE their answer! (e.g.: if they get 3 and 3, add them and get 6 and then double this to get 12 as the final answer!)

Play this game with subtraction or multiplication too!

Two or more people take turns subtracting. The person who gets the lower total collects the cards. Keep going until one person loses all their cards.

This activity ensures the learners are able to do basic operations mentally.

Deal the number cards (1-9) from a playing cards deck to all the players.

Next, the players look at their cards and make a 2 digit number using two cards (e.g.: if I have 3, 6, 7 and 9, I can make numbers such as 36 and 97, etc.)

Then, each player subtracts the smallest number from their largest number and tells the answer (e.g.: 97-36= 51). This should be done mentally, if possible.

The player with the highest number for the answer keeps their cards, but the other players return their cards to the bottom of the middle pile.

Keep going until the cards are all done. The person with the most cards wins.

This game can be played with addition, multiplication or division too!

Use only 1 digit numbers, using 1 card, and subtracting the smallest number from the largest number.

Using a deck of cards, shuffle the cards and then lay 5 cards out on the table and all other cards face down in a pile on the side.

Next, the first player picks one card from the deck of the cards and lays it face up beside the pile.

Then, the players attempt to create an equation using any of the 5 cards to make the number they have turned over.

For example: if they have placed 5 cards - 3, 6, 2, 5 and 10 on the table, and 7 is the number they chose, then they can make the equations 5 + 2, or 10 – 3, or 5x2 - 3 and so on that all equal 7.

The first player to think of an equation says “Made My Number” and says the equation. If they are correct, they keep those number cards and the number card chosen, all of which are then replaced in the next round.

If the players are unable to make the number, just place the chosen card at the bottom of the pile and pick a new one. Keep going until the cards are all done. The person with the most cards wins.

This game can be played by using a timer and challenging players to come up with as many equations within the time limit as possible!

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Number and algebra.

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For younger learners

• Early years foundation stage

Problem Solving

Problem solving and the new curriculum

Developing a classroom culture that supports a problem-solving approach to mathematics

Developing excellence in problem solving with young learners

Using NRICH Tasks to Develop Key Problem-solving Skills

Trial and Improvement at KS1

Trial and Improvement at KS2

Working Systematically - Primary teachers

Number Patterns

Working Backwards at KS1

Working Backwards at KS2

Visualising at KS1 - Primary teachers

Visualising at KS2 - Primary teachers

Conjecturing and Generalising at KS1 - Primary teachers

Conjecturing and Generalising at KS2 - Primary teachers

Mathematical Problem Solving in the Early Years

Low threshold high ceiling - an introduction.

What's all the talking about?

Group-worthy tasks and their potential to support children to develop independent problem-solving skills

Developing the classroom culture: using the Dotty Six Activity as a springboard for investigation

Reading & Math for K-5

• Kindergarten
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• Fact vs. fiction
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• 11-16 Years

Play these fun Maths Games for 7-11 year olds

Choose a category:, problem solving games.

Bead Numbers - Place Value

Bead Numbers is a place value investigation involving a tens and ones abacus. The game provides a good context for encouraging learners to think systematically.

Thinking of a Number

Guess the number by revealing the clues on the clouds one by one. Children will need knowledge of rounding, odd and even and tens and ones.

Tables Teaser

Can you work out which number goes in each row and column heading to make the interactive tables grid work? It is quite a challenge!

Mystic Numbers

Solve the number puzzles and collect the treasures.

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Math Games offers online games and printable worksheets to make learning math fun. Kids from pre-K to 8th grade can practice math skills recommended by the Common Core State Standards in exciting game formats. Never associated learning algebra with rescuing animals or destroying zombies? Time to think again!

Kids learn better when they're having fun . They also learn better when they get to practice new skills repeatedly . Math Games lets them do both - in school or at home .

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UO Numeracy and Problem Solving

Course Level

Course information

Area/Catalogue MATH 1086

Study Method 100% online

Course ID 175190

Unit Value 4.5

Duration 10 weeks

Fees View fees for this course

This course has not been timetabled for 2025.

To develop students as self-sufficient learners of mathematics and increase mathematical confidence while building confidence and a strong foundation in mathematical knowledge for future undergraduate study in a wide range of disciplines.

Course content

Students will learn to reflect on their reactions to mathematics and choose constructive approaches to learning and problem-solving. They will develop and use mathematical language and communication skills to describe, discuss, and critically analyse problems and structure their thinking. Students will deepen their appreciation of mathematics as a creative discipline.

Prerequisites

Corequisite(s), teaching method.

Note: These components may or may not be scheduled in every study period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Reflection, Test/Quiz

EFTSL*: 0.125 Commonwealth Supported program (Band 1) To determine the fee for this course as part of a Commonwealth Supported program, go to: How to determine your Commonwealth Supported course fee. (Opens new window)

Fee-paying program for domestic and international students International students and students undertaking this course as part of a postgraduate fee paying program must refer to the relevant program home page to determine the cost for undertaking this course.

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* Equivalent Full Time Study Load. Please note all EFTSL values are published and calculated at ten decimal places. Values are displayed to three decimal places for ease of interpretation

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