When some students think about math, they get upset bellies and headaches. However, this type of math anxiety did not start overnight. More than likely, it is often the result of challenging material and multiple steps to remember for solving. Honestly, no teacher wants to create math anxiety in students! Thus, teachers work so hard to create hands-on, engaging lessons to help students see how fun math is!
Using Games
Generally, one of the best ways to do this involves turning material into games. For example, when students get to practice content through fun activities, they are excited instead of nervous. For instance, creating math games for addition takes away some of the stress of solving problems and adds in a ton of fun. Thankfully, Addition Math Games for Kindergarten and First Grade will help ensure students love math!
Addition Math Games for Kindergarten and First Grade
This packet of games includes 11 different activities for addition! Therefore, there is a game for different concepts and strategies. Best of all, the games are all low prep and require no little pieces to be cut out and picked off the floor.
1. Hot Diggity Dog: In this game, students will use counting on as a strategy to figure out the missing addend. Additionally, the puzzle cards all go together for various number combinations.
2. Chewing On Addition: Students will love this bubblegum-themed game to work on composing and decomposing numbers.
3. Sinking Ships: In this game, students will practice addition strategies while seeing who can save the ships first.
4. Crash and Bump: During this activity, students will love racing to see who can get to ten the quickest.
5. Penny Savers: Often, students love piggy banks! Thus, this piggy bank-themed game is perfect for composing and decomposing numbers.
6. Tumbling Towers: In this game, the race is on to see who can build all of their towers without landing on the tumbling power space.
7. Cubs in a Tub: Students will love working on composing and decomposing numbers in this fun game.
8. Add ‘Em Up: This is the ultimate test of speed! Truly, students will love showing off how fast and accurate they can add.
9. Slides and Ladders: Board games are so fun! Here, students will use slides and ladders to help them jump to other parts of the board.
10. Ready, Set, Add!: Another game about speed! Students will love the race car theme and using dominos to add quickly.
11. Adderpillar: For fun, students will spin a number and cover the caterpillar segments that equal that specific sum. Honestly, this is an adorable game!
Game Formats
Understandably, every classroom is different. Hence, there are different formats to play the games. Thankfully, the games above are all adaptable to fit the needs of students. For instance, they may be played in small groups. Or, games may be played with one partner. Additionally, there are even options to play independently, which can be helpful for early finishers. Once everything is printed, the games can be set out for students to play all year long.
Built-In Differentiation
During the activities, students are learning at all different levels. To ensure math anxiety does not start at a young age, it is crucial to differentiate addition activities. Thankfully, each game may be played in multiple ways. By doing this, students are playing in a way that pushes them without making them uncomfortable.
Most importantly, students will love becoming mathematicians with the Addition Math Games for Kindergarten and First Grade! In addition, they will have so much fun playing that they won’t even realize how much learning occurs. Ultimately, these games will help show students how exciting math is.
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