Number Games
Three Six Slap: Students sit in a circle and will be counting sequentially one at a time. If a number has a 3 or a 6 in it, the student does not say the number, but instead is silent and slaps the floor. If a number has multiple 3's or 6's in it, the student must slap the floor once for each digit.
Example: 1, 2, SLAP, 4, 5, Slap, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, SLAP, 14, 15, Slap, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Slap, 24, 25, Slap, 27, 28, 29, SLAP (30), SLAP (31), SLAP (32), SLAP SLAP (33)... 33 has two 3's so its a double slap on the floor.
*Students go around until a mistake is made. The student that makes the mistake gives the other team 5 points, and then returns to play the game again.
**30's and 60's can get difficult because it is silent, and only slapping with a few double slaps for 33, 36, 63, 66...
Math-Acrobatics: Choose one student from each team to play. Write and explain to the students the action you want them to use during the game. I used jumping jacks, and spinning around. Tell students they must figure out the math equation that you write on the board, then do the action the number of times that the answer is. When the students finish doing that amount of the jumping jacks, or spins they can yell out the answer. The winner is awarded points.
Example math equations: 100-95= 5+5-3= 3X2= 20/5= 3+3+3+3-12=
*Math equations can be as simple or as difficult as the level of students require
*This game is just a fun warm-up to switch things up... Not the most efficient way of learning numbers or math...
*Students must do 10 Jumping Jacks before yelling out the answer "10"
Number of Digits: Tell the students or write on the board an amount of digits. Ex. Five 6's (66,666) Three 2's (222) Four 9's (9,999) Students must then say the correct number. Ex 1= 66 thousand 6 hundred 66. Ex 2= 2 hundred twenty two Ex 3= 9 thousand 9 hundred ninety nine. Students can all yell out answers together, or have students raise their hands and choose the fastest student. Points can be awarded, or this can be done as a drill where each student must answer one number in order to be "Out" of the game and play until all students are "Out". This drill helps students to practice the hundreds/ thousands/ millions...
Guess The Number: The teacher writes a number somewhere and then gives the children the option of 1 – 100 (highest number they are familiar with) Students then guess numbers to find what it is. The teacher can give clues of Higher or Lower to help with large numbers. Also helpful to write guesses on the board to narrow down what the answer is if students are confused. Every few guesses or if a students pronunciation is poor the teacher should repeat the guessed number and have all students repeat then continue guessing.
Closest Number to the Impossible Question: The teacher writes or tells the students a crazy question that students must guess the numeric answer. Each students gets one guess in order and the teacher writes down the answers. After all students have guessed the teacher reveals the answer and the closest number to the answer is the winner. Example questions: How many monkeys live with me? (Easy small number) How many people live in my home town? (difficult large number) Every few guesses or if a students pronunciation is poor the teacher should repeat the number and have all students repeat the number together.
Buzz: Students stand in a circle and must count sequentially around the circle. When a student says his/her number he/she must hit either the left or right shoulder to show which student will say the next number. On multiples of 7 students must not say a number but say “buzz” and make a gesture of one arm over the other arm. For 7 the top arm signifies which student is next for 14 the bottom number signifies who is next and at 21 the game is completed. At any time a student makes a mistake of numbers/actions/pronunciation they are either out of the game, or the opposite team can get points. This game is great to slowly work on speed of saying numbers, and also the pronunciation of the “teens”. This game is great for all levels and the teacher should continually make it faster and more precise to keep it fast fun and competitive. Important, when a student makes a mistake the teacher should repeat clearly the correct pronunciation and have the class repeat loudly together then continue the game.
Circle counting: Students stand in a circle and in order count off different styles of numbers. If a student is slow or incorrect the student can be out of the game, or the opposite team can earn points. Examples of styles
a) First second third fourth fifth
b) Once twice three times four times five times
c) 1 o’clock 2 o’clock 3 o’clock 4 o’clock 5 o’clock
d) Count by 2’s, 3’s, 4’s 10’s 25’s 100’s…
e) Money amounts 25 cents 50 cents 75 cents a dollar dollar 25…
f) Dates: January first, February second, March third, April fourth…
g) Fractions, times, decimals
h) Hundred, Thousand, Million, Billion, Trillion…
I Say You Say With Mistakes: Students stand on a line or sit on the floor to play. The students that are fastest/best can return to their seats but continue to play. If the students don’t continue playing (repeating after the teacher/looking at the teacher/sitting nicely) they return back to the floor/line. The drill continues until one team has all made it back to their seats, or all students get back to their seats.
a) Listening style: Teacher counts in some form where after each number students say, if the students make a mistake children must do an action, first to do the action may return to seat. (good for young children)
b) Reading: Write new numbers on the board, the teacher points to a number and repeats it, if the teacher makes a mistake the students must do an action. The first student to do the action may return to their seat. (good for young children to listen and read)
Writing Race: Give one student from each team a piece of chalk. When the teacher says a number the students must race to the board to write the number and then sit down. After each race have the students repeat the number then the next two students play. Winner can get finger points/ points for team/ eliminate the loser… Good for writing and also speaking as long as the teacher remembers to have students all repeat the number after each race. Once students all repeat together loudly then the game can continue.
Duck Duck Goose / 123 Monkey: Students sit in a circle on the floor. The person that is “IT” counts as he/she touches each students head. When the “IT” person says “Monkey” that student must race around to catch the “IT” person before he or she can run around the circle and into the “Monkey’s” seat. (Good to amuse very young children)
Balloon Number Bop: Students stand in a line or circle. Teacher uses something to tap the top of students heads (balloon, ball, stuffed animal) When the teacher touches the students head that student must say the next number. The teacher should be tapping students out of order and sometimes multiple times in a row to make it fast fun and confusing. If a student makes a mistake he/she is out. The teacher should have the class all say the correct answer together and then continue the game, or start over again by awarding the opposite team points. Any sequential counting can be used, first, once, fractions decimals…
How Many Zeros Are There?: Teaching the numbers ranging from hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, trillions, quadrillions… The teacher says one of these the first student to say how many zeros are in that number wins and is then finished. To trick last remaining students you can say difficult trick numbers such as (1001 or 11,000,000 or 1,022) Just a good way for kids to realize how many numerals are in large numbers as it is calibrated differently in the Chinese language.
Math Race: Students can play as a class, as the fastest students is out, or as a 1 vs. 1 game. The teacher says a Math equation and the first student to say the correct answer is the winner. This helps to teach numbers as well as new vocab (plus, minus, time, divided by…) This is also a good listening exercise to say “teens plus Ty” questions. (15 plus 50, or 70 – 17…) This is also a great game for any age as it can be as difficult as you class can handle.
Crazy Number: This teaches students the numbers from 1,000- trillions easily. First teach the names of the commas in a number, (1,000 = thousand 1,000,000 = million 1,000,000,000 =billion and so on) Be sure to point to the comma so that it makes the game later easier. After children can say the number words then have students stand/sit in a line where all can see the board. Each student must say the number to get out of the game. If incorrect they cannot sit down. The teacher will add a digit until all students are sitting down.
EX. I start with 1,234
1,234
81,234
981,234
7,981,234
47,981,234
847,981,234
5,847,981,234...
This above example has 7 different numbers, but simply added a digit in front every time. By teaching this way it shows students that as long as they can say numbers up to 999 then they can pretty much say any number up to the trillions or beyond by just knowing a few words million/billion/trillion....
Example: 1, 2, SLAP, 4, 5, Slap, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, SLAP, 14, 15, Slap, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Slap, 24, 25, Slap, 27, 28, 29, SLAP (30), SLAP (31), SLAP (32), SLAP SLAP (33)... 33 has two 3's so its a double slap on the floor.
*Students go around until a mistake is made. The student that makes the mistake gives the other team 5 points, and then returns to play the game again.
**30's and 60's can get difficult because it is silent, and only slapping with a few double slaps for 33, 36, 63, 66...
Math-Acrobatics: Choose one student from each team to play. Write and explain to the students the action you want them to use during the game. I used jumping jacks, and spinning around. Tell students they must figure out the math equation that you write on the board, then do the action the number of times that the answer is. When the students finish doing that amount of the jumping jacks, or spins they can yell out the answer. The winner is awarded points.
Example math equations: 100-95= 5+5-3= 3X2= 20/5= 3+3+3+3-12=
*Math equations can be as simple or as difficult as the level of students require
*This game is just a fun warm-up to switch things up... Not the most efficient way of learning numbers or math...
*Students must do 10 Jumping Jacks before yelling out the answer "10"
Number of Digits: Tell the students or write on the board an amount of digits. Ex. Five 6's (66,666) Three 2's (222) Four 9's (9,999) Students must then say the correct number. Ex 1= 66 thousand 6 hundred 66. Ex 2= 2 hundred twenty two Ex 3= 9 thousand 9 hundred ninety nine. Students can all yell out answers together, or have students raise their hands and choose the fastest student. Points can be awarded, or this can be done as a drill where each student must answer one number in order to be "Out" of the game and play until all students are "Out". This drill helps students to practice the hundreds/ thousands/ millions...
Guess The Number: The teacher writes a number somewhere and then gives the children the option of 1 – 100 (highest number they are familiar with) Students then guess numbers to find what it is. The teacher can give clues of Higher or Lower to help with large numbers. Also helpful to write guesses on the board to narrow down what the answer is if students are confused. Every few guesses or if a students pronunciation is poor the teacher should repeat the guessed number and have all students repeat then continue guessing.
Closest Number to the Impossible Question: The teacher writes or tells the students a crazy question that students must guess the numeric answer. Each students gets one guess in order and the teacher writes down the answers. After all students have guessed the teacher reveals the answer and the closest number to the answer is the winner. Example questions: How many monkeys live with me? (Easy small number) How many people live in my home town? (difficult large number) Every few guesses or if a students pronunciation is poor the teacher should repeat the number and have all students repeat the number together.
Buzz: Students stand in a circle and must count sequentially around the circle. When a student says his/her number he/she must hit either the left or right shoulder to show which student will say the next number. On multiples of 7 students must not say a number but say “buzz” and make a gesture of one arm over the other arm. For 7 the top arm signifies which student is next for 14 the bottom number signifies who is next and at 21 the game is completed. At any time a student makes a mistake of numbers/actions/pronunciation they are either out of the game, or the opposite team can get points. This game is great to slowly work on speed of saying numbers, and also the pronunciation of the “teens”. This game is great for all levels and the teacher should continually make it faster and more precise to keep it fast fun and competitive. Important, when a student makes a mistake the teacher should repeat clearly the correct pronunciation and have the class repeat loudly together then continue the game.
Circle counting: Students stand in a circle and in order count off different styles of numbers. If a student is slow or incorrect the student can be out of the game, or the opposite team can earn points. Examples of styles
a) First second third fourth fifth
b) Once twice three times four times five times
c) 1 o’clock 2 o’clock 3 o’clock 4 o’clock 5 o’clock
d) Count by 2’s, 3’s, 4’s 10’s 25’s 100’s…
e) Money amounts 25 cents 50 cents 75 cents a dollar dollar 25…
f) Dates: January first, February second, March third, April fourth…
g) Fractions, times, decimals
h) Hundred, Thousand, Million, Billion, Trillion…
I Say You Say With Mistakes: Students stand on a line or sit on the floor to play. The students that are fastest/best can return to their seats but continue to play. If the students don’t continue playing (repeating after the teacher/looking at the teacher/sitting nicely) they return back to the floor/line. The drill continues until one team has all made it back to their seats, or all students get back to their seats.
a) Listening style: Teacher counts in some form where after each number students say, if the students make a mistake children must do an action, first to do the action may return to seat. (good for young children)
b) Reading: Write new numbers on the board, the teacher points to a number and repeats it, if the teacher makes a mistake the students must do an action. The first student to do the action may return to their seat. (good for young children to listen and read)
Writing Race: Give one student from each team a piece of chalk. When the teacher says a number the students must race to the board to write the number and then sit down. After each race have the students repeat the number then the next two students play. Winner can get finger points/ points for team/ eliminate the loser… Good for writing and also speaking as long as the teacher remembers to have students all repeat the number after each race. Once students all repeat together loudly then the game can continue.
Duck Duck Goose / 123 Monkey: Students sit in a circle on the floor. The person that is “IT” counts as he/she touches each students head. When the “IT” person says “Monkey” that student must race around to catch the “IT” person before he or she can run around the circle and into the “Monkey’s” seat. (Good to amuse very young children)
Balloon Number Bop: Students stand in a line or circle. Teacher uses something to tap the top of students heads (balloon, ball, stuffed animal) When the teacher touches the students head that student must say the next number. The teacher should be tapping students out of order and sometimes multiple times in a row to make it fast fun and confusing. If a student makes a mistake he/she is out. The teacher should have the class all say the correct answer together and then continue the game, or start over again by awarding the opposite team points. Any sequential counting can be used, first, once, fractions decimals…
How Many Zeros Are There?: Teaching the numbers ranging from hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, trillions, quadrillions… The teacher says one of these the first student to say how many zeros are in that number wins and is then finished. To trick last remaining students you can say difficult trick numbers such as (1001 or 11,000,000 or 1,022) Just a good way for kids to realize how many numerals are in large numbers as it is calibrated differently in the Chinese language.
Math Race: Students can play as a class, as the fastest students is out, or as a 1 vs. 1 game. The teacher says a Math equation and the first student to say the correct answer is the winner. This helps to teach numbers as well as new vocab (plus, minus, time, divided by…) This is also a good listening exercise to say “teens plus Ty” questions. (15 plus 50, or 70 – 17…) This is also a great game for any age as it can be as difficult as you class can handle.
Crazy Number: This teaches students the numbers from 1,000- trillions easily. First teach the names of the commas in a number, (1,000 = thousand 1,000,000 = million 1,000,000,000 =billion and so on) Be sure to point to the comma so that it makes the game later easier. After children can say the number words then have students stand/sit in a line where all can see the board. Each student must say the number to get out of the game. If incorrect they cannot sit down. The teacher will add a digit until all students are sitting down.
EX. I start with 1,234
1,234
81,234
981,234
7,981,234
47,981,234
847,981,234
5,847,981,234...
This above example has 7 different numbers, but simply added a digit in front every time. By teaching this way it shows students that as long as they can say numbers up to 999 then they can pretty much say any number up to the trillions or beyond by just knowing a few words million/billion/trillion....