Looking for some cool math games for pre-k?
I am a game-loving teacher who brings games into learning whenever I can. And math lends itself well to game play, because most of the time my pre-kers don't even know they are learning!
What's even better... my students are practicing turn-taking and how to win and lose gracefully. Name me a worksheet that can do that!?
9 Pre-k Math Games We Love
Here are 9 pre-k math games that we love to play. They are simple, quick and allow for differentiation. Check them out:
1. Path Games - 2 player
How to Play: Start on the 'go' or 'start' space. Roll a die or spin a spinner. Move that many spaces on the path. Whoever gets to 'end' or 'stop' first wins.
Benefits
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- numeral recognition
- turn taking
- hand-eye coordination
- manual dexterity
2. Grid Games -single player (or 2-player playing side by side with their own game boards)
How to Play: Start in the upper left hand corner of the grid. Roll a die or spin a numeral spinner. Fill in that many spaces on the grid with a game marker or color it in. Work from left to right, top to bottom. Can you get the whole grid filled up?
Benefits
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- numeral recognition
- left to right progression and top to bottom progression with return sweep
- hand-eye coordination
3. Number Line Game - 2 player
How to Play: Use a clip or mover for each player. Start to the left of the number one. Roll a dice (or use number cards). Move that many spaces down the number line. Who can make it to the end first?
Benefits
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- numeral recognition
- left to right progression
- hand-eye coordination
- becoming familiar with a number line
4. All Gone Games - 2 player
How to Play: Players sit across from each other with the game board in the middle. Each player starts with 10 (or chose an amount) of counters on their side of the board. Take turns rolling a die and removing that many counters from their board. Who can get them 'all gone' first?
Benefits
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- numeral recognition
- early concept of subtraction
- math concept: least
5. Race Games - 2 player
How to Play: Players sit side-by-side, each representing one of the animals/items that are racing. Take turns rolling a die, or spinning a number spinner. Move that many spaces. Which animal/item will win first?
Benefits
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- numeral recognition
- comparison of sets
6. Cover Up Games - 2 player
How to Play: Players sit across from each other, each having their own set of numerals. Take turns rolling 2 dice. Count the amount of both dice and cover up the numeral on the board with a game
mover/counter. Play until all the numerals are filled on one players game board. Roll an amount that you've already covered on your game board? Lose a turn.
Benefits
- numeral recognition
- turn taking
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- subitizing
7. Add One, Take One- 2 player
How to Play: Players sit across from each other with the game board in the middle. Gather 10 items/counters for each player. Place 5 on the game board and 5 off. Take turns rolling a die with '+1' on 3 sides and '-1' on 3 sides. If a '+1' is rolled, add a counter to your game board. If a '-1' is rolled, take a counter off your game board. The object of the game could be to either get all counters off the game board or all counters on the game board.
Benefits
- familiarize with plus and minus signs
- simple concept of adding or taking away
- turn taking
- comparing sets
8. Collection Games - 1 or 2 players
How to Play: Place a mover on start. Roll a die and move that many spaces around the game board. The space on the game board tells you how many items to add to the collection mat. Add that many items. Keep rolling and adding items to the collection until the whole surface of the collection mat image is filled.
Benefits
- numeral recognition
- turn taking
- simple concept of adding
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
9. Graph Games - 1 or 2 players
How to Play: Place a game mover on start on the game board. Roll a die. Move that many spaces. Which picture did you land on? Color in one of the corresponding picture/item on the graph. Keep playing until one item on the graph is filled and has won! To play with 2-players, take turns rolling and marking on the graph.
Benefits
- counting with 1-1 correspondence
- graphing
- comparing sets
- subitizing
Drop a comment- have you played any of these math games in your classroom? How did it go?
Looking for some done-for-you math games to bring into your preschool classroom? I've got you covered with a general, use any time set of math games, monthly math games and some at-home math games you can send home for fun family learning!