Number Activities and Games
Friendly Concentration
Learning Outcomes
Subitizing to 10 and portioning 10 in two parts; developing a sense of pattern in numbers.
Materials:
2 sets of Power of ten cards
Instructions
1. Start by removing the two 10-frame cards from the deck (game is played without them). Shuffle the cards and place them face down on a table in a 3 x 6 grid.
2. Player 1 turns over two cards (one at a time) while pronouncing the value of each. If the two cards have a total value that equals ten (for example, 3 and 7), Player 1 takes both cards and has a free turn. If the two cards don’t equal ten, the cards are turned back over and Player 2 takes a turn.
3. The game continues until all the cards have been claimed.
4. Whoever has the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
Face off challenge
Learning Outcomes
Adding facts to 18.
Materials:
2 sets of Power of ten cards
Instructions:
1. Each player has a deck of twenty cards. Each deck is shuffled and placed face down.
2. Player 1 and Player 2 simultaneously turn over a card. The first player to say the SUM wins
3. A player may challenge if she thinks the sum is incorrect. The player who is actually correct wins the cards. When a student wins a round, she collects her winnings and creates a blue pile and a red pile of winnings.
4. Ties are settled by each person winning their own card OR both players turn over another card and the winner of that round takes everything.
5. The winner is the person who holds the most cards.
Snap
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
Deal the cards out to the players.
Players keep their cards in a pile face down.
Play the Game
Players take turns to turn over the top card and place it face up on a
central pile.
If the top card is a match for the one below it, players snap their
hand onto the top of the pile and call out the number represented by
the 2 cards.
First player to ‘Snap’ the cards wins the central pile. These cards
are then added to the bottom of the players pile.
Players are out as they run out of cards.
The winner is the player to win all of the cards.
Largest Number
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
Use only cards with 1-9 for this game.
Select the number of digits to be used in the numbers for this game,
e.g. 2 digit numbers
Each player is dealt that number of cards.
Play the Game
Players arrange their cards to make the largest possible number with the cards that they have been dealt, e.g. with cards 5 and 8 a player would make 85.
The player with the largest number in each round scores a point.
The winner is the player who scores the most points.
Ten or Twenty
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
Each player is dealt 5 cards to hold in their hand.
The remaining cards are placed face down in a pile in the center.
The top card is turned over and placed beside the pile.
Play the Game
Players take it in turn to pick up the top card of the pile or the top card of the discard pile. If the player can make a set of 3 cards that total 10 or 20 in value, the set is put down facing up in front of the player. The player finishes the turn by discarding a card face up on the discard pile. If the player has made a set of 3 on their turn they also pick up three more cards from the pile to restore their hand to 5 cards.
The winner is the person who has made the most sets when all of the pile is gone.
Crazy Addition
Materials: one or more decks of playing cards with the face cards and 10's removed
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards and deal them all out evenly between the players.
2. Decide who will go first.
3. Player 1 plays a card face up. Example: 7 of diamonds
4. Player 2 takes his/her own top card and turns it over. He/She cannot play his/her card unless he/she can correctly add his/her card to the one played. Example: 7 of diamonds and 5 of clubs. The answer is 12.
5. Player 1 then plays a card and must add it to the top card, which is a 5 of clubs in the example. Example: 5 of clubs and 2 of hearts. The answer is 7.
6. The object of the game is to play all of your cards.
Number Snap
2 – 4 players
Getting Ready
All of the playing cards are dealt out to the players. Players keep their cards in a pile face down in front of them. Before starting the game decide what the total for the game is to be – 10, 11, 12 or 13.
Play the Game
• Players take turns to turn over a card and place it in the center.
• Cards in the center are placed on top of each other.
• When the 2 top cards add to the total for the game, players can ‘Snap’ (slap their hand onto the top card) and call out the total.
• The first player to do so wins the pile and adds it the bottom of her pile.
• A player is out of the game if they run out of cards.
• Last player to have cards left is the winner.
Addition Snap
Skill: Immediate recall of additon facts
Materials: one or more decks of playing cards with the face cards removed
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards and deal them all out evenly between the players.
2. At the same time, each player turns over 3 cards. Players must add the 3 numbers together. The first player who says the correct sum out loud scores one point. In the event of a tie, no one scores a point.
3. Play continues for a set period of time or until a certain number of points have been reached.
Make My Number
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
The dealer lays out five cards, face up, in the center. The rest of the cards are placed in a pile face down.
Play the Game
• The first player turns over the top card on the pile and places it beside the pile. •
This player then attempts to create an equation that uses any of the 5 cards in the center to make the number they have turned over. e.g. With the five cards – 2, 5, 6, 3 and 10 in the center, when 7 is turned over, 5 + 2 could be used or 10 – 3 could be used. Players can also use more than 2 cards to create an equation with mixed operations. e.g. If 7 was turned over, 2 x 6 – 5 could be used.
•The player calls out, ‘Made My Number!’ when they have an equation and tells the other players the equation. If the equation is correct the player takes the numbers used in the equation. These are then replaced with new cards from the pile. The player also takes the card that was turned over.
• If the player is unable to Make The Number, the card is returned to the bottom of the pile.
• The next player then draws a card and attempts to make this number.
• The winner is the player who has the most cards at the end of the game.
Make 25 with 5 Cards
Object of the game: is to have a hand totaling 25 while using only five cards.
Getting Ready
Deal each player five cards face down. The remaining cards are placed in the center of the group with the top card turned up.
Play the Game
Take turns picking up and discarding one card until you reach a total sum of twenty-five.
If a player has a hand totaling 25 using only five cards, they will immediately call out “25″.
Once a player has called out their hand, the other players will receive one more turn to complete their hands.
First to 50 - Addition
2 - 5 players
Getting Ready
Shuffle cards and place face down in a pile in the center of the players.
Play the Game
Each player draws two cards from the center pile. (Or someone can deal two cards to each player.)
Players add the two values together and tell everyone the total.
The player with the highest total keeps their cards.
The others return their cards to the pile, which is shuffled and placed in the center.
Repeat.
Each player keeps adding the value of the cards they have won until one player reaches 50 and becomes the winner
Double the Doubles
2 – 4 players
Getting Ready
All of the cards are dealt out to the players. Players keep their cards in a pile face down in front of them.
Play the Game
• Players take turns to turn over the top 2 cards in their pile and add the two values together, telling everyone the answer.
• If a player has two cards of the same value, they double the answer, e.g. if a player has 6 and 6, these are added and then doubled: 6 + 6 = 12, double 12 is 24.
• The player with the highest answer is given all of the cards from that round. Each player keeps the cards they win in a separate pile.
• The game ends when players run out of cards. The winner is the person who collects the most cards.
Subtraction Snap
Skill: Immediate recall of subtraction facts
Materials: cards (Ace=1) - 9
Directions:
• Players divide the cards evenly between themselves.
• At the same time, each player turns over one card.
• Players must subtract the smaller number from the larger number of the two cards.
• The first player who says the correct answer out loud collects both cards.
• Play continues until one player has collected all of the cards. In the event of a tie, players leave their cards face down.
• Play resumes until one player gives a correct answer before the other and takes all accumulated cards.
Variation:
For three players, two players are assigned as the addition cards. The third player's card will be the one subtracted. For example: Player 1 gets a 9, player 2 gets a 5 and player 3 gets a 3. Player 1 and 2's cards are added together 9+5=14. Then player 3's card is subtracted. 14-3=11.
Take It Away
2 – 4 players
Getting Ready
Remove the 10’s from the pack. The dealer deals 4 cards to each player. Players look at their cards.
Play the Game
• Each player makes two 2 digit numbers from their cards.
• Players then subtract their smallest number from their largest number and tell the answer. (Do this mentally or use pencil and paper if necessary.)
• The player with highest number for the answer keeps their cards. e.g. With 3, 6, 7 and 9 a player could make 97 – 36 = 61. If this is the highest answer, this player keeps these cards.
• Other players return their cards to the pack. 4 cards are dealt to each player for the new round.
• The game ends when there are no longer enough cards to deal each player 4 cards.
• Players total the values of the cards they have won. The winner is the player with the highest total.
Learning Outcomes
Subitizing to 10 and portioning 10 in two parts; developing a sense of pattern in numbers.
Materials:
2 sets of Power of ten cards
Instructions
1. Start by removing the two 10-frame cards from the deck (game is played without them). Shuffle the cards and place them face down on a table in a 3 x 6 grid.
2. Player 1 turns over two cards (one at a time) while pronouncing the value of each. If the two cards have a total value that equals ten (for example, 3 and 7), Player 1 takes both cards and has a free turn. If the two cards don’t equal ten, the cards are turned back over and Player 2 takes a turn.
3. The game continues until all the cards have been claimed.
4. Whoever has the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
Face off challenge
Learning Outcomes
Adding facts to 18.
Materials:
2 sets of Power of ten cards
Instructions:
1. Each player has a deck of twenty cards. Each deck is shuffled and placed face down.
2. Player 1 and Player 2 simultaneously turn over a card. The first player to say the SUM wins
3. A player may challenge if she thinks the sum is incorrect. The player who is actually correct wins the cards. When a student wins a round, she collects her winnings and creates a blue pile and a red pile of winnings.
4. Ties are settled by each person winning their own card OR both players turn over another card and the winner of that round takes everything.
5. The winner is the person who holds the most cards.
Snap
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
Deal the cards out to the players.
Players keep their cards in a pile face down.
Play the Game
Players take turns to turn over the top card and place it face up on a
central pile.
If the top card is a match for the one below it, players snap their
hand onto the top of the pile and call out the number represented by
the 2 cards.
First player to ‘Snap’ the cards wins the central pile. These cards
are then added to the bottom of the players pile.
Players are out as they run out of cards.
The winner is the player to win all of the cards.
Largest Number
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
Use only cards with 1-9 for this game.
Select the number of digits to be used in the numbers for this game,
e.g. 2 digit numbers
Each player is dealt that number of cards.
Play the Game
Players arrange their cards to make the largest possible number with the cards that they have been dealt, e.g. with cards 5 and 8 a player would make 85.
The player with the largest number in each round scores a point.
The winner is the player who scores the most points.
Ten or Twenty
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
Each player is dealt 5 cards to hold in their hand.
The remaining cards are placed face down in a pile in the center.
The top card is turned over and placed beside the pile.
Play the Game
Players take it in turn to pick up the top card of the pile or the top card of the discard pile. If the player can make a set of 3 cards that total 10 or 20 in value, the set is put down facing up in front of the player. The player finishes the turn by discarding a card face up on the discard pile. If the player has made a set of 3 on their turn they also pick up three more cards from the pile to restore their hand to 5 cards.
The winner is the person who has made the most sets when all of the pile is gone.
Crazy Addition
Materials: one or more decks of playing cards with the face cards and 10's removed
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards and deal them all out evenly between the players.
2. Decide who will go first.
3. Player 1 plays a card face up. Example: 7 of diamonds
4. Player 2 takes his/her own top card and turns it over. He/She cannot play his/her card unless he/she can correctly add his/her card to the one played. Example: 7 of diamonds and 5 of clubs. The answer is 12.
5. Player 1 then plays a card and must add it to the top card, which is a 5 of clubs in the example. Example: 5 of clubs and 2 of hearts. The answer is 7.
6. The object of the game is to play all of your cards.
Number Snap
2 – 4 players
Getting Ready
All of the playing cards are dealt out to the players. Players keep their cards in a pile face down in front of them. Before starting the game decide what the total for the game is to be – 10, 11, 12 or 13.
Play the Game
• Players take turns to turn over a card and place it in the center.
• Cards in the center are placed on top of each other.
• When the 2 top cards add to the total for the game, players can ‘Snap’ (slap their hand onto the top card) and call out the total.
• The first player to do so wins the pile and adds it the bottom of her pile.
• A player is out of the game if they run out of cards.
• Last player to have cards left is the winner.
Addition Snap
Skill: Immediate recall of additon facts
Materials: one or more decks of playing cards with the face cards removed
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards and deal them all out evenly between the players.
2. At the same time, each player turns over 3 cards. Players must add the 3 numbers together. The first player who says the correct sum out loud scores one point. In the event of a tie, no one scores a point.
3. Play continues for a set period of time or until a certain number of points have been reached.
Make My Number
2 - 4 players
Getting Ready
The dealer lays out five cards, face up, in the center. The rest of the cards are placed in a pile face down.
Play the Game
• The first player turns over the top card on the pile and places it beside the pile. •
This player then attempts to create an equation that uses any of the 5 cards in the center to make the number they have turned over. e.g. With the five cards – 2, 5, 6, 3 and 10 in the center, when 7 is turned over, 5 + 2 could be used or 10 – 3 could be used. Players can also use more than 2 cards to create an equation with mixed operations. e.g. If 7 was turned over, 2 x 6 – 5 could be used.
•The player calls out, ‘Made My Number!’ when they have an equation and tells the other players the equation. If the equation is correct the player takes the numbers used in the equation. These are then replaced with new cards from the pile. The player also takes the card that was turned over.
• If the player is unable to Make The Number, the card is returned to the bottom of the pile.
• The next player then draws a card and attempts to make this number.
• The winner is the player who has the most cards at the end of the game.
Make 25 with 5 Cards
Object of the game: is to have a hand totaling 25 while using only five cards.
Getting Ready
Deal each player five cards face down. The remaining cards are placed in the center of the group with the top card turned up.
Play the Game
Take turns picking up and discarding one card until you reach a total sum of twenty-five.
If a player has a hand totaling 25 using only five cards, they will immediately call out “25″.
Once a player has called out their hand, the other players will receive one more turn to complete their hands.
First to 50 - Addition
2 - 5 players
Getting Ready
Shuffle cards and place face down in a pile in the center of the players.
Play the Game
Each player draws two cards from the center pile. (Or someone can deal two cards to each player.)
Players add the two values together and tell everyone the total.
The player with the highest total keeps their cards.
The others return their cards to the pile, which is shuffled and placed in the center.
Repeat.
Each player keeps adding the value of the cards they have won until one player reaches 50 and becomes the winner
Double the Doubles
2 – 4 players
Getting Ready
All of the cards are dealt out to the players. Players keep their cards in a pile face down in front of them.
Play the Game
• Players take turns to turn over the top 2 cards in their pile and add the two values together, telling everyone the answer.
• If a player has two cards of the same value, they double the answer, e.g. if a player has 6 and 6, these are added and then doubled: 6 + 6 = 12, double 12 is 24.
• The player with the highest answer is given all of the cards from that round. Each player keeps the cards they win in a separate pile.
• The game ends when players run out of cards. The winner is the person who collects the most cards.
Subtraction Snap
Skill: Immediate recall of subtraction facts
Materials: cards (Ace=1) - 9
Directions:
• Players divide the cards evenly between themselves.
• At the same time, each player turns over one card.
• Players must subtract the smaller number from the larger number of the two cards.
• The first player who says the correct answer out loud collects both cards.
• Play continues until one player has collected all of the cards. In the event of a tie, players leave their cards face down.
• Play resumes until one player gives a correct answer before the other and takes all accumulated cards.
Variation:
For three players, two players are assigned as the addition cards. The third player's card will be the one subtracted. For example: Player 1 gets a 9, player 2 gets a 5 and player 3 gets a 3. Player 1 and 2's cards are added together 9+5=14. Then player 3's card is subtracted. 14-3=11.
Take It Away
2 – 4 players
Getting Ready
Remove the 10’s from the pack. The dealer deals 4 cards to each player. Players look at their cards.
Play the Game
• Each player makes two 2 digit numbers from their cards.
• Players then subtract their smallest number from their largest number and tell the answer. (Do this mentally or use pencil and paper if necessary.)
• The player with highest number for the answer keeps their cards. e.g. With 3, 6, 7 and 9 a player could make 97 – 36 = 61. If this is the highest answer, this player keeps these cards.
• Other players return their cards to the pack. 4 cards are dealt to each player for the new round.
• The game ends when there are no longer enough cards to deal each player 4 cards.
• Players total the values of the cards they have won. The winner is the player with the highest total.
Even or Odd Dice Game
2-4 players
Getting Ready
Use 10 dice with the numbers 1 to 6 on them.
Play the Game
• Each player on his or her turn must call out even or odd. Then roll all 10 dice.
•If even was called then all the even numbered dice are added to obtain the score for that hand.
• If odd was called then all the odd numbered dice are added to obtain the score for that hand.
• The first player to reach 100 wins. Using 50 or 75 points to win can be used to lessen the total playing time.
2-4 players
Getting Ready
Use 10 dice with the numbers 1 to 6 on them.
Play the Game
• Each player on his or her turn must call out even or odd. Then roll all 10 dice.
•If even was called then all the even numbered dice are added to obtain the score for that hand.
• If odd was called then all the odd numbered dice are added to obtain the score for that hand.
• The first player to reach 100 wins. Using 50 or 75 points to win can be used to lessen the total playing time.
Face Off Ten
Face Off Nine
This game can be adapted so you can play face off eight, seven or six too.