Math, like riding a bike, can be fun or daunting. For me, it’s both of these feelings simultaneously. As a student, I found learning math to be dull and pointless. As a parent, I found teaching math to be overwhelming and frustrating. You might find yourself asking:
How can you make math fun?
The answer to student success is relatively simple; games. Of course, we don’t play just any game - these are games that are skill-based and specifically designed to keep young learners’ attention. Through educational games, we can ensure our second graders keep learning while actually having fun. Here we have just a few tried-and-tested games that will improve your child’s math skills, enjoy the subject - and have fun!
1. Gumdrop Geometry
For this game, all you need is a bag of candy plus some toothpicks to learn fundamental geometry skills. Your student can even eat the candy at the end as a reward!
Learn more: sciencebuddies.org.
2. Make Ten
This game is engaging and easy to play. All you need is a deck of cards to help your student better understand the numbers up to ten and improve their fundamental skills using addition.
Learn more: smathsmarts.com.
3. Make a Sundial
This activity combines science, engineering, art, and math into one fun creation to improve clock skills. Construct a sundial and help your 2nd grader in this exciting time-telling game tell using an analog clock.
Learn more: scientificamerican.com.
4. Egg carton math
This intriguing game is for the competitive ones out there and only requires an empty egg carton. You can adjust the operations to practice different levels of math, such as addition, subtraction, and division. You can also change the numbers, depending on the difficulty level that you require for your student.
Learn more: familyhomeschooler.com.
5. Water Balloon Math
A great, fun-filled game for those hot summer days that is cheap, easy, and fun. You can try pairing this with Sidewalk Chalk Math for a variety of outdoor enjoyment that involves learning simple math skills.
Learn more: parents.com.
6. Sidewalk chalk math
Who doesn’t like drawing on the sidewalk? With this interactive game, you can get your kids moving around ensure that they practice three-digit numbers with each step. Try doing this with Water Balloon Math for even more fun.
Learn more: lookwerelearning.com.
7. Fraction Basketball
Fraction Basketball is one for those that are more sport-inclined. This is an exciting game that will ensure your kids learn how to create fractions in a creative way. We recommend playing this outside of the classroom to prevent any damages or breakages.
8. Buried treasure
I have found that acting like pirates when playing this activity can really make things entertaining! Make sure to put plenty of newspaper or any other protective material down to stop the rice from spilling as students search for a collection of coins ranging from pennies to quarters.
Learn more: childhood101.com.
9. Subtraction War
You’ll have a lot of fun “fighting” with this one. This excellent math game will help to improve your second grader's subtraction skills and concept of digit subtraction. You can try challenging your students by changing to multiplication or division “war”.
Learn more: education.com.
10. Can you do it too?
Estimation is always a favorite since there is technically no “wrong” answer. You can always try completing the activities at the end to see how “right” your estimations were. You can modify this to be a fun baseball game!
Learn more: nrich.maths.org.
11. Place value bean bag toss
In this game, your second graders will learn about the value of different numbers, such as tens, hundreds, and thousands. Try increasing the values for even more of a challenge.
Learn more: saddleupfor2ndgrade.com.
12. Hundreds chart battleship
Battleship is a classic game, and this educational reinvention is definitely not one to be missed. We suggest using candy as markers so you have a premade reward to help with this counting game.
Learn more: 123homeschool4me.com.
13. Roll to 100
This game is similar to the Hundreds Chart Battleship but can be customized for a variety of different math skills. Kids practice math with place value, counting to 100, or even understanding odd and even numbers.
Learn more: inspiredelementary.com.
14. Denominator Dough
This is just like using pizza but with a lot less of the greasiness. It is a simple game that can be a particularly useful activity for those kids who are struggling to visualize fractions. A delicious math game to help kids practice fractions using basic math skills!
15. Pattern Block Plates
Not only does this activity help with understanding shapes and symmetry but you’ll have a lovely piece of handmade artwork at the end! You can try including some cross-curricular skills by thinking about art using cognitive skills when creating these block plates.
Learn more: focusonmath.wordpress.com.
16. Shishima
This one might require a little more set-up in order to play, but the outcomes are worth it as this game challenges your student’s geometry skills in an innovative and engaging way. It also helps with critical thinking skills and number patterns with two-dimensional shapes. Fun fact: this game actually originates from Kenya!
Learn more: b-inspiredmama.com.
17. STEM House Building
Have you ever found it difficult to get your students engaged when learning about different types of shapes? What about shape designs? This game tackles all of these skills as well as 3D shapes. I always measure the buildings using standard units of measurement, like inches or centimeters, to help meet common core standards and promote fluency in shape.
Learn more: teachingsecondgrade.com.
18. Centimeter City
This activity can really help with visualizing math concepts like area and perimeter. You can use a ruler to measure the size of the buildings at the end to help your kids understand the unit of measure, too, or to think about metric units.
Learn more: teachbesideme.com.
19. Fraction Pizza
An oldie, but certainly a goldie that proves to still be a fascinating math game! You can use real pizza for this one if you want. It’s a simple way to practice fractions with real-world application. There are many reasons why this method has proven so popular over the years, most of all because it’s so delicious!
20. Wrecking Ball Subtraction
A game that encourages destruction? You heard it right! You shouldn’t need too much to prepare for this game, just an empty plastic bottle, a piece of string, and some toy blocks or number blocks that can be used to build a structure. This is a silly game, but it’s a lot of fun destroying the buildings, then using step subtraction or digit subtraction to work out the difference.
Learn more: mathgeekmama.com.
21. Cheerio Construction
A more modern take on a traditional abacus is a fun way to get your kids to understand place value through simple concepts of food. t can also teach critical thinking skills and encourage engineering abilities.
Learn more: jjresourcecreations.com.
22. Dollar Dash
This money math game is relatively easy to create and will help with multiple addition problems, as well as understanding the value of different coins. Two skills for the price of one!
Learn more: primarythemepark.com.
23. Measurement Garden
For those green-thumbs out there! You can use this for engagement in both science and math. You can also teach healthy eating habits while tracking data, such as units of length, over time. If you don’t have access to real plants, try doing some practice with models instead.
Learn more: alittlepinchofperfect.com.
These are just some of the simple and easy ways to help kids' math practice and engagement in learning while simultaneously gaining foundational math skills. Math doesn’t need to be boring – it can be a fun, team-building activity, too!
24. Addition Snake
Addition Snake is one of the best online math games that will have kids thinking on their feet and developing arithmetic skills. It combines the classic cellphone game from the 90s, Snake, with some simple math equations. Use the keyboard arrows to maneuver the snake through the numbers and eat the correct answer.
Learn more: mathplayground.com
25. Counting Coin Puzzle
Create coin puzzles from a printable template or give kids blank puzzle pieces to draw their own coins. The aim of this money game is to find four groups of coins that each add up to the sum in the middle. Kids can also use real coins to place on the blank squares or add their own drawings.
Learn more: fantasticfunandlearning.com
26. Rush Hour: Telling the Time
Let the roll of the dice tell kids which way to move a clock. This game can be played over and over again by using more than once dice, changing the instructions on the card, making children read the time out loud, or even racing against a timer.
Learn more: enzasbargains.com
27. Play-Doh Portions
Teach the fundamentals of fractions by using a simple printout spinner and some play-doh. The spinner will indicate the shape and the fraction it must be divided into. The hands-on way of separating the portions develops fine motor skills while creating a memorable way of understanding fractions.
Learn more: smittenwithfirstblog.com
28. Roll and Compare
Students go head-to-head by rolling three dice to try and create the highest number. Dice can be added or taken away to change the difficulty too. Each student writes down the highest number they can create and then add a great/less than symbol in the middle to indicate who won.
Learn more: stillplayingschool.com
29. Mystery Bag
Add a couple of mystery shapes to a bag and have kids feel around the bag to identify the shapes. They can express how many sides they feel and if it is round or sharp. Having students express their findings will help them deduct the correct 3-D shape and achieve fluency in shape designs.
Learn more: susanjonesteaching.com
30. Number Scavenger Hunt
Use some old magazines or newspapers and send kids on a scavenger hunt to find numbers. The trick is, they must follow the place value instructions on the printer worksheet to find the correct number. This is a fun way to develop 2nd-grade math skills.
Learn more: primarythemepark.com
31. Class Olympics
Kids love getting active, so why not get them to participate in a few Olympic events? Create events the whole class can participate in, where the winner is determined by measurements. Bean bag toss, cup flip, cotton ball blowing; all official events from the lesser-known 2nd Grade Olympics. Students can plot their measurements on a graph or create equations to see how much further one student performed to another.
Learn more: bloglovin.com
32. Line Hop Math
A large number line on the floor can create all sorts of amazing games. Have students hop from one number to the next and call out if they should add or subtract the previous number. Increase difficulty by making them jump backward or over two numbers or letting them restart if they cannot produce the correct answer.
Learn more: proudtobeprimary.com
33. Cookie Fractions
This super fun game will have students spin to see which cookie fraction they can add to their blank baking tray. This will help them count fractions up to a whole and see the physical value of a fraction. It is a perfect game for kids who are just starting to learn fractions.
Learn more: mrsriccaskindergarten.blogspot.com
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