Math, like riding a bike, can be fun or daunting and as a teacher, you might be asking yourself – How can I make math fun for my students? The answer to your question lies in our fabulous collection of 49 math games that are perfect for your 2nd graders’ developing minds.
These wonderful activities are specifically designed to grab your kids’ attention while also engaging them in skill-based play. With these educational activities, we guarantee that you’ll keep your 2nd graders learning while also developing their love for all things math-related!
1. Gumdrop Geometry
Here’s a sweet treat of an activity for your little learners. Develop their understanding of 2D geometry by allowing them to create various shapes using gumdrops and toothpicks while you have them work on fundamental math skills.
Learn More: Science Buddies
2. Make Ten
In this simple game, you’ll encourage your kids to understand numbers up to ten while having a ball of a time doing it. Simply start by laying out cards in front of them before tasking them to match up two cards at a time to form sums that add up to 10.
Learn More: Smath Smarts
3. Make a Sundial
Get your children’s creative juices flowing as you involve them in this hands-on activity where they’ll learn to tell time in a unique way. Engage them in constructing a DIY sundial using common household items. Once finished, have them place their sundials outside and encourage them to use their tool to read times throughout the day.
Learn More: Scientific American
4. Egg carton math
This easily customizable game is perfect if you’re looking for an activity that you can adjust to your kiddos’ individual needs. For instance, you could have them place two tokens in an egg carton box and then prompt them to shake it about before encouraging them to add up the numbers that their tokens land on.
Learn More: YouTube
5. Water Balloon Math
Treat your students to an outdoor math game that’s great for sunny days spent in your schoolyard. Start by drawing circles on the ground with sidewalk chalk before filling them with various math sums. Then, challenge your players to solve one equation at a time before allowing them to throw a water balloon at each sum that they answer correctly.
Learn More: 123 Homeschool 4 Me
6. Sidewalk chalk math
Here’s another interactive game that you can create using sidewalk chalk. Simply design a curvy math problem ladder by filling each rung with a different math sum. You’ll then invite your young minds to roll a dice, hop as many times as their displayed number, and then solve the sum that they land on.
Learn More: Look We’re Learning
7. Fraction Basketball
This Fraction Basketball game is a great activity to spark the interest of all the sports lovers in your class. Prompt them to throw 10 pom poms in a mini-basketball hoop and then task them with representing their throws in fraction form by having them write down the throws they got in out of 10.
Learn More: Teaching with Jennifer Findley
8. Buried treasure
Take your little ones on a swashbuckling math adventure as you have them dig for buried treasure. Simply fill a container of sand with a bunch of different-sized rocks. Once they’ve found their treasures, prompt them to separate the rocks into categories before challenging them to add up the totals of two rock groups at a time.
Learn More: Childhood 101
9. Subtraction War
Engage your pupils in this cheerful game of Subtraction War. Start by pairing them up before splitting a deck of cards in half and providing them each with one half. They’ll then pull out two cards at a time and subtract the smaller number from the larger number. The player who has the smallest answer will win the round and keep all four cards.
Learn More: YouTube
10. Estimation Game
Introduce your class to the art of estimation with this colorful board game. Allow one player to pick up a bunch of beads and then place them in the middle of the board. You’ll then task the rest of your players to guess how many beads are in the pile and the player who provides the closest guess will get to move their token forward.
Learn More: Teach Me Mommy
11. Place value bean bag toss
In this active game, your 2nd graders will learn about the value of different numbers. Start by setting out four containers to represent thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones. Afterward, provide your players with a number and then challenge them to throw the correct amount of bean bags in each container to represent this number.
Learn More: Saddle Up For 2nd Grade
12. Hundreds chart battleship
This educational reinvention of Battleship is definitely not one to be missed. Have your learners use candy as the markers that will form their ships. Proceed by prompting them to call out different numbers to sink their opponent’s battleships!
Learn More: 123 Homeschool 4 Me
13. Roll to 100
Practice recognizing odds and evens with Roll to 100. Simply provide your kiddos with these worksheets before inviting them to roll their dice and add up the numbers. With each roll, you’ll have them mark the sum of all the dots off on their number grid before jotting it down and labeling it as either odd or even.
Learn More: Inspired Elementary
14. Denominator Dough
In this delicious activity, you’ll engage your little learners by having them use pizza to represent different fractions. With this online application, you’ll invite them to cut their pizza into even pieces to represent each fraction that’s displayed.
Learn More: Teacher’s Pet
15. Pattern Block Plates
Math and art combine in this creative project. Task your class with using colorful pattern blocks to put together vibrant geometric masterpieces that are made entirely out of shapes!
Learn More: Focus On Math
16. Shisima
In this unique math game that originated out of Kenya, your kids will use their critical thinking skills to beat their opponents! Allow them to use colorful cubes to represent “water bugs” that they’ll have to move around the lines of the board. The aim of the game is to have them move their water bugs in such a way as to create a solid line of blocks that cut through the middle of the pond.
Learn More: B-Inspired Mama
17. STEM House Building
Tackle complex 3D shapes with this hands-on STEM project. Challenge your students to use colorful construction cards to put together these 3D buildings. They’ll have to use their measurement skills to make sure their buildings are able to stand tall without toppling over.
Learn More: Teaching Second Grade
18. Centimeter City
Introduce your 2nd graders to concepts like area and perimeter with this visual activity. Start by having them map out their building measurements on grid paper before encouraging them to build this centimeter city by placing 3D shapes on their grid maps.
Learn More: Teach Beside Me
19. Wrecking Ball Subtraction
A game that encourages destruction? You heard it right! In this silly game, you’ll start by having your children stack a bunch of blocks on top of one another. Then, invite them to use a yo-yo to knock over their towers before prompting them to subtract the number of blocks they knocked down from the number of blocks that they began with.
Learn More: Math Geek Mama
20. Cheerio Construction
Here’s a modern take on the traditional abacus to get your students thinking about place values through simple concepts of food. Challenge them to represent various numbers by having them slide Cheerios onto dry spaghetti to help them visualize hundreds, tens, and ones.
Learn More: Mrs J’s Resource Creations
21. Dollar Dash
This Dollar Dash game will give your kiddos two skills for the price of one! Engage them in rolling a dice where each side represents a different money value. Encourage them to roll their dice as many times as they need to to get to $1.00. They’ll be working on their addition skills while also developing their understanding of money values.
Learn More: Primary Theme Park
22. Measurement Garden
Here’s a captivating activity that’s perfect for the green thumbs in your classroom. Encourage them to record the measurements of different seeds by prompting them to check out the information on the back of each package to record the estimated unit of length that each seed will grow to.
Learn More: A Little Pinch of Perfect
23. Addition Snake
Addition Snake is one of the best online math games that’ll have your kids thinking on their feet and developing their arithmetic skills. It combines classic math equations with digital gameplay as they’ll have to maneuver their snake through numbers to eat the correct answer.
Learn More: Math Playground
24. Counting Coin Puzzle
With this printable template, your learners will create their very own coin puzzles! Challenge them to find groups of four coins that each add up to the sum that they’ll place in the middle.
Learn More: Fantastic Fun and Learning
25. Rush Hour: Telling the Time
Let the roll of the dice be your kids’ guide in this time-telling game. Invite them to roll their dice and then carry out the corresponding instruction on a pre-made card by tasking them to move clock hands on a timer to their correct position.
Learn More: Enza’s Bargains
26. Play-Doh Portions
Develop your littles’ fine motor skills in a memorable way while also teaching them the fundamentals of fractions. Using a simple printout spinner and some Play-Doh, you’ll challenge them to shape their Play-Doh in such a way as to represent the fraction being displayed on the spinner.
Learn More: Smitten with First
27. Roll and Compare
Here’s another dice game where you’ll engage your pupils in rolling and comparing numbers. Start by having them roll three dies to try and create the highest number. Next, encourage them to write down the highest number they can create and then add a greater/less than symbol in the middle of their numbers to indicate who made the biggest number.
Learn More: Still Playing School
28. Mystery Bag
Dive into the world of 3D shapes with this mystery bag activity. Start by adding a couple of shapes to a bag and then have your class feel around the bag to identify the shapes. Allow them to express how many sides they feel to help them guess the correct 3D shape.
Learn More: Susan Jones Teaching
29. Number Scavenger Hunt
Send your little explorers on a scavenger hunt in some old magazines! Simply provide them with this place value worksheet before encouraging them to search through magazines to find a number that represents the value instructions on their worksheets.
Learn More: Primary Theme Park
30. Class Olympics
Kick off the classroom fun with a thrilling day of measurement Olympics! Involve your whole class as you have them participate in a bean bag toss, cotton ball blowing, and more. The winner will be determined by measurements as you have them represent their winning margins on a graph or create equations to see how well your little athletes performed.
Learn More: Brown Bag Teacher
31. Line Hop Math
Create all sorts of amazing math games with this large number line. For instance, you could invite your children to hop from one number to the next as you call out whether they should add or subtract the previous number. Increase the difficulty by challenging them to jump backward over two numbers or letting them restart if they can’t produce the correct answer.
Learn More: Proud to be Primary
32. Cookie Fractions
Help your kids visualize fractions with this super fun cookie game. Start by having them spin to see what cookie fraction they’ll have to replicate on their baking tray, making it the perfect game for your kids who’ve just started learning about fractions.
Learn More: Mrs Ricca’s Kindergarten
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33. Pick Three
Introduce your kiddos to basic math concepts with a game of Pick Three. Start by having them draw three cards before challenging them to brainstorm three different math sentences that they can create with these numbers. Encourage them to use different methods like addition and subtraction to form their sentences.
Learn More: Games 4 Learning
34. Math Fact Islands
Involve your littles in a bit of friendly competition in this game that combines math and movement. Place circles with equations on them around your classroom and then invite your students to match the equations with their solutions by allowing them to jump to each corresponding circle.
Learn More: Creative Family Fun
35. Math Puzzles
Who doesn’t love a good puzzle? In this interactive activity, you’ll task your kiddos with completing these super fun math puzzles! Have them place answer cards in the middle of their puzzle before prompting them to add in addition sentences that have the same solution on the edges of the answer card.
Learn More: Classroom Freebies
36. Tens Go Fish
Here’s a twist on the classic game of Go Fish. Once you’ve given your pupils their cards, engage them in looking for card pairs that add up to ten by prompting them to ask their partner for the numbers they need. They’ll continue to create their number pairs and the first player to place down all their cards will win!
Learn more: What Do We Do All Day
37. Guess Who?
This variation on the iconic game of Guess Who is sure to be one that your little brainiacs will love. Simply begin by replacing the original images of people with numbers in word form, expanded form, and standard form. Then, challenge your players to take turns asking each other questions to guess which form their number is written in and which number their partner has.
Learn More: Life Between Summers
38. Doubles Dash!
Immerse your class in a bit of mathematical fun with this colorful board game. You’ll keep them entertained for hours as you have them roll dice and take turns solving these doubles math facts, where the first player to reach “Finish” wins.
Learn More: Simply Creative Teaching
39. PIG Addition Dice Game
Invite your children to learn more about probability and practice their basic addition skills with a game of PIG. Prompt them to roll one dice three times before adding up their numbers and jotting down their total in tally form. The first player to get to 100 wins, but there’s a twist, because if any player rolls a “1” they’ll lose their turn!
Learn More: YouTube
40. Mystery Clip Card Game
In this mystery clip game, you’ll challenge your kiddos to practice identifying even and odd numbers, place values, addition, and subtraction. Allow them to read through these clue cards to determine what the mystery number is before placing a peg on the correct answer.
Learn More: The Stem Laboratory
41. I Have Who Has
Practice your littles’ place value skills with this simple activity. Start by handing out these “I Have Who Has Cards” to them and then prompt one learner to begin by reading their card. The person who has the solution will then read out their value until your whole class has found their matching cards.
Learn More: Playdough to Plato
42. Walk the Plank
Engage your tots in some interactive play with this captivating activity. They’ll take turns rolling dice and adding the sum of their numbers together before taking their opponent’s corresponding cube. As the game progresses, the difficulty will increase as the available numbers start to disappear.
Learn More: Primarily Speaking
43. 3D Structure
Treat your 2nd graders to this hands-on activity where you’ll introduce them to 3D shapes. Simply task them with recreating pictures on shape cards by allowing them to construct their shapes using playdough and toothpicks.
Learn More: Keeping it Cool at School
44. Place Value Bingo
Treat your learners to this engaging game of Bingo that’s all about place values! Using these Bingo sheets and base ten block cards you’ll task them with determining the values on their cards before marking off the corresponding values on their bingo sheets.
Learn More: You’ve Got this Math
45. Mystery Addition
These super cute bubblegum worksheets are great for working on your children’s addition skills. Simply allow them to fill in the missing addends on each card based on the solution provided to help them achieve the correct sum.
Learn More: The Moffatt Girls
46. Lego Challenge
Work on your littles’ fine motor skills while also developing their strategic thinking. Challenge them to solve these word problems by having them use Lego blocks as tools to represent the values in each word sum.
Learn more: Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls
47. Roll and Array
Here’s a colorful way to practice your kids’ multiplication skills. Start by handing out these blank worksheets to them before inviting them to take turns rolling dice and then using their totals to color in different number arrays on each grid.
Learn More: The Moffat Girls
48. Math Fact Janga
Learn More: Teaching with Kaylee B
49. Word Problem Task Cards
Your little brainiacs will learn to solve word problems with ease in this practical activity. Encourage them to use counters to work out various word problems that contain math concepts such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
Learn More: Simply Steam
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