This autumn-themed counting center does just that as kids practice number recognition and ten frames with playful crows!

Getting Ready

Prepping this game was fairly quick and simple, which is helpful when I’m getting math centers or small groups ready for the week.

And, as a bonus, half of the supplies are reusable so after prepping this year, I will only need to re-copy the recording sheets to play again next fall.

I first printed out the crow number cards, laminated them and cut them apart on the solid black lines.

Then, I printed off enough recording sheets for my students who would be playing the game with me in a small group, plus a few extras in case we ran out.

I placed those items, along with some crayons, into a tub and we were ready to play!

Crow Counting Fall Math Center

With most math centers in my room, I like to introduce them with small groups before putting them out for kids to play independently, and that is what we did with this game as well.

We took turns picking up a crow card (and aren’t these such friendly-looking crows?) and reading the number.

Then, using a crayon, we counted one at a time while filling in a ten frame with dots until we reached that number.

This was great practice for not only our oral counting, but our one-to-one correspondence as well, as sometimes kids have a hard time making just one mark for each number.

If you want to add in an extra challenge, you could have kids write the numeral next to the crow as well to work on number formation.

We kept picking up crows, reading the number and filling in ten frames until all of our 10 frames from 1-10 were filled up. Such an easy and fun fall math center!

Grab Your Download

Ready to work on ten frames and counting with your kids as well? Grab your copy of this autumn-themed counting game by clicking the button below and then snag our Number Formation Pack!

The post Fall Crow Counting Math Center appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

These apple tree math dice games are sure to be a favorite for your learners this fall too as they roll and color their way to number sense and fact fluency. The games are perfect for Pre-K and Kindergarten, and even early 1st grade students.  They will build up their counting, addition, and subtraction skills!

And speaking of addition skills, try out these awesome Editable Math Fact Games!

Getting Ready

One of my favorite things about roll and color dice games is just how EASY they are to prep. You simply print, grab some dice and crayons (or any coloring tools).

And that’s it!  You are ready for a fun math center activity with your kids.

The best thing about these print-and-go games is that there are three levels of the game to play.  So, you can change it up depending on the needs of your kids.  Or rather, start off with one version and work toward the harder ones.

Apple Tree Math Dice Games

I printed out all of the options for my kids since I would be playing with small groups.  However, a great morning work or more independent option for kindergarteners in the fall would be the “apple counting” version of the game.

With this version, all kids need to play is one die.

They simply roll the die, count the dots and color the numeral that shows the total.

It is great for beginning counters, and if you have students who need to work on number recognition, or for early Pre-K, grab some numbered dice like these ones and simply have them read and color the number that matches 1 to 6.

In most of my small groups, we played the “Apple Addition” version, because we were ready to help each other work on the skills of adding and counting on.

Students rolled two dice, counted the total dots, and then found and colored the apple with the answer.

You can use dotted or numbered dice for this, but I find that regular, dotted dice work best for younger learners who still need the support of counting.

“Apple Subtraction” is a great challenge version of the game for those who are ready and for first graders who have built up their subtraction fluency and want a fall review.

It requires a few more steps because after the dice are rolled, you must decide which number is larger,  Then, set up the subtraction equation with the dice.

No matter which version you decide to play with your kids, they are sure to have a blast rolling and coloring their apple trees!

Grab Your Download

Ready to roll, solve, and color some apples?! Grab your copy of the apple tree math dice games by clicking the button below and then hop over and snag our Editable Math Fact Games!

The post Apple Math Dice Games appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

Then, check out our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

I recently bought some mermaid erasers to use as counters, and suddenly anything that gives my first graders a chance to break them out is an instant HIT!  At this point, I would say my students are obsessed with mermaids. One of them keeps saying he is “assessed” – we’re working on that!

To capitalize on their fascination, I whipped up an addition matching game for my brand new first graders.  They needed the extra practice, and I knew this would do the trick!

Getting Ready

To get this addition match up ready, all I did was print out the activity onto cardstock.

I laminated the pages, cut out the puzzle “pieces” and I was done!

Mermaid Addition Match Up

To play, I called over a few students to my small group table.  I told them that they would be the first kids to try out our new matching activity.

Before starting, I asked my first grade friends if they could tell me some strategies to help them solve addition problems.

Hands went up and I called on each student at the table to share their idea.

Using the erasers was the first suggestion (of course!) but we also talked about using our fingers to help us, grabbing a number line and using red/yellow counters.

Then, I showed off the Mermaid Match Up and passed out the pieces with the problems on them to students.

To keep it simple, I just spread the answer pieces with the mermaids on them in the middle of my table.

Each of my students took a different route to figure out the answers (which was great!) and they quickly started grabbing the coordinating answer pieces.

After giving my students time to work the problems out, we checked them as a group as I modeled my thinking out loud.

Since they loved it so much and only solved a few problems at first, we mixed the pieces up and did it again.

Finally, I told my students at the table that they would be in charge of helping out their classmates with this center.  They were the experts and should offer help to anyone who may need it when playing for the first time.

The addition match up was a wonderful way to give them a sense of pride and help me out.

Get Your Free Copy

Want to snag a copy for yourself?  Simply click on the blue button below and then hop over and snag our awesome Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

The post Mermaid Addition Match Up appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

When you’re done with this fun activity, check out our Editable Math Fact Games!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Getting Ready

To prepare this hundred chart game, we first gathered a few supplies:

• Laminator (this one’s my favorite!)
• Paper or cardstock
• Brad
• Paper clip
• Counters (erasers, pom poms, or other small items)

I printed the hundred chart (below) and laminated it to make the game durable enough for kids to use over and over again.

Then, I slipped my brad through the end of a paper clip and punched it through the center of the game spinner.

I grabbed our bag of 100 apple mini erasers I found at Target.

If you don’t have erasers, any small item will do as long as you have 100 of them.

Apple Addition Hundred Chart Game

Now, it was time to start adding!

I had my son spin the paper clip on the spinner and identify the number it landed on 2!

He added the same number of counters to his hundred chart as he counted out loud: “1, 2.”

My son spun again and landed on ten.

He placed ten more apples on his board and then we talked about the addition problem to reinforce the math fact he solved: “2 apples plus 10 more apples equals 12 apples all together.”

We talked about each addition problem as we went along and continued spinning and solving until he reached 100 apples!

Hundred Chart Game Extension Activities

If you have different colored counters (red and green pom poms, pink and yellow apple erasers, etc), have your child use a different color with each spin.

When the board is filled, have your student count how many of each color is on the board.

Then, have him add the larger numbers together to confirm that there are 100 apples all together.

Grab Your Set

Are you ready to start adding? Click the button below to grab your free download and then hop over and snag our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

The post Hundred Chart Apple Addition appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

Scroll down to grab your freebie. Then, grab our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop for more math practice!

Getting Ready

To prep the bubble teen numbers activity, I printed the pieces on cardstock and laminated them for durability.

The picture cards printed two sets to a page to make nice, big pieces for little hands to hold, and the bubble bottles fit perfectly in the rectangles for students to match up.

After slicing everything with my paper cutter, my cards were ready to go!

Bubble Teen Numbers

To start the activity, I had students line up the number cards so we could review numbers 11-19 together.

Together, we pointed to each card as we said the numbers.

Then, I modeled how to select a picture card and began counting. I selected the number 14 card first.

I made sure to show the students that they needed to count the bubbles in both ten frames.

Then, I found the number 14 in the row of bubble bottles and matched it to the card.

We have been working on pointing and counting using one-to-one correspondence, so I made sure to show them that they needed to touch each bubble as they counted.

Next, a student came up to pick a bubble teen numbers card. He counted each bubble carefully and successfully matched the number 18.

We continued going in a circle until each child had a turn to pick a card, count and then place the correct number card on the picture.

Grab Your Copy

Ready to snag your free bubble teen numbers activity?  Scroll down and click the blue button to grab the freebie.

Then, grab our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop for more math practice!

The post Bubble Teen Numbers appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

For more math fun, check out our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

Getting Ready

To prep the activity, we printed our cards on card stock and then laminated them so that we could write with dry erase markers and then easily wipe them clean.

Next, we scouted out 20 small pieces that could be used as pumpkin seeds on the playdough mat.

We used orange gems, but you could also pick:

• Playdough
• Cheerios
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Pom Poms

Pumpkin Number Bonds

We started the activity by getting familiar with the pumpkin seed playdough mat. It’s a hands-on way to work with numbers, so I let the kids play with it before we started working on specific facts.

Next, we got out the write and wipe cards. Each card had one number on it for the kids to build from so when our first card had a 6 written on the bottom, the kids had to decide what number to write next to it and then fill in the final total at the top.

Since my child wrote one next to the six, she counted out six gems and then one more on the mat.

Then, she wrote the grand total seven at the top to complete her number bond.

Finally, she pulled out the recording sheet and wrote down the complete number bond so I could check all of her answers when she finished the complete stack of cards.

There are cards up to sums of 20, so it was a great way to cover lots of different math problems at once.

Grab Your Set

Ready to practice pumpkin number bonds, too? Click the blue download button below and then hop over to snag our super fun Editable Math Games!

The post Pumpkin Number Bonds appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

Grab your set below and then hop over and snag our Editable Math Games, too!

Getting Ready

I prepped the activity by printing out and laminating the backpack ten frame page and school supply cards.

Then I gathered some math manipulatives to use with the ten frame.  We used linking cubes, but gems, LEGO bricks, or any small manipulative would also work.

The key with the manipulatives is to have enough of each color so the kids can see the groups.

Back to School Ten Frame

We used the back to school ten frame as hands-on review for making ten.

I’ve found that reviewing number bonds that add up to 10 frequently has helped my kids a lot in addition.  There are so many addition shortcuts when you know your ten facts!

We started off using the recording sheet as a guide.  The left hand column is partially filled in to give students a start.

The first problem started with the number 7 so the kids counted out seven pencils on their backpack.

I asked, “If we add 7 scissors to the backpack, how many pencils do we need to add to make 10?”

Students counted up, “8, 9, 10” as they placed three scissor cards on the backpack.

“Three!” they announced as they figured out that seven pencils and three scissors equals 10 school supplies all together.

Then we took their learning one step further! Children placed seven red cubes on the ten frame and then filled the empty boxes with yellow cubes to show that 7 + 3 = 10.

They happily began working their way through the rest of the problems on the record sheet.

Ten frames are a great visual for math so I wanted my kids to be really familiar with how they look and function.

We also used the set to work on other addition facts that are less than 10: 4 + 5, 1 + 6, 2 + 3…

Any combination can be used.

Students just need to record their facts on the blank right column of the recording sheet.

Download Your Copy

Click the blue download button below and then hop over and snag our Editable Math Games in our shop!

The post Back to School Ten Frames appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

And speaking of addition, head over to our shop and snag our Editable Math Fact Games!

Scroll below to grab your freebie and then make sure to hop over and grab our Pumpkin Number Bonds for even more autumn fun.

Getting Ready

Prepping the write and wipe addition cards was super simple!

I printed off the addition cards on cardstock to give them durability and laminated them to make them reusable.

Then, I ran off a record sheet on some colorful paper for each student, grabbed some dry erase markers and we were set!

Fall Addition Cards

To start, I handed the stack of addition cards to the first student in my small group.

She counted the four pumpkins shown and wrote the number 4 in the box below them.

Then, she carefully counted the crows and wrote the number 2 in the next box.

The child added the two numbers together and wrote the sum 6 in the last spot.

Once students worked their way through the pile of problems and were ready for a stretch, I handed them the addition record sheet.

Using the letter written in the corner of each card, students wrote the complete math equation in the right spot on their pages.

Pumpkin Patch Addition was a great way to practice addition facts with a fun seasonal twist!

Grab Your Download

Click the blue download button below to grab your freebie and then make sure to hop over and snag our Editable Math Fact Games!

The post Pumpkin Patch Addition Cards appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

Looking for more fun math centers? Grab our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

Getting Ready

To get this coin activity started, we first gathered a few materials:

• 1 piggy bank spinner (below) for each center
• 1 piggy bank coin value printable (below) for each child
• Colored pencils (blue, purple, yellow, green)
• Paper clip
• Optional: real or play coins, cardstock, laminator

We printed the piggy bank spinner on cardstock paper to make it more durable. (If it’s going to get repeated use, you could laminate the spinner, too.)

Although it wasn’t required, we grabbed a few real coins at the center to give students a real life connection to coin identification.

Spin and Color Coin Activity

After showing the class how to play, kids spun one of their colored pencils around a paper clip to see where it would land.

They said the name of the coin out loud for extra reinforcement and then colored the corresponding value on their printable in a color that matched the spinner.

(We colored the spinner so that you could easily spot check that kids were correctly matching the coin to the value: yellow for 5 cent nickels, purple for 25 cent quarters and so on.)

Children continued spinning until all of the coins in their piggy banks were colored.

Coin Extension Activity

To extend the activity, children can cover the colored in coin values with actual coins.

For an extra challenge, advanced learners can try to total the coins used to come up with a money amount. How much money is in the piggy bank?! $1.50!

Grab Your Set

Click on the blue button below to download your FREE Piggy Bank Spin & Color activity and then hop over and snag our Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

The post Piggy Bank Spin and Color appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

And speaking of playing over and over again, check out our awesome 15 Editable Math Fact Games in our shop!

Math is such an important topic for kids to learn and practice. It’s a subject that builds on itself so missing one piece of the puzzle can cause significant problems later on.

That’s why I love to give my kids several strategies for solving math problems.  Knowing multiple ways of finding the answer improves their understanding and makes math easier in the long run.

Ten frames are a great visual math strategy for learning numbers to 20 and solving addition problems because students can quickly see the numbers by noticing the rows of five and groups of ten.

Getting Ready

We didn’t have to do much to prepare for this ten frame activity.

First, we found some paints: red, green and yellow to match the color of apples.

We grabbed cotton swabs to use as our apple stamper but the eraser end of a pencil is also a good size for the activity.

Then, I cut out the apple cards. There are two sets of cards and pages for this activity – one for counting up to 20 and one for addition within 20.

Apple Ten Frame Activity

Although the counting to 20 sheet is a great way to review ten frames and teen numbers, since we’ve been working with ten frames a lot lately, my kids were eager to take on the challenge of solving the addition sheet instead.

They flipped over the first card. It read 13 +7 so they grabbed red paint to stamp 13 apples in the ten frames and switched to green paint to stamp seven more apples.

Using two different colors of paint helped them visualize both parts of the math problem.

Then, the kids grabbed a red and green pencil and wrote the equation as a number sentence with the same colors.

They happily flipped over the next card in their pile and continued started stamping more apples

My kids enjoyed using the paint on a math worksheet and I was excited that they were working on math facts.  It was a great way to practice addition and add another tool to their list of math strategies.

Grab Your Download

Ready to stamp some apples too?! Click the blue button below to snag your free ten frame sheets and then hop over to grab our 15 Editable Math Fact Games!

The post Apple Ten Frames appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.