A very simple and very enjoyable activity with a wide range of uses. Teach this near the beginning of the school year and it can be used as a warmer throughout.
One die needed between each pair of children.
Let’s say you’re practising number bonds to 7:
Children take turns to roll the die. Once the die has landed, children try to be the first to say the correct answer. If they are first, they get a point. If they say the answer at the exact same time, then both children get a point.
So let’s say you roll a 5. The first child to say the number bond to 7, which in this case is 2, wins a point.
Have children play each other for 1-2 minutes tops, then the person with the highest score wins. They should shake hands, say “Good game” and find a new partner to play another round.
TIP: This is a competitive game so I have a talk with my class before we play about sportsmanship, the fact that we’re just having a bit of fun and that if anyone starts being mean they won’t get to play the next round.
TIP: This game works best where children are of similar ability.
TIP: If you have an odd number of children, have one child each round become your ‘little teacher’ and walk around and select a pair that are demonstrating good sportsmanship.
Can also be used for:
-number bonds to 6,7,8,9,10 etc.
-adding 1, 2, or 3 to the number rolled.
-subtracting 1 from the number rolled.
-doubling the number rolled.
EXTENSION: Have children roll two dice. They must add the numbers together first before then doing the instruction for that round.
E.g. The instruction is to subtract 2 from the total. The children roll a 5 and a 4. The children need to add 5 and 4, then subtract 2, meaning the first person to say 7 is the winner.