A day full of math games & activities. Find one near you.
A day full of math games & activities. Find one near you.
Math & Beyond

What are the 20 fun math activities for kids?

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What are the key math skills to be taught?
3. Some fun and cool first-grade math games
4. 20 Fun Maths activities for class 1 
5. Conclusion
6. About Cuemath
7. FAQs
8. External References

January 19, 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Introduction

Class 1 is packed with important and exciting transitions as children leave behind much of the play of preschool and start building their academic skills. Building the cognitive skills of a child is an essential part of a first grader's learning process and academic success down the road. 

Math activity for class 1 helps in enhancing your child's intellectual and cognitive development. Creative activities help to nurture the thinking capabilities in your child. 

Child counting numbers

What are the 20 fun math activities for kids-PDF

This blog gives a list of fun math activities for class 1 kids. It sums up the key math skills to be taught and some fun and cool first-grade math games. Here is a downloadable PDF to explore more.

📥 What are the 20 fun math activities for kids-PDF

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Math activity for class 1 comprises those activities and puzzles which helps your child to develop their problem-solving, imagination, concentration, and critical thinking capabilities. Before they start their schooling, most children develop an understanding of addition and subtraction through everyday real-life interactions. 

It is important to introduce 1st-grade math games, fun activities, and learning games for kids because it helps to nurture imagination and give your child a sense of curiosity coupled with adventure.

Through this, they can learn essential skills such as problem-solving, working with others, sharing, and much more. In turn, this helps your child to concentrate on the subject and also creates interest in the subject.

Also read: 


What are the key math skills to be taught?

Number Sense: This is the ability of the child to count accurately both forward and backward.

Child arranging numbers
 

Representation: Making mathematical ideas “real” by using words, pictures, symbols, and objects (like blocks). 

addition of apple

 Spatial sense: This is about introducing the ideas of shape, size, space, position, direction and movement to the child.


Different shapes


 Patterns: This is all about—numbers, shapes, images—that repeat in a logical manner. Patterns help children to learn to make predictions, to understand what comes next, to make logical connections, and to use reasoning skills to figure out the pattern.
 
Addition and subtraction: Addition is the "putting together" of two groups of objects and finding out the total objects. Subtraction tells "how many are left" or "how many more or less”. 

Measurement: This will help a child to understand which is taller or shorter, bigger or smaller, near and far etc.

Size of apples
 

Estimation: This is the ability to make a good guess whether a number is greater than or lesser than or to find out the number which lies between two numbers.

 Problem-solving: The ability to think through a problem, to recognize there is more than one path to the answer. 

mother and kid
 



Assigning 1st grade math games, fun activities and learning games to kids will;

  • promote multiple solution paths.
  • boost critical thinking and math reasoning skills
  • increase opportunities for developing perseverance
  • strengthen kids’ written and oral communication skills

Topics covered in Maths activity for class 1

  1. Counting and number pattern
  2. Spatial sense
  3. Addition
  4. Subtraction
  5. Patterns
  6. Time
  7. Comparison
  8. Two-dimensional shapes
  9. Measurement

Some fun and cool first-grade math games 

Shape sorter

Encourage your child to play with shape-sorters. Talk to your child about each shape – ask them to count the sides and describe the colours and shapes. Make your own shapes by cutting large shapes out of coloured construction paper. Ask your child to “hop on the circle” or “jump on the red shape or pick up the square elements.”

Count and sort

Gather together a basket of small toys, shells, pebbles or stones. Count them with your child. Ask your child to point at the numbers. Sort them based on size and colour.

Read and sing your numbers

Sing songs that rhyme, repeat, or have numbers in them. Teach those songs to your child those which reinforce patterns. 

Count everything 

Encourage your child to practise counting in their everyday activities. Those activities can be like ‘How many mangoes are in the basket?’ Count the food items in the bowl during snack and at meals. Ask your child to show numbers with her fingers. Ask your child some questions like: "How old are you? How many cookies did you eat?" 

Measure everything

Collect empty jars of various sizes and shapes and let your child explore and compare how much they hold by pouring water from one jar to another. Use a growth chart to mark your child's height. Count how many steps it takes from one end to another in your room.

Classify during clean up

Classify the items during clean up after playing. Put all the blocks that are the same shape in the same box. This is also a good time to help your child to know the correct usage of spatial vocabulary, such as "next to," "inside of," or "on top of” etc.,

Telling the time

Make your kiddo activities and puzzles based on learning time so that they can grasp the concept faster.

Provide blocks and building objects

Standard wooden blocks and Legos encourage children to build structures, learn about and combine shapes, compare sizes, and count. Playing with clay, sand, and water help children develop the foundations of measurement concepts and patterns.


20 Fun Maths activities for class 1

  1. MAZE: HELP THE BEE TO FIND THE FLOWER.

Maze activity

  1. JOINING THE DOTS: CONNECT THE DOTS TO OBTAIN THE FIGURE AND COLOUR THE FIGURE. 

            join the dot-duck

 

  1. COUNTING AND NUMBER PATTERN: COUNTING REVIEW (UPTO 10)  

           Example question:

COUTING BEE
 

  1. COUNTING AND NUMBER PATTERN: COUNT TO FILL A 10 FRAME

           Example question:

count the dots
 

  1. COUNTING AND NUMBER PATTERN: WRITING NUMBERS USING DIGITS

           Example question:

number problem
 

  1. UNDERSTANDING ADDITION: ADDITION USING PICTURES (UPTO 10)

           Example question:


 add the birds
 

  1. UNDERSTANDING ADDITION: ADDITION FACTS (UPTO 10)

           Example question:

adding numbers

  1. UNDERSTANDING ADDITION: MAKE A NUMBER USING ADDITION

           Example question:

number line addition

  1. UNDERSTANDING SUBTRACTION: SUBTRACTION USING PICTURES (UPTO 10)

           Example question:

subtraction picture

  1. UNDERSTANDING SUBTRACTION: SUBTRACTION FACTS (UPTO 10)

           Example question:

subtracting numbers

  1.  UNDERSTANDING SUBTRACTION: MAKE A NUMBER USING SUBTRACTION 

           Example question:

subtraction number line

  1. SPATIAL SENSE: LEFT, MIDDLE AND RIGHT

             Example question:

left and right image

  1. SPATIAL SENSE: TOP, MIDDLE BOTTOM

             Example question:

top and bottom

  1. PATTERNS: DRAW THE PATTERN

             Example question:

select the next pattern

  1. DAY AND TIME: GUESS THE DAYS OF WEEK

             Example question:

days of week

  1. COMPARISON: COMPARING TWO QUANTITIES

             Example question:

COMPARISON OF OBJECTS

  1. TWO DIMENTIONAL SHAPES: GUESS THE GIVEN SHAPE

             Example question:

guess the shape

  1. TWO DIMENTIONAL SHAPES: SELECT THE SHAPES

             Example question:

select 2d shapes 

  1. MEASUREMENTS: LONG AND SHORT

             Example question:

long and short measurement of burgers

  1. MEASUREMENTS: HEAVY AND LIGHT  

            Example question:

which is lighter


Conclusion

These fun games and activities are helpful in building a foundation for mathematics in class 1. Solving these maths activities will enhance the thinking capability of kids and helps them to relate these topics of mathematics to solve real life situations.

Encourage your child to play more Math games for enhancing a child's intellectual and cognitive development. It helps to nurture imagination and give your child a sense of curiosity coupled with adventure.


About Cuemath

Cuemath, a student-friendly mathematics and coding platform, conducts regular Online Classes for academics and skill-development, and their Mental Math App, on both iOS and Android, is a one-stop solution for kids to develop multiple skills. Understand the Cuemath fee structure and sign up for a free trial.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I make my math class fun?

Make it meaningful. Start with concrete examples - leave the abstract concepts to later. Start with an interesting, real-world problem (preferably localized) Where you can, use computers to do the drudge work. Creativity and ownership. Engage your math students. Ask more interesting questions.

How do 1st graders do activities?

Create a personalized placemat. This activity will help your first grader build reading and writing skills. Number sense. Create a noisemaker. Map that house. Create a mummy. Create a family memory Book. Feel the music. Accordion book fun.


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