During the summer the last thing my kids want to do is practice math. School is out, the days are long and the weather is warm. They want to be outdoors enjoying the season. With all that in mind, I created this outdoor math game which disguises learning with some fun physical activity and good old friendly competition. This math game requires just a few basic supplies and is easy to set up. So strap on those sneakers and head outside to learn and play!
To enjoy some outdoor playtime with a learning twist all you need to do is create this math game in your backyard. You will need a large area of concrete, sidewalk chalk and five rocks. I drew a large grid with 30 squares and wrote 5's on the top row, 4's on the second row, 3's on the third row, 2's on the fourth row and 1's on the fifth row. I left five boxes on the bottom blank as that is where players would stand when they took their turns.
Before you start the game, gather your five rocks. My kids had fun scouring the backyard looking for rocks for the game. You will want rocks that have a little heft to them as those will land better on the numbers.
Object of the game:
To have the highest cumulative score after each round.
How to play:
A player takes turns standing in each of the empty boxes at the bottom of a row while holding a small rock. They then try to throw the rock into one of the numbered boxes in each row. A number does not count if it is in a different row than the one you are standing in. For example, if you are standing in the first row and you rock lands on a five in the 3rd row, that does not count and you have to take that rock and take the turn again. Also, if a rock lands on a line that does not count and the player takes another turn. If the rock goes off the grid either outside or to the side, the turn for that row is over and they get zero points for that row.
After a player has made throws from each of the blank boxes, they can jump to the numbers where rocks have landed and add them up. That number is their score for the round.
Here, my daughter started off standing in the first blank box. She threw a rock attempting to get it into one of the numbers in that row. Obviously, the higher the number her rock lands in, the higher the score.
When she finished the first row she stepped in the next blank box on the bottom and threw her rock in that row. She continued the same process for each row.
After all the rocks have been thrown, the player jumps across the game board landing on every number where a rock landed and putting their addition skills to the test.
This game is great for getting kids moving and adding. As my daughter jumped around, she added up her scores from each row. We kept a tally on the side of everyone's scores from each round and whoever scored the most after everyone took their turn won the round.
Ana
The rainbow shoes are a beaut! I love the colours and what a great way to learn maths through hopscotch!
Denea
Those shoes are so cute! I love the different colors they come in. I love how you make math so fun!
Lucy Valdez
Very cool! This totally reminds of an educational version of hopscotch! You could even expand the math as they get older to include the other basic operations:)
Cassandra @ Powered By BLING
Great idea! Learning and playing at the same time. The hopscotch style game is perfect. My friends and I used to spend hours hopscotching and jump roping.
jill conyers
This is an awesome idea. There is a lot of research on adding a physical/movement component for teaching and memory.
Kim
These are some great ideas for this Summer! Love how unique they are for the older kids.
Rachel
That game looks awesome! A bit like hopscotch on steroids. The shoes are totally cute!
Bianca @ Lady Wiser
What a fun game to keep the kids math skills up during the summer. The Adidas Neo shoes are adorable!
Amber Nelson
This would be so much fun! My kids love games like this and how perfect to enjoy the nice weather too!
Vera Sweeney
I love those shoes!! What a fun way to get kids to do math in the summer tim!
Wendy
I love using games for learning and this one is so fun! Those shoes are so cute - I need to head to Famous Footwear and pick up some shoes for my three kids.
Amanda Love
Kids don't want to study or be reminded of school during the summer but if you turn it into something fun like this, they will totally be game for it! I really love the idea and those shoes are so pretty! I really like the color!
Debra
I love LOVE the bright colors on that shoe! My daughter is all about bright colors and sparkles on her footwear! We are going to have to look at this!
Michelle @ Sunshine and Hurricanes.com
This looks like a perfect math game to share at cousin camp! With kids of all different ages, everyone could enjoy the fun!
Terri Steffes
So cute those shoes! The game is such a great idea. There is a lot of research that says movement and math go hand in hand.
Casey
Okay I love ALL those shoes! So cute. And what a cool idea to make an outdoor math game. It's the best of both worlds. The kids are outside playing, but also practicing their math skills.
Roxanne
OK I am totally terrible at math...I will have to just stick to liking the Sketchers sneakers you've shared. 🙂
Rebecca Bryant
What a fun way to learn adn play. Plus those shoes are too cute. No wI need to find them in adult sizes.