Learning math facts can be a challenge, but with these exciting tools, math fact practice can be engaging and hands-on! These 5 must-have tools are the perfect way to get students’ brains buzzing while they practice those important equations.
Dice
My first and favorite manipulative for math fact practice is dice. Dice are often thought of as a game piece, used in games like Monopoly or Yahtzee. However, dice can also be a great tool for practicing math facts. By using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division dice games, kids can learn and practice essential math skills. These games can be played with partners or in small groups, making them perfect for use in the classroom. Best of all, they require very little preparation, so they can easily be incorporated into any lesson plan. Whether your students are just starting to learn their addition facts or are ready to tackle long division, using dice is a fun and effective way to help them practice and improve their math skills.
Purchase for the classroom: 50 Pack of 6-sided Dice
Two-color counters
Two-sided counters can be a great tool for creating hands-on math fact practice. Games and activities using two-color counters are also a great way to get students working together in pairs or small groups. And best of all, they’re low-prep activities that don’t require a lot of materials or setup. So next time you’re looking for a fun and easy way to practice math facts, reach for the two-color counters!
Purchase for the classroom: 2-color counters
Playing cards
A deck of cards can be a great tool for practicing math facts. For addition and subtraction, partners can take turns drawing cards and adding or subtracting the numbers on the cards. For multiplication, partners can take turns drawing two cards and multiplying the numbers on the cards. To practice division, partners can take turns drawing one or two cards at a time and dividing the number on the card by two, three, or four. The first person to get 10 correct answers wins the game. These are just a few ideas for using a deck of cards to practice math facts. With a little creativity, there are endless possibilities for fun and low prep activities that will help students master math skills.
Purchase for the classroom: Set of 12 packs of playing cards
Connecting Cubes
Any math teacher will tell you that one of the best ways to practice math facts is to connect the concepts to real-world scenarios. For addition and subtraction, this can be as simple as using cubes to represent numbers in a word problem. For multiplication, using hands-on manipulatives can help students visualize the concept of repeated addition by building arrays. By connecting the abstractions of math to concrete examples, students can develop a deep understanding of the material. And best of all, they’ll have fun doing it!
Purchase for the classroom: Connecting Cubes
Dominoes
Finally, dominoes are more than just a fun game – they can also be a great tool for practicing math facts. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can all be learned by playing dominoes. To practice addition and subtraction, players can simply add up the numbers on the dominoes to find the sum or difference. For multiplication and division, players can use the number of dots on the dominoes to help them solve problems. For example, if there are two dominoes with four dots each, that is equivalent to eight (4 x 2 = 8). Games like this can be both fun and educational, making dominoes a great choice for anyone looking to brush up on their math skills.
Using manipulatives is just one way for hands-on math fact practice to increase engagement. Looking for more ideas for fun games and activities to practice math fact fluency? Click here to grab these 14 games + flashcards for free! Check out Fast Fact Folders for daily practice!
