30 Active Math Games and Activities for Kids Who Love To Move

When kids think of math, they usually picture worksheets and flashcards. But math doesn’t have to be dull! These active math games get kids up and moving, using their whole bodies to learn facts and skills. Lots of these ideas can be adapted to suit a variety of math concepts, so choose a few to try out with your math students soon.

1. Toss beanbags to learn place value

Label bins with place values like ones, tens, and hundreds. Kids toss beanbags into the bins, then count them and see what number they’ve created.

Learn more: Saddle Up For Second Grade

2. Create a life-size number line

Number lines are wonderful for all sorts of math games and activities. Make one big enough for kids to stand and jump around on using sidewalk chalk (or painter’s tape indoors). You’ll use it over and over again.

Learn more: Childhood Beckons

3. Draw a colorful math facts garden

It’s amazing how many math games you can play with sidewalk chalk! For this one, kids draw a basic flower with 10 numbered petals, as shown. Then they write a number to multiply (or add or subtract) by in the middle and fill in the petals with the correct answers.

Learn more: Tinker About

4. Hit the target and graph

You can teach graphing in lots of ways, so why not make it active? Students throw balls onto a target, graphing and analyzing their throws as they go.

Learn more: Amy Lemons

5. Head out on a plot graph scavenger hunt

Create a map of your school, playground, or other area using graph paper (or even better, have kids help you do it). Then choose plot points for them to visit to find notes or small prizes. They’ll feel like real treasure hunters!

Learn more: Edventures With Kids

6. Roll the dice to count and move

Get practice with low number counting and addition using action dice. Write activities like jump, clap, or stomp on a small wooden block, then roll it along with a pair of dice. Kids add them up (or subtract if you prefer) and complete the activity the number of times shown.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy

7. Whack a ball to subtract

You know your elementary math students are going to love this! Build your own whack-a-mole 10 frame with a shoebox and ping pong balls. Then, have kids whack the balls to practice their subtraction facts. So fun!

Learn more: Planning Playtime

8. Make a splash with water balloons

You’re going to need to be willing to get a little wet for this one, but kids simply adore math games (or any games!) with water balloons. Fill and label balloons numbered 1 through 20 (or whatever numbers you’re working on). Draw the numbers in a big circle on the playground. Then have a student choose a balloon, find the matching number, and head off to make a splash!

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

9. Tell time on a giant clock

Draw a giant clock face with hours and minutes on the playground with sidewalk chalk. Choose two students to be the hour and minute hands, then call out a time and send them out to become the clock. Add more complicated elements by having them add to or subtract from the initial time too. (“Now it’s 23 minutes later!”)

Learn more: Creative Family Fun

10. Measure your frog jumps

Have your students hop like frogs, leap like gazelles, or jump like a kangaroo. Then, pull out the ruler or measuring tape so they can measure the distances they’ve covered.

Learn more: Coffee Cups and Crayons

11. Jump up your math facts practice

Lay out a grid like the one shown that has the answers to whatever set of math flashcards you’re currently working with. (This teacher used masking tape; you could also do sidewalk chalk on the playground.) Two players face off, one on each side of the board. Show the flashcard, and kids race to be the first to jump to the correct square with both feet inside the lines. Get all the rules at the link below.

Learn more: Teaching and Tapas

12. Run a flashcard race

Tape a series of flashcards to the floor and challenge kids to see who can correctly make their way from start to finish the fastest. They can call out the answers or write them down, but they have to get it right before they move on. Kids can race side by side or work independently to beat their own best time.

Learn more: There’s Just One Mommy

13. Catch a math beach ball

Beach balls are so much fun in the classroom. Scribble numbers all over one with a Sharpie, then toss it to a student. Wherever their thumbs land, they add (or subtract, or multiply) those two numbers together before tossing the ball to the next student.

Learn more: Saddle Up For Second Grade

14. Do a number dance

Kids who love “Dance Dance Revolution” will get into this one. Make a number mat for each student like the ones shown. Flash an equation with an answer between 10 and 99 on the screen. Kids figure out the answer and jump to put their left foot on the correct tens place, right foot on the ones. They’ll be dancing and spinning as they learn!

Learn more: Number Loving

15. Groove with angles

Teach kids about transversals and the angles they create with some fun dance moves! Get the details for “Dance Dance Transversal” at the link below.

Learn more: Communicating Mathematically

16. Add and subtract by stacking cups

We’re not sure why, but kids simply love stacking cups. Label yours with math problems and answers, then have kids build pyramids and towers galore!

Learn more: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

17. Measure the height of a tree (no ladder needed)

Kids will be amazed to learn they can measure the tallest tree while keeping their feet on the ground. The link below walks you through the steps with a free printable.

Learn more: From ABCs to ACTs

18. Count and learn on a nature walk

Take an outdoor stroll and practice basic math along the way. This works indoors, too; walk the school hallways (quietly) and count doors, windows, posters, and more.

Learn more: Creative Family Fun

19. Use a flyswatter to learn place value

Pick up some flyswatters at the dollar store, then have kids practice identifying place values by whacking the correct number. Your students will definitely get a kick out of this one!

Learn more: Creekside Learning

20. Hunt for shapes in the world around you

So simple and so fun! Give students a sheet with shapes to find as you walk around the school or playground. Each time they find the shape, have them trace it on their worksheet and then make a mark to keep track of how many times they’ve seen it.

Learn more: Hands-On Teaching Ideas

21. Steal the balls with addition robbery

Kids compete to see whose basket of balls will add up to the highest amount. The trick? They don’t know at the beginning which balls are worth the most. Learn how to play at the link below.

Learn more: That After School Life

22. Puddle jump from number to number

Lay out a series of construction paper puddles labeled with numbers. You can call out numbers and have kids jump to the correct one, or have them jump from one to the next in order forwards or backward, or even try some skip counting.

Learn more: NurtureStore

23. Paint and hide number rocks

Painted rocks are always a big hit! Have your class help you make these, then hide them around the playground and send them off to find and answer equations.

Learn more: The OT Toolbox

24. Skip count along a hopscotch board

A hopscotch board can be used for a lot of fun and active math games. Try it for skip counting: kids hop along counting by 2s, 5s, 10s, or whatever you’re currently working on. Learn more at the link below.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama

25. Aim and throw to practice math skills

Pick up a set of Sticky Darts and draw two dartboards side by side. You can label the rings with any numbers you like. Kids throw the darts and then add, subtract, multiply, or divide the numbers – your choice!

Learn more: Inspiration Labs

26. Design an outdoor board game

Draw a winding path and fill the spaces with math equations. Kids roll the dice and move from space to space (have them jump, skip, or twirl to mix things up). If they get the answer right, they move to the new space. If not, their turn is over. Customizable math games like this can be used at any level.

Learn more: Look! We’re Learning

27. Turn UNO into an active math game

Grab your UNO deck and get ready to move! Assign each color a movement (hop, touch toes, etc.). As kids draw the cards, everyone completes the movement the correct number of times. Skip and Reverse work as usual, but anyone who gets Draw Two has to draw two more cards and complete the actions on their own while others cheer them on. See more at the link below.

Learn more: Still Playing School

28. Bowl them over while learning math facts

Math games using recycled materials are economical and good for the environment. Set up empty plastic bottles labeled one through 10, then roll the ball to see how many you can knock down. Add up the numbers of the knocked-over bottles to get your score.

Learn more: Learn with Play at Home

29. Compete to win at putt putt math

Pick up a few dollar store supplies and make your own putt putt course. This can be a simple game where kids simply shoot for the highest (or lowest) number. But you can also drive up the complexity by putting equations on the cups that kids have to solve first to determine which is the best cup to aim for.

Learn more: My Catch a Star Classroom

30. Give an old game a math twist

Give new life to your Twister mat by adding numbers! For more advanced players, instead of saying “Right hand 5,” try saying “Right hand 14 – 9” to make them think.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama

Looking for more ways to move in the classroom? Try these 21 Kinesthetic Reading Activities for your most active learners.

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