Math games to play in math stations

6 Easy and Fun Math Games and Activities for Numbers to 10

If you were to ask my students their favorite part of math stations, they would most certainly say math games center. They love playing the game of the week and they also love playing other games they have learned in the past. I always have those previous games available because students need to keep their skills sharp! I’m going to share with you 6 easy math games for numbers to 10 that you can use in your math stations. 

Now, before I get into the nitty-gritty of math games, if you are looking for games to try, I have just the thing for you! Make centers fun with these free games sent directly to your inbox! Just a teacher helping out another teacher! Click here to get started and make your math centers more engaging and fun!

Math Games Stations for Your Classroom

Math games are one center that my students love! Math game stations are interactive and it works on students’ social-emotional skills as well! With these games, I teach my students a new game either on a Monday to the whole class, or, as one of the Guided Math lessons. In the lesson, I go over how to play the game with them and we have a guided practice. Once they have learned how to play the game, it goes into the Math Game Center to play.

The great thing about these games is that once we are done with the game after the week, I put it in the “Math Centers Review” bin. This is where I store all of the games I have taught them throughout the year. When they have finished with a Math center, they can simply go to the review bin and play a game that is in the bin! My students love playing games from other units we have had and it keeps those skills up. 

adding one more game for math stations

Go to Math Games That Are Fun

There are so many great games that you can have your students play. I am going to share with you 6 math games that I have used with my students that are perfect for your numbers to 10 unit. 3 will be regular math games and 3 will be Pop-it math games since those are so popular right now!

Number Memory

This is a simple game that my students play. It focuses on number recognition, of not only the number, the word, but the ten frames as well.  I have 3 cards that need to match each other. The number, the ten frame, and the number word. My students are used to this game, however, they normally have to only find 2 matches. I add the challenge of having to find 3 to make a match. It is important not only for students to recognize the actual number, they need to be able to read the word and visualize the number on a ten frame.

One More/One Less

This is another easy game to play with my students. I have a deck of cards with numbers or ten frames, dots, etc., depending on the strategy I am working on with my students.  Students have a pile in between each other and one student turns over the top card. Then they say the number that is one more or one less, or both. If the student gets it right they get to keep the card.

I also have a game board that my students can use. The game board has the numbers 1-10 on either side of the board. One for each player. There is a spinner to go with the game that has the numbers 0-9 on it. Students spin the spinner and whatever number they land on, they have to say what number is one more and place their counter on that number. I even have a workspace for them to use where they can put counters down to figure it out! I have a game right here if you want to try it out! 

using one more game to help students see number relationships

Bump

Bump is a fun game to play with numbers to 10. I usually use this with one less or two less when I play Bump. In the game Two Less Bump,  there are numbers scattered all over the gameboard. There is a spinner as well. Students spin the spinner and whatever number they land on, the student takes away two. Then they find the number on the board and put their counter on it. 

The next player spins and does the same thing. The second player lands on a number that is covered by their opponent. They can bump their opponent’s counter off the board. 

However, if the player lands on a number that they have a counter on, they can turn their counter over and lock it (meaning their opponent can’t bump it off the board). Students keep playing until all the counters have been locked. I have a bump game right here if you want to try it out! 

Numbers to 10 Pop-It Games

I have seen that Bubble poppers have been used a lot for reading and phonemic awareness. However, they are a great tool to be used with math. Math is about hands-on learning and making those visual connections to numbers, adding, subtracting, you name it! The more students “see” numbers and how they can be represented, they will become more successful. Pop-it’s allow students to quickly visualize concepts such as which number is greater, what the missing addend is, adding and subtracting numbers, etc. The more tools we can give students to understand numbers the better! This is just another great tool that you can put in your arsenal for teaching math skills!

Flip, Make, Pop, Write

Flip, Pop, Write, Make is a super fun engaging math station! This is perfect for number recognition. All you need for this math station is a Pop-It, number cards, pencil, paper, and some target erasers. Take the number cards and put them in a pile facing down. Then the student flips the top number card says it and then pops it on the bubble popper. Then they write the number down and finally they make the numbers using target erasers.  For example, a student would select the number 5, pop it on their Bubble Popper, write the number, and then use counters (or some kind of manipulative) to show the number 5. Again, I have a great version here if you want to try it! 

pop-its used for making numbers

Ordering Numbers

Ordering Numbers can be hard for students to do in their heads, so they need the visual. Simply give students three numbers, for example, 4, 6, and 5. Ask them to find which number comes first, second and third. Students will pop 4 on the first row, 6 on the second row, and 5 in the third row. This makes comparing the numbers easier for your students. If you want to take it a step further you can ask students “How many more are there in the bottom row (the row that has 5), than the top row (the row that has 4)?” Pop-it’s make that question easier for students to answer because they have the visual right in front of them. Ordering numbers is easier for students when they have the right visual, and Pop-it’s are the best visual for that!

Counting On

The final activity is Counting On. This is an important skill for students to learn. It helps when they start adding. Simply have the student take the number cards and put them in a pile facing down. Then the student flips the top number card says it and then counts on by popping the next 3 numbers on the bubble popper. So say for example the number is four. The student says four and then pops the next 3 numbers 5,6,7. This teaches students how to count on and that they don’t need to count  (pop) the number they started with (in this case 4) to count on, which helps when they start with adding in a later unit. 

Math Games and Activities

There are so many great games that you can have your students play. I shared these six with you in hopes to give you some quick and easy games for you to try right away. 

I love the fact that Math stations are interactive and it works on students’ social-emotional skills as well! The great thing about games is that once we are done, I put it in the “Math Centers Review” bin. This is where I store all of the games I have taught them throughout the year. When they have finished with a Math center, they can simply go to the review bin and play a game that is in the bin! My students love playing games from other units we have had and it keeps those skills up!

Comment below with your favorite math game that you like to use with your numbers to 10 unit! 

Free Math Games

Math games you can use with numbers to 10

Math Games on TPT

Numbers to 10 Math Games

Pop-It Bubble Popper Games for Numbers to 10

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Hi, I'm Meg!

I have ben teaching in the classroom for over 15 years! I love teaching math and finding new and engaging ways to teach my students.

When I am not teaching you can find me at Target, at a baseball game (GO Nats!), binge watching fun shows, or snuggling with my cats!

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