Math Game - Frogs & Turtles - Playing in Water Makes Even Math Fun

Making this game is almost as much fun as playing it. So get the gang together and collect. Create a water habitat. Using a metal cake pan works best. Next get outdoors and find stones and sticks. Place them in the pan and add some water about one inch deep. Next add some critters, twelve are needed. We used little plastic frogs and turtles to create a pond. However, plastic fish are also great. Other creatures that visit a pond would also work well. Or if you want it very different, call it an ocean and use all the little plastic ocean critters like dolphins, sharks and whales.

While you are creating the habitat, talk about it. Talk about the environment of a pond, ocean or river. Talk about the critters that live or visit that habitat. This is even a wonderful time to read a book about the habitat to further your education about it. Keep it fun!

Let's Play

Now that the habitat is ready, get a pair of dice and let's begin. Start with the pond set up without any creatures in it.

The first player has the easiest job, so begin with the youngest child. He shakes the dice and gets the sum. He then counts that many critters and adds them to the pond. Let's say he puts 5 turtles into the pond.

The next player shakes the dice and gets a sum. Pretend he shakes 8. He must decide if 8 is greater than or less than the number of critters already in the pond. He would decide that it is more. So now it is his job to make it so there are 8 creatures in the pond. He realizes he must put more critters in (add). He starts by adding 1 at a time until he has the 8. Later, when his skills increase, he will be able to think "I need to put 3 more in" or "I need to add 3."

Each player from this point on shakes the dice, decides if he needs to add or subtract creatures to make the correct number in the pond.

Talk and Teach

It is most important for the adult player/teacher to talk while playing. Ask questions. Let the children share what they know about the habitat, the animals and plants that live there. Let them share about experiences visiting such a place--what they saw, smelled, or heard.

This game is a wonderful opportunity to introduce story problems. Teach the vocabulary: add, subtract, plus, minus, more, less, greater than, less than. Use all the words as often as possible. Interchange words like add and plus. Encourage the children to use the words during play and later as they go about their day.

Use the time for the BONUS of teaching some science. Discuss habitats, what creatures need to survive and how their surroundings provide it. Apply the information to the different habitats: ponds, oceans, rivers, deserts, mountains, woods, rainforest, plains and even your own backyard.

It can be fun to set up these different habitats, adding sand or dirt and grass instead of water, along with other outdoor items to create the environment.

Winner

Since there is no real end to the game there are no losers. It is just a lot of fun for all who play. The prize is better understanding of addition, subtraction, math vocabulary, and even habitats for all the players.