Get Down, Turn Around, Feel-Good Tools for Fun Math Games

What's another source of feel-good tools to use in fun math games? There's only one other thing kids like to do as much as have fun ... and that's eat. My mother told me that I ate so much they couldn't afford to paint the house until I left home!

Pies and pizza have been used to incorporate fun into the introduction of math fractions, but you could also make it a little healthier. But hey, don't dare mention that to your kids. This is supposed to be fun!

Something round, delicious and easily divided by a child? Wraps. Tortillas, tacos or rotis. Whatever you want to call them.

Greeno, the professor referred to in the previous article in Get Fun Math Games, suggested to teach students how to add one-half and one-third, have them cut one wrap into two pieces and another into three pieces. Then they can cut the half-sized piece in thirds and the third-sized piece in half so all the pieces are the same size and can now be added together.

How about popcorn as a feel-good tool ... right before a break, of course. Or if you time it right, maybe you won't even have to make lunch.

After some arithmetic practice, can they measure the butter? Time the process? Count the kernels that didn't pop? Estimate the volume of popped corn you get from unpopped corn? Share a percentage or fraction with Blondie, the lab retriever a'snoozin' in the corner?

How many pieces of popcorn can Blondie eat all at once? Okay, okay - maybe that could get messy. But you see? There's no limit to the feel-good tools you have around the house and limitless ways to create games that make math fun. Get creative!

Reddi