Math activity
Addition and Subtraction Stories
Use toy animals to tell math stories. '3 ducks are swimming. 2 more come. How many now?' Act it out and count together.
Materials and setup
- toy animals or small figurines
- paper
- pencil
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Use toy animals to tell math stories. '3 ducks are swimming. 2 more come. How many now?' Act it out and count together.
Steps
- Set out a small group of toy animals (start with numbers under 5).
- Tell a simple story: '2 horses are eating. 1 more horse comes. How many horses?'
- Child acts it out with the toys and counts the total.
- Try a 'taking away' story: '4 birds are in the tree. 1 flies away. How many are left?'
- Let the child make up their own animal math stories!
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Solve simple addition story problems within 5 using concrete objects
- Solve simple subtraction story problems within 5 using concrete objects
- Create original math stories using manipulatives
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Tell and solve math story problems, then write the number sentences. Use drawings or objects to show your work.
Steps
- Start with an addition story: '6 race cars are on the track. 4 more join. How many total?'
- Child solves using toys, fingers, or drawings.
- Write the number sentence together: 6 + 4 = 10.
- Tell a subtraction story: '8 cookies on a plate. You eat 3. How many left?'
- Child creates their own story problems and writes the number sentences.
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Solve addition and subtraction word problems within 10
- Represent story problems as written number sentences
- Create original word problems demonstrating operation understanding
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Write and solve multi-step word problems using all four operations. Create a 'Story Problem Book' with illustrations and solutions for each problem.
Steps
- Write 3 addition/subtraction story problems with 2-3 digit numbers: 'A bakery made 245 muffins on Monday and 178 on Tuesday. How many total?'
- Write 2 multiplication story problems: 'There are 6 tables with 8 chairs each. How many chairs total?'
- Write 2 division story problems: 'You have 36 stickers to share equally among 4 friends. How many does each friend get?'
- Solve each problem showing your work: write the equation, show the calculation, circle the answer.
- Illustrate each problem with a drawing and compile into a 'Story Problem Book.'
- Challenge: write a multi-step problem that uses at least 2 different operations to solve.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Write and solve word problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
- Show mathematical work clearly with equations and calculations
- Create multi-step problems requiring more than one operation
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Create and solve complex, real-world multi-step word problems involving fractions, decimals, and percentages. Write problems for a younger student and teach them the solution strategies.
Steps
- Write 3 real-world problems involving fractions: 'A pizza is cut into 8 slices. You eat 3/8 and your friend eats 2/8. What fraction is left?'
- Write 3 problems involving decimals and money: 'You have $20.00. You buy items costing $4.75, $6.50, and $3.25. How much change do you get?'
- Write 2 problems involving percentages: 'A shirt costs $40 and is 25% off. What is the sale price? If tax is 7%, what is the final cost?'
- Solve all problems showing complete work with multiple solution strategies where possible.
- Create a 'Problem Set' for a younger student: write 5 simpler versions of your problems with hints and an answer key.
- If possible, teach one of your problems to a younger sibling or friend and observe their problem-solving process. Write about what strategies they used.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Create and solve multi-step problems with fractions, decimals, and percentages
- Apply multiple solution strategies to the same problem
- Demonstrate understanding by teaching mathematical concepts to others
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
Related math activities
Algebra Adventures: Patterns and Variables
Build a pattern with red and blue blocks — red, blue, red, blue! What comes next? Find patterns on shirts, tiles, and bricks too.
Angle Explorers
Explore turns and corners! Open a book wide or just a little bit. Discover that doors, scissors, and your arms all make angles when they open and close.
Animal Counting Corral
Round up toy animals into corrals (bowls or boxes) and count how many are in each group. Practice counting up to 10 with one-to-one correspondence.
Area Architects
Cover flat surfaces with square tiles, crackers, or sticky notes. Count how many it takes to cover the whole surface. This is the beginning of understanding area!