Here are some simple summer math activities that will get your child moving and keep them learning! The list includes outdoor summer math activities that can be implemented during the summer when kids are at home, or if you are teaching summer school and need an outdoor summer school math activity!
Chalk Number Line Run
Sidewalk chalk is a popular school resource for children, especially those in younger grades. It can be used for hopscotch math, spelling sight words, or simply drawing a picture. Hopscotch is a game that can be drawn with sidewalk chalk and used in many different educational ways. Plus, it allows for kinesthetic learning since the children are required to hop around!
Another great sidewalk chalk math activity is a chalk number line run. A number line is a tool to help with solving problems and increases number sense. Use the chalk to draw a number line to 20 (or however high you would like to go). Place a stack of number cards near the line. Have children take turns drawing a number card. If a number 3 is drawn, the player will hop 3 times. Players rotate drawing cards and counting until someone reaches the end.
These super simple math activities involving sidewalk chalk are a great way to get your child outside and learning this summer!
Sort and Measure Sticks
This outdoor math activity is perfect for when children are at home during the summer. OR, if you are a summer school teacher or camp counselor and need a fun outdoor game for children to play.
The game is pretty self-explanatory – find sticks and measure them. Children may use small containers, bags, a basket, or whatever they would like to carry the sticks in. You can start this game by telling the players they have ‘x’ amount of time (say 10 minutes, for example) to find as many sticks as they can. Use a stopwatch or phone to set a timer and GO!! The players will be busy gathering up sticks of different shapes and sizes.
Once the timer is finished, players will come together and lay out their sticks from shortest to longest. Adults who are facilitating these simple summer math activities can extend thinking by asking the children to sort the sticks accordingly and compare their lengths to each others.
Hula Hoop Addition
Hula hoops are another way to incorporate simple summer math activities. This can be done either indoors or outdoors, but I would suggest outdoors for more space and room to jump around.
To play hula hoop addition, you will need 3 different hula hoops, 2 index cards, and a bag of balls (or you can use rocks). Lay the 3 hula hoops out on the ground side by side. Write a ‘+’ and ‘=’ sign on the index cards and place theme in between the 3 hula hoops on the ground. Your layout should be hula hoop + hula hoop = hula hoop.
Next, you will either need to facilitate this game and call out math equations (ex. 2+3=5) or you will want to have math equations already written down on index cards for players to draw.
To begin playing the game, a player will draw a math equation and place the correct amount of balls into the hula hoops. Once both numbers are placed into the first 2 hoops, the player will add those together and then do however many jumping jacks (if the equation was 2+3 then the player would do 5 jumping jacks) in the third hoop.
This fun summer math activity gets kids outdoors, moving around, and can be implemented according to math standards the children are learning. (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
Math Fact Basketball
Math fact basketball is another way to implement simple summer math activities into your child’s summer learning. This is also an outdoor summer math activity that allows kinesthetic movements. Just like some of the other games listed, this activity can be adjusted according to what your child’s educational needs are. (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division)
To play math fact basketball, you will either need to facilitate the game and call out math equations (ex. 2+3=5) or you will want to have math equations already written down on index cards for players to draw.
To begin playing the game, a player will draw a math equation and answer it aloud as quickly as possible. Once the player successfully solves a math problem, they get a chance to shoot the basketball. The player collects 2 points if they answer correctly AND make the ball into the hoop. Then, the next player gets a turn.
The object of the game is to correctly solve as many math problems as possible so that you get more chances to shoot the basketball. The player with the most points wins the game!
Find and Count Bug Hunt
This outdoor summer math activity may sound a little scary at first to some children; however, it is important for them to realize they do not have to touch the bugs during this game.
Similar to the sort and measure sticks, this game is pretty self-explanatory – find bugs and count them. Children will use a notepad and pencil to keep track of the bugs they count with tally marks, or by writing the number. You can start this game by telling the players they have ‘x’ amount of time (say 10 minutes, for example) to find as many bugs as they can. Use a stopwatch or phone to set a timer and GO!! The players will be busy counting bugs and tallying them on their notepad.
Once the timer is finished, players will come together to discuss how many bugs they saw. This outdoor summer math activity can be used as a science AND a math lesson because the players could compare the different bugs they saw when counting!
Fun and Simple Outdoor Summer Math Activities
In conclusion, all of these math activities offer children a chance to get outdoors and have fun while practicing their math skills. Parents, teachers, and camp counselors can use an outdoor summer math activity to keep kids engaged and learning. Overall, be sure to celebrate a child’s success and HAVE FUN! 🙂
