Games With Counters - Young Mathematicians
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Games with Fingers and Counters
About Games with Fingers and Counters Playing these games with fingers and counters supports children’s understanding of early math concepts, from counting and cardinality to composing and decomposing numbers (the foundation of addition and subtraction). When children play math games with their fingers and with simple counters, they are strengthening their number knowledge and their ability to visualize numbers in their minds. And, these games are easy to play anywhere because you only need your fingers or some simple objects to use as counters. In developing these materials, we found it was most helpful when teachers introduced a game or a minibook in the classroom and then sent the materials, directions, and the minibooks home for children to play and read with their families. Children are proud to share—and teach—what they learned in school. Then, children can come back to the classroom and share what they learned at homeMaterials Needed
Counters or tokens, Paper or cloth, Large Dot Cards and Game Board, Directions
What's the math in these games?
In order to know many items are hiding, children must remember how many there were, determine how many there are now, and figure out how many were taken away, a key part of composing and decomposing number (adding and subtracting). As children gain more experience with these games, increase the number of objects used. Children also enjoy doing the hiding — in this case, they must work to make sure their partner correctly finds out how many are hiding!
Number: Counting and Cardinality
Sorting and Attributes
Number: Adding and Subtracting
Patterns and Structure
Play a Game! GAMEGames with Fingers and Counters
How Many are Hiding? (Fingers)
Number: Counting and Cardinality, Number: Adding and Subtracting EN, ES, PT GAMEGames with Fingers and Counters
Number Clap
Number: Counting and Cardinality EN, PT, ES GAMEGames with Fingers and Counters
More, Less, Same with Fingers
Number: Counting and Cardinality, EN, ES, PT, HT GAMEGames with Fingers and Counters
Copy My Dots (with Counters)
Number: Counting and Cardinality, Spatial Relations EN, PT, ES, HT GAMEGames with Fingers and Counters
Make 5! (with fingers)
Number: Counting and Cardinality, Number: Adding and Subtracting EN, ES, PT, HT GAMEGames with Fingers and Counters
Numbers, Numbers, 1, 2, 3
Number: Counting and Cardinality, EN, PT, ES, HTDownload Directions for all Games with Fingers and Counters
Games with Counters
Download Directions for all Games with Fingers and Counters Games with Counters EN Games with Counters SP Games with Counters PTPrintable Materials
Printable Materials Classroom Resources To play games with fingers, all you need are your fingers! To play Copy My Dots (with counters) print these large format dot cards and game board.
Copy My Dots Game Board
Large Format Dot Cards
Look for… when playing How Many Are Hidden?
Game Kits Coming Fall 2021!Check back for a new way to play our games and access game materials at your fingertips.
Download All Printable MaterialsRelated Resources
MINIBOOKSHow Many Are Hiding?
ARTICLEFostering a Growth Mindset
MINIBOOKSKeep Trying
PUBLICATIONExplore Numbers and Counting w...
PUBLICATIONPlay Games, Learn Math! Number...
ARTICLEThe Simple Fun of Math Games
Watch a Video!
The Power of Yet for Math Mindset (English) Numbers, Numbers, 1, 2, 3 (English) Numbers, Numbers 1, 2, 3 (Spanish) Numbers, Numbers 1, 2, 3 (Portuguese) Numbers, Numbers, 1, 2, 3 (Haitian Creole) QUICK LINKS
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This work is supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation Grants 2015-023, 2016-13, 2019-1396, 2021-2871, 2022-3381, 2023-4803, 2024-5011 and Overdeck Family Foundation Grant 2019-1396; and by the National Science Foundation Grants DUE1348564, DRL 1907904. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Copyright © 2025 Education Development Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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