As parents, it’s easy to love games that keep your child both entertained and learning, this Roll & Cross Math game ticks both of those boxes. Playable indoors as well as out, this all-weather preschool game is sure to keep your children occupied and working on their fine motor skills.
What You Need
- A tissue box, or light cardboard box
- A permanent marker
- Kraft paper
- Construction paper
- Dot markers
How to Set Up Roll & Cross Math
This game is easy to set up, especially if you have the supplies you need already at hand. We’re going to be creating one large die out of the tissue box and craft paper, making a die big enough for your child to grab and throw around.
Step One
Take your empty tissue or cardboard box and wrap it in Kraft paper. You can wrap it like a birthday present: cover all the sides and use some strong tape to keep the edges down. You don’t have to use brown Kraft paper, but we find that it’s strong enough to withstand a few kicks and knocks, which it will definitely get!
Step Two
Using your permanent marker, add the dots to each side of the wrapped tissue box. You can set the dots out in the same patterns as on regular dice – this will help get them used to dice patterns, making family games night that little bit easier as they grow.
Step Three
For the final step, cut a rectangle of your construction paper and write out numbers one to six. Make sure to make these big and clear to read, as your child is going to be drawing over them in just a few minutes.
The Rules of The Game
With your markers out and your die finished, it’s time to start! The aim of the game is simple: your child should roll (or toss!) the die and count how many dots are facing up when it lands. Once they’ve counted, they can use their dot marker to cross off the corresponding number on their sheet of construction paper.
From there, the rules are totally up to you. If you have more than one child, making it a race to count the dots and mark off the numbers can add some light competition to the game. And when the game gets too easy, there are some quick modifications you can make to keep your child engaged.
For When the Game Is Too Easy
Adding a second die into the game is an easy way to help with your child’s basic addition. Make the numbers on your construction paper list from two to twelve, and then toss two dice at a time. Let your child add the numbers from each before marking the construction paper sheet.
This game can also be useful when your child is learning the alphabet. You can use each side of the die to write duplicates of a few letters, and then ask them to mark off letters that don’t have a partner.
Creative Learning at Providence Children’s Academy
We know it’s not always easy to get children excited by math, but this hands-on game is sure to get your children learning without realizing it. For children who haven’t started writing just yet, the dot marker and die provide a way for them to work on their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
At Providence Children’s Academy we strive to make learning creative and fun, as we know that these are the activities that will foster growth and development in young children.
Contact us today for a tour of our Coconut Creek Preschool facility and let us show you how we bring fun into the classroom.