10 Hands-On Math Activities for Ages 6-9

As your child advances through elementary education, math concepts–even the basics–can become confusing, even frustrating to some.  At ages 6-9, kids are not only fine-tuning basic addition and subtraction and continuing with multiplication and division, they are also learning time, measurements, fractions and more.  It’s not merely important to supplement their math learning at this point in their education, it’s crucial.  Here are some excellent math activities from around the web for making math fun and exciting!

Computer Games:

Math Lines – at different levels this teacher’s basic math equations, but in a cool, fun way.  You shoot a canon with a specific number ball at the number balls moving around the canon in a line, making sure the balls add up to the target number.

Lemonade Stand – helps teach number recognition, addition and counting money.  You create the lemonade based on reading a recipe, set up and manage your stand, and sell lemonade for a profit.  Come to think of it, you could just set up a real lemonade stand!

Fraction Beach – use your knowledge of fractions to build awesome sandcastles at the beach.

Do a Google search to find many more free computer games that are age appropriate for your child.  Try pbs.org, coolmath.com or topmarks.

Active Games:

Chalk Clock – use the kids as the hands of the giant clock to work on telling time.

Skip Counting by Hand Outlines – hand outlines are perfect for teaching how to count by 5’s, plus they make for wonderful turkey-themed math activities around Thanksgiving time.

Water Balloon Number Target Practice – learn number recognition through play with water balloons and a chalk target board.

Props and Manipulative Ideas:

Golf Tee Math – use golf tees and play dough to work on creating and solving addition and subtraction equations

Addition Number Family Eggs – put leftover plastic Easter eggs to use by building numbers and solving equations

Coin Value File Folder Games – these file folder games are quick, easy, and cost nothing to make.

Free Printables:

Fraction Bars – practice fractions with these color-coded strips.

Kimberly Mueller is the “me” over at bugaboo, mini, mr & me, a blog that highlights her creative endeavors. She especially likes to share kid crafts, sewing attempts, recipes, upcycled projects, photography and free printable gift tags/cards. When she’s not enjoying being married to her best friend, chasing after the natives (AKA her three kids) and attempting to keep the house in one piece, you can find her with a glue gun in one hand and spray paint in the other. Aside from DIY pursuits, she also enjoys writing, reading, music, singing (mostly in the shower) and the color yellow. Kimberly recently published a craft book entitled Modern Mod Podge. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’ and Instagram. Email her at: bugabooblog(at)yahoo.com