“Fill the Pockets (sums to 6)”
KNPIG ID #S 2203.1
What's this activity about?
This activity challenges your child to recognize different ways to combine numbers one through three to make numbers up to six. You and your child will find pairs of quantities that add up to six and then place them into pockets with the matching numeral. Kids love to make stuff and get creative. This is a great way to use that product to practice important math skills.
What materials do we need?
Printable dot cards with 0-3 dots, 4 or more sets Paper clips Game Board you create: Create the pockets by sealing a letter sized envelope and cutting in half. You will need three envelopes. Then attach the pockets to a larger piece of paper or piece of poster board. Each pocket should be clearly labeled with one of the numerals- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Then finish the game board with non-distracting decorations.
How do we play?
Play with your child or children. More than one player is recommended.
Mix dot cards and stack in a pile. One player will draw two cards from the pile, add them together and then paper clip the cards together and place in the pocket on the game board that equals the same total. After using all the cards, have your child predict what combinations of quantities will be in each pocket. For example, for pocket “3” your child may say- one dot with two dots, and three dots with zero dots. Then you can pull them out and check them.
Where’s the Math?
This activity goes along with math your child is learning in school. Your child is practicing decomposing numbers into pairs in more way than one. So they are working to understand that a five can be looked at as two with three, or one with four, or zero with five. While doing this they are also beginning to learn that when they put those numbers back together to see a new number- that is addition. Working with smaller numbers first and really seeing how they can combine them in so many ways to get the same number leads to really seeing the concept that numbers are composed of many different combinations of values. When they advance in their math practices this concept becomes very important.
Things to Think About:
As you use this activity with kids, remember to be patient. Sometimes it’s hard to not help them along if they are having a hard time finding the total for quantities. If they seem like they are guessing, encourage them to count the dots until they become more comfortable combining those quantities. Practicing guessing different quantities that add together to get the same value will help them become more familiar with combining all the combinations within 6. When first playing with your child, narrating your own actions will help your child with the game play. As you progress, try to notice what thinking strategies your child is using to combine and predict pairs. Ask them questions to get them thinking deeper- “What goes with two to make six? Did we see that pair yet?” or “How can you get from three dots to five dots? Is that a pair we can use?” Giving kids a chance to figure math out for themselves gives them a deeper understanding of what they are learning.
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