“Go Fish (1-10)”
KNPIG ID #S 2205.3
What's this activity about?
This game is not only fun, but also a great way to help kids learn different ways to make the number ten! This game is played like traditional Go Fish, except that a “match” is two cards that can be added together to make ten. Young children need lots of practice with figuring out ways to put numbers together and ways to take numbers apart. This game is a fun way to spend time with an important child in your life while also helping him or her discover different ways to put numbers together.
What materials do we need?
Deck of numeral cards, zero to ten OR one to nine: two or four each
How do we play?
This game is played like traditional Go Fish, except that a “match” is two cards that can be added together to make ten.
-Shuffle cards and deal each player five cards. The rest of the cards are placed in a stack face down in the center of the table. You and your child will then see if there are any pairs in your hands that combine to make ten. Place those on the table and replace them with cards from the center deck.
-Taking turns, choose a player and ask them for a card that will combine with one in your hand to make ten. If they have it, they must give it to you. If they do not, you have to “go fish” and choose a card from the center pile. Place any pairs you make face up on the table.
-The game is over when there are no cards left in the stack.
-Have your child write a list of the number pairs they made. The player with the most number pairs wins.
Where’s the Math?
There is a lot of math in this game that goes along with what kids are learning in school. The cards are helping kids see addition and subtraction through objects and pictures (the dots). Kids are also seeing ways to break numbers into pairs in more than one way, while also becoming stronger at being able to add and subtract within ten.
Things to Think About:
As you play Go Fish with kids, remember to BE PATIENT. Sometimes it’s hard to not to help them along if they are having a hard time figuring out what card they need to make a match. Instead of telling them the answer, ask questions that will help them get to the answer on their own. Try asking “what do you think you need to put with the two to make five? Could you count the dots to help you figure it out?” rather than just saying “you need a three to go with eight to make ten.” When kids are given the chance to figure things out on their own, they gain a deeper understanding of whatever we are trying to help them learn!
When first playing Go Fish, you may want to start out with everyone laying their cards on the table so that you can talk about possible matches (“I see that you have a three in front of you – what do you think you are going to need to ask for to make a match?”). As your child becomes more comfortable with the game, start holding the cards in your hands. Later, randomly ask your child questions about what numbers go together to make other numbers – “I was thinking about the game we played the other day – what number could I put with four to make ten?”
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