Quick Count

  • Grades 3-5

  • No equipment needed

Development Goal

To build interpersonal skills and practice mathematics

Before You Start

  • Divide students into pairs.
  • Have the pairs of students stand equal-distance from the designated area.  Make sure that students all have a safe and clear path to run/skip/jump toward the designated area.

Set Up

Can be played outside, in a gym or in a classroom. Designate an area (fence, wall, coned off section) that students can safely run/jog/skip to.

How to Play

  • Each student gets and faces their partner with one hand behind his or her back. On the count of “1, 2, 3- Go!” each person brings their hand from behind their back, showing any number 1-5 with their fingers. The first person to call out the total number of fingers between them wins.
  • The student who did not win skips, runs, or jogs to the designated area and returns.
  • Once each pair of students has played 3 times have the students change partners.

Variations

If you are playing with older kids you can do multiplication after the initial rounds of addition.