There are so many fun kindergarten addition math games for children to play to practice learning addition strategies and facts. Kindergarten addition math games should be easy for the children to understand so that the main focus can be on solving addition problems and working on addition fact fluency. It’s also a bonus when they are low-prep for the teacher! Thankfully, my favorite 5 kindergarten addition math games do all of this, and more! Let’s take a look!
If you want to learn more about teaching the concept of addition and subtraction, as well as addition and subtraction strategies to children, check out the blog posts linked here!
Addition and Subtraction
Dice Addition
What could be more simple and no-prep than a dice game for your kindergarten addition math games!? To play this game all you have to do is roll some dice together. Easy! I love how these kindergarten addition math worksheets, or game boards if you laminate for reuse, are for the kids to use. They also encourage strategies to solve the addition problem. As well as writing equations. And, you can easily differentiate by giving children 3 dice or giving children numeral dice instead of dot dice, or 7-12 dice instead of 1-6 dice. This is a game that the children can keep coming back to independently and it definitely helps them practice addition.
Addition Cover Up
This is just a spin-off of dice kindergarten addition math games. But that just means it will be easy for the children to play, since they know the dice games so well! Just roll the dice together, add the dice, and cover up or cross out one of the numbers. The goal is to get as many boxes covered, so it adds in a layer of strategy. You start thinking about which numbers you want to get covered up, so which numbers do you need to roll to get that sum? This is a game that definitely encourages fact fluency under 12.
Addition Bingo
I just love how bingo games make it so easy to review content, and yet are so fun for the kids. Plus, they are super easy to leave for a substitute! This bingo kindergarten addition math game is even better, because the kids can play independently on their own by rolling the dice! Another dice game? Don’t roll your eyes at me- the simpler, the better. Work smarter, not harder, I say! Dice are my favorite math tool because you can use them endlessly and it makes everything a game.
Anyway… back to Addition Bingo. You can play in small groups or individually by having students roll the dice and cover up the sum of the dice until they get 5 in a row. I love how these kindergarten addition math worksheets or boards (especially if you laminate for reuse) come with the numberline to encourage that strategy for addition and to help students not yet fluent with their addition facts to 12. You could also play this game whole group by having students take turn the dice and announce the numbers. Bonus point for having those big foam dice to *gently* toss.
Playdough Addition
Playdough literally makes everything fun. Especially when students get to roll out little balls or shapes and use them to add. I love using the ten frame to help them visualize their addition, as well as encourage the ten frame as a tool for addition. The students don’t need anything to play except playdough, a paperclip, a pencil (to spin the spinner), and something to write the equation with. Again, I’d encourage laminating the kindergarten addition math worksheet to make it easily reusable. Plus, the playdough doesn’t get stuck to it.
Bowling Addition
My 5th favorite kindergarten addition math games is Bowling Addition! Bowling games are super fun, and once you know how to play, you can swap out the content to practice skills throughout the whole year. I use it in most of my phonics games as well. The kids love “knocking down the pins”. Plus, all you need to play is… you guess it… dice!
Bonus Seasonal Addition Games
While those were my 5 go-to kindergarten addition math games that I play all year long, I couldn’t not let you know about my favorite seasonal kindergarten addition activities! In my year-long kindergarten dice games bundle, each month starting at January features different kindergarten addition activities. I love how the mitten, heart, butterfly, etc. fit the theme of the month, but also give the students the chance to practice adding different counters. They just need some dice and counters and then they cover up the image and count their sum. Because the kindergarten addition math worksheets are split in half, children who are ready to start counting on as a strategy can do that, but children who need to count all can do that as well. It also lets children practice writing equations.
Conclusion
Kindergarten addition math games don’t have to be complicated. Students can have so much fun playing these 5 games, they won’t even notice all the addition strategies they are practicing! Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
