Looking for a low-prep fun way to bring more smiles and stronger number sense and math concepts to your math block? These engaging math games for kindergarten and first grade are the perfect solution. They’re hands-on, skill-focused, and best of all—your students will beg to play them again and again. In this blog post, I will share some fun kindergarten math activities you can add to your classroom! I have also included a free fun activity at the end of this blog post for you.
In the early years, math isn’t just about getting the “correct answer”—it’s about building a solid foundation while developing number sense, and learning how to think flexibly. And while worksheets have their place, they often don’t engage young learners the way games do. Math games give kindergarten students the chance to explore, take risks, and talk about numbers in a low-pressure collaborative learning environment. Research even supports the idea that playful learning and repeated exposure to math concepts through games can be more effective than timed drills or rote memorization. When students are smiling, moving, and collaborating—they’re not just having fun, they’re actually learning more deeply.
As teachers, we know that fluency doesn’t come from just flashcards alone. It grows from meaningful practice—repetition with variety, movement, and just the right amount of challenge during the learning process. These kindergarten math games are designed to give your students exactly that.
Let’s be real:
❌ Traditional worksheets can be dull.
❌ Timed tests can cause anxiety.
❌ Differentiating math centers every week? Exhausting.
But here’s the good news—fun math games can change all of that.
Each of the classroom math games below can be taught once and used again and again. Just swap out the skill-specific cards, and boom—you’ve got a fresh new center that reinforces core concepts in an engaging way. These are ideal for small groups, stations, early finishers, or sub plans.
Before jumping into game time, a little prep work can go a long way in helping your math block run smoothly. Think of it as setting the stage so your students (and you!) can focus on learning, laughing, and leveling up those early math skills—without any mid-lesson chaos
Pick age-appropriate games that align with your students’ developmental levels. Prioritize foundational skills like number recognition, ten frames, number bonds, and beginning operations. Hands-on? Check. Visuals? Yes please. Fun factor? Absolutely.
Create a cozy, flexible learning zone—whether that’s a rug, center table, or quiet corner. Students should have room to move, materials to grab easily, and an inviting setup that feels like play—not pressure.
You’ll want:
Number cards & game mats
Dice & spinners
Counters or mini manipulatives
Dry erase boards or paper
Extras (always extras!)
Keep materials organized in bins or pouches for smooth transitions.
Whether you use a sticky note or a digital doc, have a quick-reference guide with:
Learning target
Game steps
Modifications or differentiation ideas
This makes it easy to stay focused and helps support staff (or subs!) jump in without the guesswork.
Let’s explore some favorites:
A classroom classic! In this game, students place six cards on a mat, roll a die, and read the corresponding card. The goal? Identify numbers in multiple representations—ten frames, numerals, dots, equations, and more.
Perfect for building number recognition, addition and subtraction facts, and fluency. This is engaging game has simple rules and is so much fun!
BONUS: These game cards are editable so you can enter any equation or math fact you want your learner to practice.
You will find a free version of this Roll, Say, Keep math game at the end of this blog post.
You can find a set of these math games here:
Your students will love the friendly competition of BUMP games. These themed versions reinforce essential math skills like number bonds, shapes, and teen numbers—while giving students plenty of practice with strategic thinking.
Tip: Rotate themes throughout the year to keep it fresh without reteaching.
What You Need:
A BUMP game board (focused on a specific skill—numbers, addition, letter sounds, etc.)
Dice (usually 1 or 2)
10 linking cubes or small markers per player (one color per player)
Step 1: Spin the spinner
Each player takes turns spinning the spinner. The item they land on will determine where they can place a marker on the board.
Step 2: Find the matching space
Look at the game board and find a space that matches the number (or answer) from your spin. For example, if a child is practicing place value and spins 1 ten and 7 ones, they look for the number 17 on the board.
Step 3: Place your marker
Place one of your colored markers (or cubes) on that space. If the space is empty, just place your marker.
Step 4: BUMP off your opponent
If your opponent already has one marker on that space, you can “bump” them off and take the spot! Return their marker to them.
BUT…
If your opponent has two markers stacked on that space, it’s locked—you can’t bump them off anymore.
Step 5: Lock your space
You can protect your own spot too! If you spin the same number again, you can stack a second marker on top of your own to “lock” it. No one can bump it once it’s locked!
Step 6: Keep playing
Take turns spinning, placing, bumping, and locking until one player runs out of markers or time is up.
Step 7: The player who uses all of their markers first wins!
Use different colored cubes to keep track of each player’s moves.
Have 2 players per game board… this provides more practice!
Encourage students to say the numbers or math facts out loud as they play—it adds extra practice!
Since Bump has been a classroom favorite FOR…EVER, I have made a few versions of them:
BUMP Kindergarten or PreK Color Games for Partner Activities & Game Centers (These are great for the beginning of the school year)
Fact families + editable templates = the ultimate combo for year-round learning. These printable math games work in K–2 classrooms and can grow with your students’ skills.
Reinforce part-part-whole thinking, early algebraic reasoning, and simple addition & subtraction fluency.
Step 1: Students take turns rolling a die and stacking that number of cubes on their number bond.
For example: If they roll a 5, they can stack 5 cubes on the 8.
Step 2: Once the student has stacked the exact numbers on addends, they can move their cubes to the sum circle.
For example: for the number bond 8 + 2 = 10.
roll #1 = 5 (they stack 5 cubes on the 8)
roll #2 = 2 (they stack 2 cubes on the 2)
roll #3 = 3 (they add 3 more cubes to the 8 and now they can complete their number bond)
The first one to complete all of their number bonds wins.
Students record the fact families on the recording sheet.
I have made a set for each month so you can keep the learning going all year!
These editable math board games make fluency practice feel like playtime. With numbers to 10, addition problems, and subtraction problems—all in cute seasonal themes—you can keep things fun and focused.
Bonus: The editable templates mean you can customize these classroom games for any concept you’re working on!
Step 1: Students take turns reading or solving the equations on the cards.
Step 2: Students then spin the spinner to determine which way they move on the board.
They can move forward towards the pie, or back to the basket. The number on the spinner determines how many spaces they more.
The winner is the player that gets to the end first!
You can find these math games.
Sometimes, students need just a little more guided practice before they feel confident with new concepts—and that’s where classic games like Bingo step in. This set of Kindergarten Math Small Group Activities is ideal for targeted intervention or meaningful review throughout the year. Want to make this a whole group math game? Simple make additional game boards and count on multiple winners (that is what I call a win-win!)
Each activity focuses on essential number skills and is designed for quick, structured practice in a small group setting. The materials are hands-on and easy to prep, making it simple to differentiate based on your students’ needs.
These activities cover:
Counting and number games
Addition and subtraction to 10
Number bonds and part-part-whole
Ten frames and more!
In addition to the bingo games, there are also math problems and shape identification games. Teachers love using this resource for guided math, RTI groups, or as a spiral review tool. And because everything is ready to print and teach, you can grab it when you need something effective fast.
You can find these activities here:
Ready to build your classroom math game library centered around kindergarten math skills? Start with one or two of the fun math activities above, teach the routine, and enjoy the easy of math fun year-long learning through play.
📌 Pin it for later: Save this post on your Math Centers board!
Looking for a free fun math game to get started? Because this is editable it is perfect for any grade level!
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My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
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