Calculating

Adding

• label hula hoops with different numbers, children can throw bean bags into two different hoops and add the totals on mini-white boards or clipboards
• give the children a total and have them work in pairs to stand in the hoops that show the number bond

Doubles

• use cones or number tiles, ask the children to double a number and stand behind the answer and of course this works the same for finding halves or quarters

Data Handling

Collecting Data

• go out to the staff car park and fill out a tally chart about the colours of cars
• make a pictogram about shoe size, by having children take off their shoes and put them in the pictogram

Sorting

• use hula hoops to create Venn Diagrams
• get the children to sort themselves by eye colour, hair colour etc by standing into the hoops

Number Work

Hide & Find:   this game can be played in many different ways

• hide large number cards around your outdoor area
• ask the children to find 1 number card each and return, you can then ask them questions about their number or to tell you something about their number
• ask the children to find a number that is less than or greater than
• ask the children to find a number that has a specific number units/tens
• peg up the cards onto a washing line in ascending/descending order

Hide & Find Dominoes:

• hide dominoes (I use large foam ones)
• on return ask children to stand up if they have more than 5 spots on their domino
• balance on one leg if you have less than 4 spots

Hide & Find Treasure:

• hide treasure of any sort 
• when the children return ask them to count how many pieces they have found (extend by counting in 2's or 5's)
• can they estimate how much treasure they have before counting
• who has the most/least?
• if you give one of your pieces away, how much will you have?
• how can we sort our treasure (colour, size, shape)

Hundred Square

• get the children to chalk out a hundred square
• use your painted hundred square or a giant hundred square mat
• ask the children to cover the even numbers with red bean bags
• find all the multiples of 3, 5, 10 etc

Welcome

Welcome to Outdoor Maths!  I created this blog to help link together ideas for teaching maths outdoors.  Feel free to comment and add your own ideas.