Math Fun: Puzzles and Games
updated May 7, 2022
Recorded here is my own personal collection of articles, resources, favorite links, teaching ideas, and lesson plans. It encompasses many years, from the very beginning of my experience studying and learning about Waldorf to the present time. People from all around the world visit my site and recommend it to others. Welcome!
This site records my journey. I hope my honesty is encouraging and helps break down some barriers that may prevent people from trying Waldorf methods. Because this is an ongoing site documenting my curriculum planning and ideas, some materials are more Waldorf-y than others. Please feel free to take what you like and leave the rest.
Math Fun: Puzzles and Games
for Class 2
Mission Statement - Consulting Services - Lending Library
I prefer
to have three MLBs for each subject and so I
created "Math Fun: Puzzles and Games," in addition to the traditional second grade "Column Algorithms" and "Shapes & Number Patterns."
Without exception, I would recommend Jamie York's excellent book of
math puzzles and games for grades 4 - 12. However, even as early as grades 2 and 3, I know students want a fresh challenge.

This block could also be used as a transition in the Summer between 2nd grade and 3rd grade.
Here are my notes:
Introductory Games
Spatial Puzzles
Turn the Fish
requires 8 wooden matches;
draw the original diagram on the board so that students can return to the beginning when trying again, or after solving it
The Farmer and His Ducks
I think this one is easiest if you draw it but you could also have gems handy
Coin Triangle (here is the solution)
I set up two of these on rimmed wooden trays so that multiple people could work on the
puzzle at the same time, and I drew the starting arrangement on the board so that they
could return the coins to the beginning configuration after solving it
Trees in Rows (here is the solution)
have a box of gems handy and a piece of plain white paper for each child to set the gems on to reduce visual clutter; if people
are still working on the Coin Triangle puzzle, you can have them re-use the wooden tray and 10 nickels to solve Trees in Rows
Note: if you did not already do them, there is a list of Geometry and Spatial Sense activities at the end of
the Shapes & Number
Patterns block page
doing this block in May? try making Mondrian-inspired gift bags for Mother's Day!
https://www.arthistorykids.com/blog/328
Logic & Computation Puzzles
Ghostie Numbers
Magic Triangle 1 - Magic Sum 9
scaffold this by giving struggling students the position of two of the numbers; this site also includes
other
magic triangle puzzles (with sums of 10, 11, 12, and 17)
Farmer Brown and Farmer Green
have a box of gems handy; scaffold this by letting struggling children know that both numbers are less than ten
some more activities from Math for Smarty Pants by Marilyn Burns

- page 29 - On Which Day of the Week Were You Born?
- page 60 - Having a Mathematical Conversation
Roman Numerals
Estimating
I like to do Rounding with
whole numbers (as well as with units of measurement,
time, and money) in 3rd grade, fractions in 4th grade, and decimals in 5th grade. I think that
Rounding is too difficult for 2nd graders. They are still
just focusing on internalizing place value.
But estimating is a perfect activity
to keep strengthening math sense and I recommend spending
some time on it at the end of 2nd grade!
If you didn't do Lucky Beans
by Becky Birtha
as a math story in first grade, you could read it now. Or, read it again and do some estimation activities!
Blog Post: Multiplication and Estimation with Lucky Beans

One game I really like is Step to It! Although this game is sadly out of print,
you can still find it on eBay. Actually, Gamewright has made the rules available online (PDF)
and it's a simple card game you can easily make up yourself.
The foot cards have numbers on them. The cards showing items
you have to reach (in a certain number of steps, hops, or jumps) are either colors, shapes, letters, or
pictures of household objects (for which you could cut out pictures in a magazine). It is a lot of fun
and the only estimating card game I know of!

Board Games
More Fun - Math Facts Practice
My blog posts from teaching this topic:
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