First Grade Games

Pre-K-9 Training (1 player)

To play this game, give one playing card to a child. Then, he/she must count the number of paws, say the number out loud, and then trace the number with his/her finger.

This game helps students strengthen their number recognition.   

Pup Quiz Challenge (any amount of players)

To play this game, each person should receive a fast math addition or subtraction worksheet. Then, players will race to correctly finish the sheet the fastest.

This game works best for students trying to strengthen their fact automaticity and can be differentiated to give students an appropriate challenge.

Zoomies (any amount of players)

To play this game, flip a playing card. If it is an odd number, then kids need to hop on one foot the number of times that the card says. If it is an even number, then kids will hop on two feet the number of times that the card says.

This game works best for students learning to identify even and odd numbers. 

Fetch (Scavenger Hunt) (any amount of players)

To play this game, hide flash cards around the room for kids to find and solve. Use painter’s tape to number the clues and stick the cards on desks, walls, and chairs.

This game can be used with addition or subtraction flash cards. 

Retriever (Our Version of Concentration) (2-3 players) 

To play this game, take 2 matching cards of each number and flip them down, so students can’t see them. Then, have students take turns trying to find matches. When a match is found, the student will keep the cards. The player with the most cards at the end wins.  

This game works best for students developing their number sense. 

Tug of War (Our Version of War) (2 players)

To play this game, players should have the same amount of cards in their deck. At the same time, the players will flip their cards. The person with the larger number wins the cards. In the event of a tie, the players will flip another card to determine the winner. At the end, the person with the most cards wins.

This game can be used to challenge students at a variety of levels. It is traditionally used with regular number cards, but it can be differentiated to meet the needs of higher performing students by using flash cards instead. 

From Maltese to Mastiff (1-4 players) 

To play this game, give kids playing cards or flash cards to sort from smallest to largest.

This game works best for students developing their number sense. To differentiate this game, adjust the amount of cards for players to sort.

From Great Dane to Mini Schnauzer (1-4 players) 

To play this game, give kids playing cards or flash cards to sort from largest to smallest.

This game works best for students developing their number sense. To differentiate this game, adjust the amount of cards for players to sort.

Paws Up, Paws Down (2 players) 

To play this game, one player will place a number card on his/her head without looking. Then, that player will guess a number from 0 to 12. The other player will either say greater or less to help his/her partner identify the correct number.

This game works best for students developing their number sense. To differentiate this game, students can place more than one card on their head to make multi-digit numbers.

Pup Quiz BINGO (whole class)

To play this game, players will create a BINGO board on a piece of paper or on their Pup Quiz dry-erase boards. They can create a 5 by 5 board and fill the boxes with numbers from 0 to 20. Then, a teacher can select addition flash cards. If the sum is on a player's board, then they can cross off the number. The first person to get 5 in a row wins.

This game works best for students developing their fact automaticity.

Obedience School (1-4 players)

To play this game, use the colors, pups, or numbers on any of the cards in the kit to create patterns for students to identify or continue (i.e. red, yellow, red, yellow, ___ ).

This game works best for students working on their pattern recognition skills. 

Go Fetch! (Our Version of Go Fish) (2-6 players)

To play this game, each player will get 5 cards. Once the cards are dealt, the remaining pile goes in the center. The object of the game is to create cards that add to 10. The player to the left of the dealer will start by asking any player for a specific number card (not necessarily the same card from his/her hand). If the person has the number, then he/she must give one card to the player. If the person does not have the number, then he/she will say, “Go fetch.” The player then will pick a card from the pile. If the player gets the requested card, he/she will go again. The game is over when a player runs out of cards or the pile in the center is gone. The person with the most 10s wins.

This game works best for students developing their addition skills. To differentiate the game, children can use subtraction skills by incorporating 11 and 12 into the game. 

Treat Shape (2-4 players)

To play this game, flip a playing card from 3 to 12 in the center of the players. The first person to say the name of a shape with that amount of sides wins the card. The person with the most cards wins.  

This game works best for student developing their geometry skills. To strengthen fine motor skills, students can also draw a shape with the corresponding amount of sides.

No Barking Allowed! (whole class)

To play this game, give one playing card or flash card to each person in the class. Then, tell them how to organize and group themselves (i.e. least to greatest, even vs. odd numbers, or factors of a chosen number). Students will have to correctly arrange themselves without talking to win the game.

This game simply adds a social emotional learning component to practicing math and can be differentiated to meet the academic needs of any group of students. 

Number Chase (1-4 players)

To play this game, flip a playing card. Then, find an amount of objects with that number. For example, if the number 3 is flipped, then you could find 3 flowers or 3 stuffed animals.  

This game makes learning numbers more interactive and hands-on.  

Odd Dog (2 players)

To play this game, place a stack of number cards in the middle of the players. Take turns flipping the cards. When a card is flipped, the first person to identify if it is even or odd collects the card. The person with the most cards at the end wins.

This game works best for students developing their number sense.

Husky Numbers (2-4 players)

To play this game, deal 2 cards (from 0 to 9) to each player. With those cards, players will make the largest possible number by placing their greatest card in the tens place and their least valuable card in the ones place. The player with the greatest number wins.

This game helps to develop place value and number sense. To differentiate this game, students can make numbers with more digits. 

Drool-er (1-4 players)

To play this game, take a card and measure it in different units (i.e. inches, centimeters, paper clips, erasers, blocks, coins, candies, dice, beads, pen caps, etc.).

This game works best for students working on their measuring skills.