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Math Activities for Kids

Fill-in-the-Blank Hundred Chart Puzzles

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Does your kid love puzzles? Mine do.

And luckily, many learning activities can be turned into a puzzle.

These fill-in-the-blank hundred chart puzzles are an easy DIY game your kids will love.

Grab a few colorful markers and sit down to make this fun hundred chart game.

Try filling in a small snippet of a hundred chart with these easy to make Fill-In-The-Blank Hundred Chart Puzzles for a little extra math practice at home.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed

Hundred chart (You can find one to download and print here.)
Graph paper
Markers

If you don’t have graph paper, you can use plain paper to draw your puzzles. I just found that the graph paper made the drawing so much easier. You can also find free printable graph paper online.

Try filling in a small snippet of a hundred chart with these easy to make Fill-In-The-Blank Hundred Chart Puzzles for a little extra math practice at home.

How to make your hundred chart puzzles

To help you figure out the shape of your puzzles, take a marker and draw a few shapes on your hundred chart.

Make large cubes, L-shapes, crosses, angles, etc. Make them as hard or as easy as your child needs.

For example, I only used horizontal lines for my kindergartner. She’s not advanced enough for the complicated shapes and the last thing I want to do is make math discouraging for her.

Try filling in a small snippet of a hundred chart with these easy to make Fill-In-The-Blank Hundred Chart Puzzles for a little extra math practice at home.

After I found my shapes on the hundred chart, I recreated the shapes on my graph paper.

For the final step, I filled in one or two of the numbers in the shape.

Try filling in a small snippet of a hundred chart with these easy to make Fill-In-The-Blank Hundred Chart Puzzles for a little extra math practice at home.

How to work your hundred chart puzzles

The challenge for this game is to fill in all the blanks. Each puzzle is just a small section of the hundred chart.

Your kids have to figure out the missing numbers using the shape and the numbers you provided.

Depending on the shape, they may have to go +10 or -10. Or, they may go +1 or -1. The game can be quite challenging.

Try filling in a small snippet of a hundred chart with these easy to make Fill-In-The-Blank Hundred Chart Puzzles for a little extra math practice at home.

My girls had so much fun with these puzzles.

And, they were learning along the way. They were working on simple addition, like +1 and -1, and number order. They also worked on adding 10 and subtracting 10.

There are just so many skills to learn with this simple game.

Don’t you just love when you can make learning fun?

You may also like one of these hundred chart activities:

Math Homework 101: What is a Hundred Chart?

Driveway Hundred Chart

Wacky Mixed Up Hundred Chart at Better Than Homework

Sticky Hundred Chart Math Activity at Coffee Cups and Crayons

Driveway Hundred Chart Game

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My kids often use a hundred chart on paper. But, sometimes it’s fun to go a little bit bigger.

While my kids were at school one day, I ran outside and created a giant hundred chart on our driveway so we could play a fun hundred chart game.

I couldn’t believe how excited they were to see it. And, I love that they still get excited about things like this!

Take math outside and have some fun with this Driveway Hundred Chart Game. Your kids will be moving, learning, and having tons of fun.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Create your driveway hundred chart

All it takes is some sidewalk chalk, a large portion of concrete, and some elbow grease to create your hundred chart.

You’ll want it set up exactly as the paper form that your child is familiar with.

You need 10 number across and 10 numbers down. I did not create a grid, just wrote out all the numbers.

Make sure you leave plenty of room for your kids to hop, skip, and jump!

Take math outside and have some fun with this Driveway Hundred Chart Game. Your kids will be moving, learning, and having tons of fun.

How to Play Race to 100 Hundred Chart Game

You can use a driveway hundred chart in so many ways.

We played a simple game I called “Race to 100.”

All you need to play this game is your driveway hundred chart and one or two dice. (Just grab a couple from a board game.)

Each person started at zero. They threw the dice and moved that many spaces. The first person who got to 100 won.

It’s that simple. While they were at it, my girls were learning number order and simple addition.

You can also play a slightly different version by going in the opposite direction, “Race to Zero.” Start at 100 and go backwards. Now you’re working on subtraction.

Take math outside and have some fun with this Driveway Hundred Chart Game. Your kids will be moving, learning, and having tons of fun.

There are so many other ways to use a driveway hundred chart.

Let your kids walk, jump, or skip their way through the chart while saying the numbers out loud.

Test your jumping skills by skip counting. Can they make the big leaps required when counting by 5’s? It’s fun to try

Walk your way through addition or subtraction problems. It’s a fun way to practice your math facts.

Practice your multiplication tables. Jump your way through the 2’s or 3’s or 4’s or… you get the idea. Jump from 3 to 6 to 9 to 12 all while reciting your threes multiplication facts. Sometimes kids just need the movement to help them learn these things.

Take math outside and have some fun with this Driveway Hundred Chart Game. Your kids will be moving, learning, and having tons of fun.

I’m sure if you and I kept brainstorming, we could come up with many more versions of this fun driveway hundred chart game.

Do you have any fun ideas? Leave them in the comment section. I’d love to see them!

Math Homework 101: What is a Hundred Chart?

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Pull up a chair. It’s time for another addition of Math Homework 101.

Today, we’re answering the question, what is a hundred chart?

What is its purpose? And, why on earth is my kid using it so much in class?!

What is a hundred chart and how do you use it? Find out in this informative post for parents that explains all you need to know about this math tool.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

What is a hundred chart?

If your child is in the early elementary years (kindergarten, 1st, 2nd), chances are you’ve seen the hundred chart.

Hopefully your child’s awesome teacher has already sent one home. My daughter has one that stays in her homework binder.

If you don’t have one, I’ve got a couple of versions at the end of this post you can download and print.

Let’s get down to it! What is a hundred chart?

So, what is the point of the hundred chart? One way you can think about it, is that it’s a bulkier version of the number line. It can help your kids learn number sequencing in the higher numbers. They can use it for addition and subtraction help.

What’s 34 +4? Start at 34 and count 4 spaces to get the answer.

What’s 57-9? Start at 57 and count backward. In this way, it works exactly the way a number line does.

What is a hundred chart and how do you use it? Find out in this informative post for parents that explains all you need to know about this math tool.

But, that’s not all a hundred chart is useful for.

You can use it to see patterns in the numbers. See the highlighted column above. If you find all the numbers that end in a five, you’ll see that they’re in a straight line. Same with the 6’s, 3’s, etc. It’s a great visual tool for any kid that needs to see something to understand it.

The patterns can also be used to help with skip counting. Suddenly, skip counting becomes more than just memorization. Your child can see the numbers they skip over. They can see the pattern.

I’ve seen kids who struggle with skip counting master it after using the hundred chart for awhile. (And by master it, I mean they are able to skip count without using the the hundred chart for help.)

What is a hundred chart and how do you use it? Find out in this informative post for parents that explains all you need to know about this math tool.

What else can your kids learn about numbers with the hundred chart?

Take a look at the highlighted squares above. The number in the middle is 55. When you isolate that cross, you can see at a glance what the +1, -1, +10, and -10 facts are. Four sets of math facts at once. That’s powerful.

What else can you learn at a glance?

Highlight the columns in two alternating colors. Now you can see even and odd numbers.

Use it to help count coins. Place dimes on the 10’s column or nickles on the 5’s and 10’s. They’ll see how counting money relates to skip counting at a quick glance.

Cover up a number and see how quickly your child can figure out the hidden number. They’ll use the surrounding numbers as clues.

Hundred charts can be used even beyond the lower grades. Check out this post to see ways to use it in the upper elementary years. It can even help with multiplication!

What is a hundred chart and how do you use it? Find out in this informative post for parents that explains all you need to know about this math tool.

Now that you know the answer to the question, what is a hundred chart, it’s time to embrace the hundred chart. It’s a valuable tool to help your child understand math.

Pease click below to download and print your own hundred chart. I’ve included 2 versions. They first is from 1-100 and the other is from 1-120. Many schools (and Common Core standards) are expecting kids to count beyond 100 to 120. Use the chart that best fits your child’s needs.

Hundred Chart 1-100
Hundred Chart 1-120

Now that you have your own hundred chart and have learned all about it, it’s time to do some fun activities. Try one of these fun ideas:

Hundred Chart Fill-in-the-Blank Puzzles – Can your child figure out the missing numbers by their location on a hundred chart?

Driveway Hundred Chart – Make a giant hundred chart on the driveway and play some fun games.

Ways to Play & Learn with a Hundred Chart – A round-up of fun hundred chart ideas from some of the best kid activities blogs.

Do you have any questions about the hundred chart? Ask your questions in the comment section and I’ll answer!

Find all the Math Homework 101 posts at this link.

Math Homework 101: How to Use a Number Line

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Okay parents, it’s time to chat. I’ve heard from so many people both online and in real life and they are all frustrated with their kids’ math homework. How are we supposed to help them if we have no idea how to help?

I know you’ve got tons of questions because I did too. Things like how to use a number line or what is a hundred chart?

Like it or not, our kids are learning math differently from the way we did. Contrary to a lot of Facebook memes and viral posts, it’s not an inferior way. It’s not. You’re just going to have to trust me on this for awhile.

In fact, I’ll be honest with you, I believe the way I was taught is inferior. My kids will have the advantage when it comes to math.

More than likely you've seen a number line come home in your child's homework, but do you know how to use a number line and how to help your child?

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

I’ve taken the time to figure out these new methods of math, and I’m here to help.

I’ve read all the worksheets, asked questions, and did my own homework. And while I was at it, I’ve learned to really like this stuff!

I hear your frustrations, though, and I want to help. You want to be able to help your child with their homework and I’m going to help you do that. We’ll be starting with how to use a number line.

Disclaimer: If you’re a long time reader, you already know this. But, if you’re new here, I want to make sure you know that I’m not a teacher. But, I have done my homework (pardon the pun). I’m talking to you as parent to parent. I want to help you help your kids!

More than likely you've seen a number line come home in your child's homework, but do you know how to use a number line and how to help your child?

What’s the big deal with the number line?

Let’s start with the number line. I know you’ve seen this, especially in the early years of elementary school.

You may also be shaking your head right now and saying: I know what a number line is. I know you do.

But, we’re chatting about it because I’ve seen the worry. “My child will never learn how to do math in their head if they become dependent on a number line!” “You can’t do algebra (or any kind of higher math) if you have to use a number line!” That’s just not true.

Think of the number line the same way you think of training wheels on a bicycle. Your child will eventually learn to ride on just two wheels and never put those training wheels on again.

Just because your child learns to add and subtract using a number line does not mean they will always use one. I promise.

More than likely you've seen a number line come home in your child's homework, but do you know how to use a number line and how to help your child?

How to use a number line

The number line is a visual tool. It helps kids see the relationship between the numbers. They can see the operation they are doing. Addition moves forward on the number line and subtraction moves backwards. In preschool, it’s a simple tool to show number order.

If your kid is just learning addition or if they are struggling with the facts, don’t be afraid to let them use a number line.

If you’re adding 5 plus 3, start at the number 5. Take 3 hops and you’re at your answer.

Very simple, I know. But remember, these simple things didn’t become simple until we’ve learned them well. By using a number line, your child is going to see how addition changes a number. The number will always get bigger because they are going forward on the number line.

You can also illustrate the basics of subtraction on the number line. For the problem, 10 minus 6, start at 10. Count 6 hops back and you’ve got your answer. Your child can now see that subtraction is moving backward on a number line. They see that their number will always get smaller.

More than likely you've seen a number line come home in your child's homework, but do you know how to use a number line and how to help your child?

Keep a number line at home

Now that you know how to use a number line, I’m sure you want to have one to keep at home.

Your child’s teacher may have already provided you with number line. But, if not, I’ve created one for you.

Click the link below to download and print. There are two number lines per sheet.

If you want to reuse it, laminate it. Your child can then use a dry erase marker with the number line. You can also put it between 2 sheets of clear contact paper and still use a dry erase marker. If you don’t have a laminator (and how many of us actually do), use a small item like a coin or a LEGO minifig to bounce around on the number line instead of drawing on it.

Download the number line here.

For more number line practice, check out these posts:

Number Line Secret Codes

Play and Learn with Number Lines

And stay tuned for more Math Homework 101 posts. We’re going to tackle all those things that frustrate you about your kid’s homework! Find all the Math Homework 101 Posts you’ve missed here.

12 Fun Ways to Practice Math Facts

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We’ve been spending a lot of time memorizing math facts at home and it won’t end any time soon. Because, once we’ve mastered those addition facts, we’ve got to add subtraction facts and then later multiplication.

Needless to say, this can get boring rather fast. So, let’s make it fun with these 12  fun ways to practice math facts.

Ditch the flash cards and practice math with one of these fun ways to practice math facts. These ideas are fun for home or the classroom.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Here are 12 fun ideas for practicing math facts that I’ve rounded up from some fantastic blogs. They are all easy to make and several even come with free printables. Your kids will love these ideas.

Fun ways to practice math facts

Use bubble wrap and dot stickers to make this fun, poppable math facts game from Meaningful Mama.

You can easily make this simple Ways to Make Ten game from Inspiration Laboratories. Grab a few supplies, such as clothespins and craft sticks, and spend a few minutes to make this fun math game.

You can also use those craft sticks to make our game of Math Fact Sticks. It’s a little like memory and a lot of fun to play.

Take your learning outside! Kitchen Floor Crafts has a fun game of Sum, Say, and Spray you can play on the sidewalk. Even your most reluctant learner will jump at the chance to use a spray bottle of water during math time.

You can easily use Peg-A-Number Fact Game from Learning 4 Kids over and over again. Download and print the number cards to use with any set of math facts you need.

Boy Mama Teach Mama also has a great, printable math game you can use. Plus 1, Minus 1 Card Game is a fun game to play in pairs (and can be played alone as well.) She also has a printable version of Plus 5, Minus 5 and Plus 10, Minus 10 at this same link.

Grab a spatula! Addition Pancakes from I Can Teach My Child is such a fun way to learn math facts. It’s a DIY game that doesn’t require any special supplies. Your kids will have a blast.

Do your kids need to move while they learn? Make a version of our Math Fact Islands game, so they can jump and learn at the same time.

Gather some play dough and a few other supplies for a game of Ladybug Addition at Rainy Day Mum. Your kids who are just starting to learn their math facts will enjoy this hands-on game.

If you’ve got some plastic Easter eggs, you can make a set of Addition Family Eggs from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas. This game is well worth the extra trip to the store to pick up a pack or 2 of plastic eggs.

Is your child trying to master their doubles facts? Download and print this Doubles Facts Addition Game from The Measured Mom. It’s way more fun than flash cards!

If your kids have mastered the easier addition facts and are moving on to the harder ones, The Measured Mom has a great printable game that you can use. All you need is a printer and some playing pieces and you’re ready to go.

Do you know of any other fun ways to practice math facts?