Place Value Games Played with Pool Noodle Place Cards

I have become kind of obsessed with finding ways to use every section of each of the pool noodles I purchase for crafting, science and math activities this summer. In previous posts I have shared a counting to ten math game, a pool noodle airplane, a pool noodle shark craft, and a batting tee pool noodle idea. Today I have a math activity that focus on place value. I am calling this set of place value games Pool Noodle Place Cards. The numbers are set in pool noodles with wedges cut out of two of their sides. You can tell your children this is just the way you would put place cards in card holders if you were having a fancy dinner or party.

There are several ways to have your children build numbers to show understanding of that numbers place value in these place value games. Each of these place value games could be played to work on one, two, or three digit numbers.

Here are the Place Value Games and How to Play Them

Roll a Number

This game can be played by one or two people. The first step is to roll the dice and to use the numbers that come up on them to decide what numbers can to be built with them. The second step is to select the number they are going to build.

For Example:

If you roll a 3 and 4 with two die, you could build a 34 or a 43.

Next they will need to find the correct number cards to match the number they have selected and place them into the pool noodle place card holders in the right order. Finally they will need to read the number out loud.
If you are playing this game with two people, one person can roll the dice and select the number. The second person can build the number. The dice roller can check to see if the number was built correctly. The builder can read the number out loud.

Number Card Selection Face Down

Cards for each of the numbers 0-9 can be placed upside down on a table. A player can select one, two, or three cards depending on how many digits their number will have. After deciding on what number they are going to build, they can place the numbers in the pool noodle place card holders.

If you are going to play this game with two players, one person can pick out the cards and one can build the number.

Hint: For this game as well as the game below you may want to have more than one card displaying each number.

Number Card Selection Face Up

A player can pick out any numbers they want to build a number with. Then they place those numbers in the pool noodle place card and read the whole number out loud.

Before you start the game you will need to decide if the numbers can be placed back on the table or placed in an already used pile.

Call Out a Number

One player can call out a number with one, two, or three digits and the second player will need to build it. After a few numbers have been built, they can trade jobs.

You will find more pool noodle math games and other math learning activities on my Early Learning Math Board on Pinterest. I would love for you to join the over 10,000 followers of that board so you can stay up to date with the math activities I find by others as well as my own.