Some of the really cool games for kids can be played various ways. They also have various levels of difficulty. This homemade apple seeds game is called Apple Seed Counting, but it could be used for working on a variety of types of adding. There are also a number of ways to work with the sums created by adding the two sides of each apple.

How to Build the Apple Seed Cards

Supplies needed:

3×5 index cards

Red construction paper

Dark green construction paper

Manila file folder

Black marker

Glue stick

Scissors

 

Directions:

Cut out apple shapes out of the red construction paper. Make sure your apples are going to fit on the index cards.

Cut out apple stems out of the green construction paper.

Cut out small apple shapes out of the file folder. Make sure that they are small enough to fit on the red apples.

Glue the green stem to the back of the red apple and the manila (flesh) colored apple onto the front of the red apple. Try to make sure that the manila apple is centered on the red apple.

Glue each apple onto an index card. Make sure the apple is evenly centered on the index card.

Cut the index card in half. Each half should display half of the apple.

On each half of an apple draw apple seeds with a black marker.

 

How to These Cool Math Games for Kids

Basic Version of the Game

Match each of the left hand sides of the apple with a right hand side of an apple. It doesn’t matter which of the left hand sides goes with the other. Then working with one apple at a time count the number of seeds on each side of apple. Talk about what number sentence is represented and find the number sentence’s sum.

Counting and Writing

As you did with the basic version, you will match each left side of an apple with a right side of an apple.  Then working with one apple at a time write the number sentence it represents on  a piece of paper or a white board.  The section of each side of the apple can be placed under its number and can used to help count if needed. (Some children need to see the semi-concrete representation to help them count.)

Add and Next Number

After adding the two sides of an apple and finding their sum, you can share what number would come after the sum.

Ordering Sums

Once you know the sums of each of the apples, you can line the apples up from the smallest sum to the largest sum.

Creating the Smallest Sums

This game is a little more challenging. You will need to look over all of the apple halves and put together left and right sides that will create the smallest sums possible.

Creating the Largest Sums

For this game you will do the opposite of the smallest sum game. You will need to put left and right sides together that you think will make the largest sums possible.

 

As you have seen, one simple set of paper apples with hand drawn apple seeds can be used to play several cool math games for kids. You can probably think of some other cool math games for kids using these apple cards. If you have an idea for cool math games for kids, please leave them in a comment below.

 

For more apple themed activities you may want to check out my Apple Crafts and Activities board on Pinterest.

Follow JDaniel4’s Mom’s board Apple Crafts and Activities on Pinterest.