Creating 
Early Math Games 
That Work! 
Teresa Gonczy 
Wednesday, Oct 22nd 
9-10am Eastern
Who are you? 
* Teacher, Admin, Student 
What ages do you work with? 
* Infant/Toddler, Preschool, 
Kindergarten
What early math games 
do you already use 
in your classroom?
Image and activities from http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/6415/early-math-activities-2.
Image and activities from http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/6415/early-math-activities-2.
Think about... 
* what specific math skills are being developed? 
* what non-math skills are being developed?
Math Skills
Math Skills
Research shows that early math skills 
are just as predictive, and possibly 
more predictive, of later academic 
success than early literacy skills. 
And yet most preschool classrooms 
devote much more time to literacy 
than to math. 
Duncan, G.J., Dowsett, C.J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A.C., Klebanov, P., Pagani, L.S., 
Feinstein, L., Engel, M., Brooks-Gunn, J., Sexton, H., Duckworth, K., and Japel, C. (2007). School 
readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6).
Why early math games? 
Early math isn't about worksheets 
or flashcards. 
Games are effective and fun!
Researchers found that the more 
board games children played, the 
better they performed on various 
early math tasks. 
What types of math games? 
Ramani GB and Siegler RS. 2008. Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income 
children’s numerical knowledge through playing with number board games. Child Development 
79(2):375-394 - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-board-game-math. 
html#sthash.xvbOeAdk.dpuf
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking.
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking. 
0 10 
A B C D
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking. 
The Great Race Game
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking. 
The Great Race Game 
Picture from the research article - http://www.psy.cmu.edu/~siegler/RamaniSiegHitti-12JEP.pdf.
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking. 
The Great Race Game 
Specifics... 
* number, not color based 
* straight, not circular track 
Siegler, R. S. & Ramani, G. B. (2009). Playing linear number board games - but not circular ones - 
improves low-income preschoolers’ numerical understanding. Journal of Educational Psychology, 
101, 545-560.
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking. 
The Great Race Game 
More Specifics... 
* How you count matters. 
* Make sure to 'count on' 
Laski EV and Siegler RS. 2014. Learning from number board games: You learn what you encode. 
Dev Psychol. 50(3):853-64. - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-math-games. 
html#sthash.G1eVH9KD.dpuf
Moving from logarithmic 
to linear thinking. 
The Great Race Game 
You can create in your classroom - 
* Individualize for each student 
and their interests 
* Choose topic based on 
curriculum theme 
Laski EV and Siegler RS. 2014. Learning from number board games: You learn what you encode. 
Dev Psychol. 50(3):853-64. - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-math-games. 
html#sthash.G1eVH9KD.dpuf
Subitizing 
& the Approximate Number System 
Daniel C. Hyde, Saeeda Khanum, Elizabeth S. Spelke. Brief non-symbolic, approximate number 
practice enhances subsequent exact symbolic arithmetic in children. Cognition, 2014; 131 (1): 92 
DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.12.007
Subitizing 
& the Approximate Number System 
Daniel C. Hyde, Saeeda Khanum, Elizabeth S. Spelke. Brief non-symbolic, approximate number 
practice enhances subsequent exact symbolic arithmetic in children. Cognition, 2014; 131 (1): 92 
DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.12.007
Subitizing 
& the Approximate Number System 
* saying how many 
after a quick showing 
* comparing two quantities 
(Without Counting!) 
Daniel C. Hyde, Saeeda Khanum, Elizabeth S. Spelke. Brief non-symbolic, approximate number 
practice enhances subsequent exact symbolic arithmetic in children. Cognition, 2014; 131 (1): 92 
DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.12.007
Subitizing 
& the Approximate Number System 
In the classroom... 
* dots on paper plates 
* objects hidden by cloth 
Try it yourself... 
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/20 
08/09/15/science/20080915_NUMBE 
R_SENSE_GRAPHIC.html
Spatial Training 
Yi Ling Cheng, Kelly S. Mix. Spatial Training Improves Children's Mathematics Ability. Journal of 
Cognition and Development, 2012; 120919075341007 DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2012.725186
Spatial Training 
Blocks and 
Tangram Shapes 
Pictures from and online tangram game available at http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/math-games/ 
tanagram-game/
Spatial Training 
Blocks and 
Tangram Shapes 
* Mental rotation 
* Fitting blocks into shapes 
* Playing with puzzles 
Yi Ling Cheng, Kelly S. Mix. Spatial Training Improves Children's Mathematics Ability. Journal of 
Cognition and Development, 2012; 120919075341007 DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2012.725186
Spatial Training 
Using spatial language 
(in, on, above, etc) 
is also very important! 
Pruden SM, Levine SC and Huttenlocher J. 2011. Children's spatial thinking: Does talk about the 
aptial world matter? Developmental Science (14): 1417-1430. - See more at: 
http://www.parentingscience.com/spatial-intelligence.html#sthash.8R3JvZfG.dpuf
Let's Create! 
How can you use these ideas 
in your classroom this week? 
How can kids bring the games 
home to play with parents?
Let's Create! 
* Think about a theme 
(curriculum topic, 
student interest, etc) 
* Choose a type of game 
(linear race game, subitizing & ANS, 
spatial training, or your own idea!)
Let's Create! 
* Share your ideas! :-)
Conclusion 
* I used to think... Now I think... 
* What new idea or activity 
are you going to use 
in your classroom next week?
More Resources 
* PBS Kids - 
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/games/preschool-* Math at Play - 
http://blog.mathatplay.org/tag/board-game/ 
* NCTM Math Games Book - 
http://www.nctm.org/catalog/product.aspx?ID=14615
Contact: 
Teresa Gonczy 
teresaeg@gmail.com 
Twitter @earlymath 
Slides will be available 
on my blog at 
www.teresaeg.com/blog

Creating Early Math Games That Work - for Penn Foster PD Fair

  • 1.
    Creating Early MathGames That Work! Teresa Gonczy Wednesday, Oct 22nd 9-10am Eastern
  • 2.
    Who are you? * Teacher, Admin, Student What ages do you work with? * Infant/Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten
  • 3.
    What early mathgames do you already use in your classroom?
  • 4.
    Image and activitiesfrom http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/6415/early-math-activities-2.
  • 5.
    Image and activitiesfrom http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/6415/early-math-activities-2.
  • 6.
    Think about... *what specific math skills are being developed? * what non-math skills are being developed?
  • 7.
  • 8.
  • 9.
    Research shows thatearly math skills are just as predictive, and possibly more predictive, of later academic success than early literacy skills. And yet most preschool classrooms devote much more time to literacy than to math. Duncan, G.J., Dowsett, C.J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A.C., Klebanov, P., Pagani, L.S., Feinstein, L., Engel, M., Brooks-Gunn, J., Sexton, H., Duckworth, K., and Japel, C. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6).
  • 10.
    Why early mathgames? Early math isn't about worksheets or flashcards. Games are effective and fun!
  • 11.
    Researchers found thatthe more board games children played, the better they performed on various early math tasks. What types of math games? Ramani GB and Siegler RS. 2008. Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income children’s numerical knowledge through playing with number board games. Child Development 79(2):375-394 - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-board-game-math. html#sthash.xvbOeAdk.dpuf
  • 12.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking.
  • 13.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking. 0 10 A B C D
  • 14.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking. The Great Race Game
  • 15.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking. The Great Race Game Picture from the research article - http://www.psy.cmu.edu/~siegler/RamaniSiegHitti-12JEP.pdf.
  • 16.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking. The Great Race Game Specifics... * number, not color based * straight, not circular track Siegler, R. S. & Ramani, G. B. (2009). Playing linear number board games - but not circular ones - improves low-income preschoolers’ numerical understanding. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101, 545-560.
  • 17.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking. The Great Race Game More Specifics... * How you count matters. * Make sure to 'count on' Laski EV and Siegler RS. 2014. Learning from number board games: You learn what you encode. Dev Psychol. 50(3):853-64. - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-math-games. html#sthash.G1eVH9KD.dpuf
  • 18.
    Moving from logarithmic to linear thinking. The Great Race Game You can create in your classroom - * Individualize for each student and their interests * Choose topic based on curriculum theme Laski EV and Siegler RS. 2014. Learning from number board games: You learn what you encode. Dev Psychol. 50(3):853-64. - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-math-games. html#sthash.G1eVH9KD.dpuf
  • 19.
    Subitizing & theApproximate Number System Daniel C. Hyde, Saeeda Khanum, Elizabeth S. Spelke. Brief non-symbolic, approximate number practice enhances subsequent exact symbolic arithmetic in children. Cognition, 2014; 131 (1): 92 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.12.007
  • 20.
    Subitizing & theApproximate Number System Daniel C. Hyde, Saeeda Khanum, Elizabeth S. Spelke. Brief non-symbolic, approximate number practice enhances subsequent exact symbolic arithmetic in children. Cognition, 2014; 131 (1): 92 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.12.007
  • 21.
    Subitizing & theApproximate Number System * saying how many after a quick showing * comparing two quantities (Without Counting!) Daniel C. Hyde, Saeeda Khanum, Elizabeth S. Spelke. Brief non-symbolic, approximate number practice enhances subsequent exact symbolic arithmetic in children. Cognition, 2014; 131 (1): 92 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.12.007
  • 22.
    Subitizing & theApproximate Number System In the classroom... * dots on paper plates * objects hidden by cloth Try it yourself... http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/20 08/09/15/science/20080915_NUMBE R_SENSE_GRAPHIC.html
  • 23.
    Spatial Training YiLing Cheng, Kelly S. Mix. Spatial Training Improves Children's Mathematics Ability. Journal of Cognition and Development, 2012; 120919075341007 DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2012.725186
  • 24.
    Spatial Training Blocksand Tangram Shapes Pictures from and online tangram game available at http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/math-games/ tanagram-game/
  • 25.
    Spatial Training Blocksand Tangram Shapes * Mental rotation * Fitting blocks into shapes * Playing with puzzles Yi Ling Cheng, Kelly S. Mix. Spatial Training Improves Children's Mathematics Ability. Journal of Cognition and Development, 2012; 120919075341007 DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2012.725186
  • 26.
    Spatial Training Usingspatial language (in, on, above, etc) is also very important! Pruden SM, Levine SC and Huttenlocher J. 2011. Children's spatial thinking: Does talk about the aptial world matter? Developmental Science (14): 1417-1430. - See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/spatial-intelligence.html#sthash.8R3JvZfG.dpuf
  • 27.
    Let's Create! Howcan you use these ideas in your classroom this week? How can kids bring the games home to play with parents?
  • 28.
    Let's Create! *Think about a theme (curriculum topic, student interest, etc) * Choose a type of game (linear race game, subitizing & ANS, spatial training, or your own idea!)
  • 29.
    Let's Create! *Share your ideas! :-)
  • 30.
    Conclusion * Iused to think... Now I think... * What new idea or activity are you going to use in your classroom next week?
  • 31.
    More Resources *PBS Kids - http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/games/preschool-* Math at Play - http://blog.mathatplay.org/tag/board-game/ * NCTM Math Games Book - http://www.nctm.org/catalog/product.aspx?ID=14615
  • 32.
    Contact: Teresa Gonczy teresaeg@gmail.com Twitter @earlymath Slides will be available on my blog at www.teresaeg.com/blog