Math Dice Games for Kindergarten or First Grade
Dice are such a versatile and fun math tool for my classroom. The teacher in my room before me left a lot of dice so I thought I’d share some of my favorite dice games to play in my kindergarten classroom during math centers. These games can easily be differentiated up or down so they can also be used for PreK or 1st grade!
The Games
Pop It Math
For this game the students would roll their dice and pop that many circles on their pop it! Get It Here
Empty the Board
In this interactive dice game for kindergarten you will need cubes and the counting mats. The students will fill the counting mat with one cube per square. When your students roll a number, they will take one cube off of that number tower. They will continue until the board is emptied. These mats are differentiated for one dice, two, dice, 10 frame dice and more with and without visual supports. Get it HERE
Roll and Write
For this dice activity you will need a roll and write recording sheet and a pencil. Your students will roll the dice, count the pips and write that number on their sheet. I like to tell them to see which number will be their “winner” and be the first one to have all of its numbers written, they love to share which number was their winner! This activity is also differentiated and has tracing support versions if needed. GET IT HERE
Roll and Build
This kindergarten dice counting game can be played a few ways. The students will roll their dice and they are using a counting mat or 10 frame, they will get that many counters and add them to their 10 frame. If your students like to build, you can use something like Legos for this game as well. When your students roll a number, they can get that many Legos and add them to a Lego creation they are making!
Roll and Count: Math Mats
This free printable dice game is interactive and fun! You will need the monster math mats and googly eyes. (I usually find mine at the dollar store) The kids roll their dice and put that many googly eyes on their monster! They continue until they can’t fit any more eyes on, they can then play again, or roll and take off that many eyes until the monster is clear. Grab the monster counting mat for free! GET IT HERE
⭐️PRO TIP! ⭐️
Have your students roll their dice into a bowl or cup so you don’t end up with dice all over the floor and your students crawling all over the floor to find and retrieve them!
Ideas for Differentiation
Any of these games can be differentiated in simple ways, some ideas are below!
Use a Numeral Track!
They are great to support students in correlating the numerals to value, and are big enough that kids can count using one to one correspondence.
Use two dice
Using two dice creates more opportunities for counting, addition, and beginning to learn number combinations to twelve.
Use 5, 10, or 20 Frame Dice
Using different dice gets the students to practice counting different number arrangements and subitizing different numbers, strengthening their number sense. 5, 10 and 20 Frame dice a great to use, especially when you want to go into teen numbers with the dice!
Use Multi Faced Dice
I found these dice by searching "dungeons and dragons dice" on amazon and I have used them a ton! They are fun colors, and have lots of different numeral options that can be used to meet a variety of students' needs.
Add a number writing component
In each of these games, you can have your students write the numbers they rolled.
Which dice game are you going to try?
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