More Games for the Dice Grids

Engage Students with These New Math Game Ideas: Dice Grid Printable Pack

Looking for fresh ways to integrate math play into your classroom? The Dice Grid Printable Game Pack offers 20 different game mats that can be used in a variety of ways to build essential math skills. Today, I’m excited to share two new ideas for using these grids that will help students develop spatial awareness, subitizing, and problem-solving in a fun, hands-on way.

1. Puzzle Grid Matching: Strengthening Number Recognition and Problem Solving

Here’s a great activity to challenge your students in a new way! Choose any of the themed grids—let’s use the apple grid as an example—and print two copies of the dotted grid.

• Take one grid and cut it into puzzle pieces. For beginners, keep the pieces simple and in straight rows, ideal for Level 1. For more advanced learners, cut irregular pieces that cross several rows and columns for a greater challenge.
• Students will work to match each puzzle piece to the full grid, using the dots as reference points to guide them.

This simple matching game strengthens students’ number recognition and attention to detail, as they must look carefully at the dot patterns to complete their puzzle. It’s a wonderful independent or small group activity that can be adjusted for different levels.

2. Dice Grid Positional Play: Encouraging Spatial Awareness and Subitizing

This second idea incorporates spatial language and counting to help students develop stronger positional awareness. Let’s use the bear grid for this one.

• First, print two grids: one plain and one dotted.
• Students roll a set of dice—5 dice work well for this activity—and identify matching dot patterns on the dotted grid. For example, if one of their dice shows a 2, they will find any 2-dot pattern on the dotted bear grid.
• Here’s where it gets interesting: students must place the dice on the plain bear grid, using the dotted bear grid as a reference. They’ll count across the columns and down the rows to find the matching spot and place the dice in the correct position.

This game encourages the use of positional language ("count 3 rows down and 4 columns across") and enhances spatial awareness while also giving students plenty of practice subitizing the dice patterns. It’s a perfect mini lesson or warm-up activity for your math centers.

These Games Can Be Played with Any of the 20 Mats!

Both of these activities can be used with any of the mats in the Dice Grid Printable Game Pack—from apples and bears to frogs and rockets! These games are a great way to introduce math play in your classroom, whether you’re looking for warm-up activities, brain breaks, or mini lessons.

Make math time engaging, hands-on, and fun with these versatile games, and watch your students develop crucial skills while they play!