3 Engaging Ways to Use Happy Car Play Mats in Small Groups
The Happy Car Play Mats are a fantastic tool for introducing and reinforcing number sense in fun, hands-on ways. Perfect for small group play, these mats help students develop confidence in recognizing, counting, and understanding numbers up to 19, and they are flexible enough to extend learning with higher numbers. Here are three creative warm-up activities that you can use with these play mats as a foundation for math lessons or workshops!
1. Model the Number
Start by using a set of number cards from 1 to 19. Each student takes a turn drawing a card, announcing the number, and then creating it on their car mat. They’ll place a "ten" block on the "ten" side of the mat and add the correct number of single blocks in the "ones" section to represent the total.- This activity is simple but powerful for reinforcing place value and supporting visual recognition of numbers in the teens.
- By associating a "ten" block with each number and adding "ones" as needed, students practice decomposing numbers naturally.
2. Find the Difference
For students ready to extend beyond basic modeling, try a comparison game. Select two number cards in any range, for example, 20 to 30. Students choose two numbers, such as 23 and 29, and place them on two plain car mats. They’ll start with 23, counting up to 29 and placing each block on a second car mat to show the difference visually.- This activity strengthens understanding of "difference" as students count up from a smaller number to a larger one, reinforcing counting skills and visualizing the concept of difference.
- It’s a great hands-on way to build confidence with early subtraction.
3. Subtract Ten
For this activity, students use number cards from 11 to 39. Each student draws a card, builds the number with place value blocks, and then practices taking away ten. They state what they did (e.g., "I made 28. 28 minus 10 equals 18.") This activity can be extended by having students record their answers in their math journals.- This exercise reinforces subtraction by ten, helping students understand how place value shifts when ten is removed.
- It’s a valuable way to build confidence in working with two-digit numbers and sets a foundation for subtraction fluency.
Quick Play: How to Use Happy Car Play Mats
Model the Number- Draw a number card (1-19), say the number out loud, and place the corresponding blocks on the mat.
- Build the number with "ten" and "ones" blocks to reinforce place value.
- Draw two number cards (e.g., 23 and 29).
- Place blocks to model the first number, then count up to the second number, adding blocks as you go.
- Discuss: "The difference between 23 and 29 is 6."
Subtract Ten
- Draw a number card (11-39), build it with blocks, and then take away ten.
- State the equation aloud: "28 minus 10 equals 18."
- Optional: Record results in a math journal.
Ready to dive into more hands-on math fun? Check out the Math Kit bundle at From the Pond for these games and countless other creative ways to enrich math lessons!