Kindergarten Activity No. 19

Numbers : One More One Less

For this game you will need:

• An A4 paper or cardboard
• A marker
• A dice
• Numbers *
• Fish crackers

* Numbers could be fridge magnet numbers, number cards or any other numbers you might have available. If no numbers are available you can make your own from cereal boxes cardboard, cut into small squares with numbers written on them with a marker (like the ones I used in the photos).

• Using your marker draw 3 fishbowls on the A4 paper/cardboard.
• Label the left one – one less, the middle one – my number and the right one – one more.
• Prepare some fish crackers and your numbers next to you.
• Ask your child to roll the dice: ‘What number is that?’
• Find the number from your number cards and place the number card in the middle section.
• Count the corresponding number of fish crackers and place them in the middle fishbowl.
• Put the same amount of fish crackers, as the original number, on the left-hand side, take away one fish cracker and ask your child: ‘how many fish do we have now?’.
• Place the corresponding number card under the fishbowl.
• Put the same amount of fish crackers, as the original number, on the right-hand side, add one more fish cracker and ask your child: ‘how many fish do we have now?’.
• Place the corresponding number card under the fishbowl.

Another way to go about this game:

For this game you will need:

• 2 containers
• Small objects
• Number cards or magnets
• A small bag

 

1. Place your numbers in the bag and put one container on the left-hand side (one less) and one on the right-hand side (one more).
2. Shuffle the numbers in the bag and ask the child to pick a number at random.
3. Place this number in the middle.
4. Place the corresponding number of small objects in the left-hand side container and then take away one. Ask your child: ‘how many do we have now?’.
5. Place the corresponding number of small objects in the right-hand side container and add one more. Ask your child: ‘how many do we have now? 

 

TIPS:

This game can be done with any other objects you have available, you can even go bigger using baskets and toys or hula hoops and larger toys. Be creative and use what interests your child most.

Do specifically work with one less on the left and one more on the right. This mimics what kids will later see and use on a number line, and it helps prepare them for that.

Possible questions for these number sense activities:

1. What number did you start with?
2. How did you show one more/one less?
3. What number is one more than ___ (child’s number)? How do you know that?
4. What number is one less than ___ (child’s number)? How do you know that?

Also note that it is helpful to model how to answer in a complete sentence using the math vocabulary.

If a child answers “4” to question number 3 above, model back by saying, “Oh, I see. The number 4 is one more than 3.”

Ms. Jessica K2.5

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