Learn about Adding and Subtracting with Frogs in a Pond!
Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links which I may earn a small commission from if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.
gtag('config', 'UA-136794034-1');
Learning how to count is such an important math skill. We use numbers in some way or form every day. Putting our well rehearsed numbers into context will help deepen our children’s understanding of their value.
To do this, Miss 4 and I created our very own little game.
How to Play
To play the game, you need a pond, six frogs, tongs (added fine motor practise) and a dice.
The aim of the game is to roll the dice and then match the number on the dice with frogs in the pond.
What learning opportunities does this game promote?
Not only does this activity promote counting, but also adding and subtracting! Our little frogs offer a visual representation of the numbers while using the tongs helps to build up those all important fine motor skills.
I was a bit sneaky by encouraging Miss 4 to cross her midline throughout this activity too. Imagine an invisible line running from your nose to your belly button. It is a skill that needs to be practise to cross your left side across this line to the right side and visa versa.
How to engage your child in play
Engaging your child in play that they are interested in is the best way to encourage learning through play. If they aren’t interested in the task, they are not going to get much from it.
Miss 4 quickly learnt how to read the dice by simply looking at the pattern on the top face. She took a lot of pride in positioning the frogs and her new found math skills!
Learning to read a dice is one of the play activities that is learnt in Kindy. This easy to set up game can be easily adapted to suit your child’s interests.
Swap the frogs for
- Dinosaurs
- Insects
- Cars
- Farm animals
- Fairies
- Ocean friends
- Rocks
Putting the value of numbers into context
This is a fun way to build your child’s comprehension of numbers and maths. The little figurines are a valuable visual guide showing the value of the numbers that they are counting.
Your child will be able to see that 6 frogs are a greater number than 2. When taking some away, they will be able to understand that 4 has a lesser value than 6.
Questions to ask to further build comprehension
Throughout the activity you can ask open ended questions to further your child’s understanding of the game along with loads of other topics! You can discuss colours, directions, challenges they are facing, emotions, strategies, predications, things to do differently next time and so much more.
Here are some comprehension questions that will encourage your child to think and broaden their perspective of the game:
- How do you think we are going to play this game?
- What else could we use instead of tongs to pick up the frog?
- How does it feel to match the frogs with the number on the dice?
- What is something you could do differently if you cant pick the frog up by his foot?
- What else could we use instead of frogs to play this game?
- Which two other numbers that can be added together to make 5?
A summary of the skills used in this game
While it looks rather simple, there are many life skills that can be taught and practised during this game. These are skills that your child can continue to practise during their childhood and well into their adult years.
- Fine motor skills
- Crossing the midline
- Turn taking
- Patience
- Sequencing events
- Cognitive thinking
- Problem solving skills
- Logical thinking
Disclosure: This Blog does contain affiliate links which I may earn a small commission from if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.
Looking for more Math activities? Check these out!
Check out these fun downloadable Math resources!
Thank you for this wonderful idea! I would love to do this with my little niece!
You’re most welcome! I hope your niece has as much fun learning about math as we do! Thank you for stopping by
I love this! I started to homeschool this year and i have three kids at home. This will be very useful! Thanks for sharing!
That’s a great way to learning when you are a child. With such vibrant colors and visuals, I can imagine the children would have such a fun time learning.
Thank you! Visual guides and aides certainly bring success at our place!
It’s so easy to incorporate learning in fun ways. engage your child in play and the learning that goes with it comes easy. 🙂
I couldn’t agree more!
This sounds like fun way to study about addition and subtraction kids will learn better with toys than just pencil and paper.
Yes! Learning through play is so much more than just having fun!
Quite interesting and engaging as well, will make learning numbers easier for the kids.
I agree! Putting the numbers into context is so important than just reciting words
That looks like fun. Good for little hands!
This certainly is an awesome fine motor skills activity! Thanks for stopping by ?
That looks like a really fun game which can be used to teach kids some maths. I bet they love it! If I ever have my own kids, I’ll introduce this game to them for sure. 🙂
Thank you! It certainly does put those numbers into perspective ?
Nice idea! Kids should have the option to play with toys that not only cute but also help them to develop ?
Thank you so much! I completely agree! The simpler the toy, the more creativity it will inspire. In a world where technology offers so much, I feel as though it is the simple toys which will allow our children to develop their own thoughts and ideas rather than a programmed response xx
Now a days there are som many things for the kids, its hard to get the right one.. this one looks quite interesting
Thank you! So many choices certainly do present challenges for parents. Stay true to your values and choose for love and there will be no errors x
This one’s a cool game for the kids!! The little creatures are so cute, I wanna play it together with my baby nephews and nieces as well!
Haha YES! I must admit that I do find myself getting lost in the moment at times. You can’t tame this inner child haha
How cute is this game?!?! We are having our first kiddo in April and I cannot wait to be able to do these kinds of games with her as she grows older!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Watching your child explore and grow is such an amazing adventure! You are going to be blown away time and time again. Children certainly are incredible beings x
Any tool that helps children practice addition and subtraction is a great tool. Seems like your children really enjoy it.
I agree 100%! Yes, she really did enjoy it. I’m looking forward to using the same strategy with different themes ?
It is going to be so insanely interesting to see our future son grow up! My husband is so insanely smart so I am happy I have him to help educate my son, way better than I can 😉
Watching their little minds learn about the world is such an amazing journey! You are in for such an incredible ride! I’m sure there will plenty you will be able to share with your son too ??
What a cute and fun interactive way to get kids to learn! I love this! I don’t have kids of my own yet, but I will definitely share this post with friends who do 🙂
Thank you! Learning through play is the best way!