What you will need:
- Red, yellow, blue and green construction paper
- Pencils
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Markers to write the values
What to do:
1. Cut long strips of construction paper for each value. These are the “flags.”
- Red = Ones
- Yellow = Tens
- Blue = Hundreds
- Green = Thousands
2. Toss the paper strips into a grocery bag. Each person chooses a strip without looking.
3. Next, find a large, open area. Everyone tucks the paper strips into the back of their pants like a tail. Then, when the older person shouts “Go!” they try to steal their others’ flags. Once all of the flags are collected, figure out the number based on how many of each color flag they captured!
4. Who has the largest number? Who has the smallest number? Did anyone end up with the same number? See if you can organize into even and odd numbers. Can they round their numbers?
Erin Bittman is a student at the University of Cincinnati, studying Early Childhood Education. Check out her blog E Is for Explore!
This Twist on Capture the Flag Teaches Kids All About Place Value