Gold Rock Manipulatives for Math and a Free Subtraction Matching Game

Today I’m sharing how we used rocks to create a super fun math manipulative and play this free subtraction matching game. So get some rocks & spray paint and get ready to create a manipulative that your kids will love!

Materials needed for the Gold Rocks and Free Subtraction Matching Game:

Rocks (I purchased mine, but you can use any smooth rocks that you find)

Gold spray paint (make sure it will stick to rocks)

Scrapbooking Paper and/or card stock

Laminating Pouches (optional)

To make the rocks:

Lay the rocks outside on a paper bag or cardboard

Spray one side of the rocks with the spray paint.

Wait for them to dry and then turn them over and spray the opposite side.

To prep the free subtraction matching game:

Print and laminate.

Cut apart the cards.

I use scrapbooking paper to print all of my games so that the kids can’t see through the cards. It also makes the games a bit more fun-looking. We started off my using the rocks in a sensory bin full of black beans. Jaida dug for gold to represent the pictures on the cards.

Today we were working only with the 10s facts, but you could mix them up or choose a different set, depending on what you want to practice. All subtraction facts for 10-1 are included, except 1-0= (I didn’t want to have to print an extra page just for one fact.)

After she worked all the way through the 10s facts, we played a game of Memory with the subtraction problems and gems cards.

She beat me.

Download the Free Subtraction Matching Game here.