Who loves LEGO®? We love LEGO®!! We place a big importance on self-directed learning and things like building blocks, always-available craft supplies, and LEGO are a big part of that. So, we have lots of LEGO math games in our learning area. Today, I asked Jaida how she wanted to practice her addition facts (review, review, review!) and she wanted LEGO addition activities!! So, I created this free printable LEGO Addition Mat for Greater Than/Less Than. Hopefully it will also challenge her to think deeper and recognize the relationships between different addition to 20 problems.
Recommended Grade Level:
Lego Greater Than/Less Than Supplies:
- Printer/Ink
- Laminating Supplies
- Legos
- Paper Cutter
- Pencil/Marker/Dry Erase Marker
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Learning Greater Than/Less Than Activities
MATH ACTIVITIES FOR KINDERGARTEN
KINDERGARTEN ADDITION ACTIVITIES ARE MORE BENEFICIAL WHEN THEY ARE HANDS-ON ADDITION ACTIVITIES! YOUR KIDS WILL FEEL LIKE KINDERGARTEN MATH IS ALL ABOUT PLAY!
One of the reasons I LOVE these Lego mats (there are many), is the visual representation of math addition up to 20. As kids build each digit, they can SEE which sum is larger/smaller.
Once they have build a Lego tower for each number and compared the sums, they can begin to practice math vocabulary: greater than/less than, sum, larger/smaller, most/least, etc. There are many ways to say the same thing!
As your child works with each addition equation on the Lego math activity, encourage conversation that sharpens math skills, number sense and vocabulary:
- Is 2+9 the same as 9+2? Why? How can you show that with Legos?
- Which sum is larger? How do you know just by looking at the Legos?
- Why is it easier to use the same color for each digit?
- What is the opposite of addition/subtraction?
What Can Children Learn While Building Numbers With Legos?
LEGO MATH WORKSHEETS AND GAMES
HANDS-ON NUMBER BUILDING FAR OUT-BENEFITS KINDERGARTEN ADDITION WORKSHEETS. KIDS NEED TO SEE QUANTITIES VISUALLY TO FORM SOLID NUMBER SENSE.
Here are some other math concepts covered with this addition game:
- Addition
- Comparisons
- Visual representations
- Addition strategies
Why Is It Important For Kids To Learn Basic Math Facts?
Fluency and automaticity with basic facts provides a solid foundation for students, making them ready for more complex tasks.
Number Sense
Playing math games improves number sense which is the ability to understand, compare/contrast, count, skip count, and relate numbers to each other.
Vocabulary
Encouraging kids to use math vocabulary while playing games (sum/difference/total/greater than/less than)is a meaningful way to practice.
Automaticity
When children effortlessly (automatically) know basic math facts, it makes more complex computations easier.
Cooperative Learning
Simple games with partners or small groups give kids a lot of practice with social skills, like taking turns, following rules, and winning/losing.
Tools you’ll need
Don’t worry about making a special trip to the store. You can get all the supplies for this activity right here. Click the pictures above to get what you need.
How to Make This Lego Addition Mat for Greater Than/Less Than
To Prep:
Print and laminate all the pages. Laminating the recording page is optional, but it will allow you to use it multiple times without printing extra copies. (These are our favorite go-to laminating pouches).
Cut apart the addition fact cards & the math symbols (greater than, less than, equal to).
Put the LEGO bricks in a small tray (so they don’t fall all over the place, of course.)
To Play:
Put the addition fact cards in a pile. Choose two and place them on the large rectangles of the LEGO addition mat.
Then have the student build each problem using the LEGO bricks. Using the bricks adds a bit of fine-motor practice to the activity which is important for developing good handwriting skills.
We found that it was helpful to do each number of the addition problem in a unique color, so that we could visualize the problem.
Next:
Then, after solving both problems, the kids can hold the “sums” side by side to determine which is greater than, less than or equal to.
Finally:
Students will write their answers on the recording sheet. You could have them take some pictures with an iPad for easy assessment.
Use a laminated recording sheet for repeated use.
Our Favorite Math Books:
We can’t live without these!
Once your child’s creativity is sparked with this fun activity, take it a step further with these engaging resources:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Easy ProductEasy Product Displays ProductWhat’s the Point of Math?The Everything Kids’ Math Puzzles Book: Brain Teasers, Games, and Activities for Hours of Fun
It’s a Numbers Game! Baseball: The math behind the perfect pitch, the game-winning grand slam, and so much more!
I’m Trying to Love Math
Counting Crocodiles
Curious George Learns to Count from 1 to 100 Big Book
Let’s Count Soft Book – World of Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar Baby Teething Crinkle Book
s here Displays Products here
LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696The Lego Ideas Book: Unlock Your Imagination
LEGO Classic Creative Supplement 10693
Change It Up
Don’t have a ton of Legos? Use pom poms or connecting cubes to compare quantities with the Lego mat or any other kindergarten math worksheet for addition.
Slide Rule
Make a slide rule with pipe cleaners and beads for each math fact. Kids can slide one color bead onto the top, a different color on the bottom, then slide them together to find the sum.
Talk About It
Any math addition to 20 worksheet or game will be more valuable if you encourage talking: say the fact, say the sum, say it backwards, make it into a subtraction problem, etc.
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