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3 Tips for Prepping Math Centers – Fast!

August 31, 2021 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand. All opinions are 100% mine.

Math centers. Once they’re organized and ready to go, they’re awesome – especially for primary grades.

Kids can rotate from station to station, completing hands-on learning activities and getting some practice for concepts you’ve gone over in class.

It’s the prepping part that is…a challenge.

If you’re looking for some tips on how to prep a math center faster, here are three suggestions that have been working for me.

How to Prep a Math Center Faster

Even better, one of my math center prep hacks makes it easy to clean activities in between groups of students. Which is super important, especially these days.

Read on to read my math center prep tips! And, for more fun math activities for early grades, take a look at my list of printable counting puzzles!

Try these three tips for how to prep a math center faster!

Three Tips for How to Prep a Math Center – Fast!

1. Choose the activities you plan to include before you print.

This is a mistake I’ve made all too often. I love the center and the activities in it, so I think “I’ll use all of these!” and I print the entire thing.

Reality: I never end up using everything. Never.

There are a couple of activities that are a big hit and those are the ones the kids want to do again and again. Huge waste of time (and ink!)

Scroll through the center to find the worksheets or activities that will be a good fit for your students.

Write down the page numbers for printing those specific pages. Then start printing what you need.

How to Prep a Math Center with Clear Laminate

2. Gather up the manipulatives and tools you’ll need for each activity.

Math center activities for early grades usually include different kinds of tools and movable pieces.

I find it best to get all of these items together before I start preparing the center itself.

Using Dry Erase Activities in Math Centers

When I’m prepping center activities, I tend to use hook and loop sticky dots, scissors, and O rings.

Math Center Count and Clip Cards

The activities are designed for use with dry erase markers (or crayons), transparent spinners, and clothespins, among other manipulatives.

How to Use Hook and Loop Dots to Prep a Math Center

So I put all of the tools I need to prep the center in one group and the tools students will need to use the center in another.

Duck Brand EasyLiner Clear Laminate for Making Dry Erase Activities

Then I’m not running back and forth to my desk when I need to switch from assembling one activity to another.

And I already have the items students will use for the center in one place too. That makes it much easier to organize each activity as I go along.

3. Use clear laminate to cover each activity or worksheet page.

But my absolute favorite tip for how to prep a math center is to use clear laminate to cover every activity.

Personally, I’m partial to the Smooth Top® EasyLiner® from Duck Brand.

Setting Up to Prep a Math Center

Clear laminate works just like the laminating sheets in your laminator.

The advantage is that you don’t have to wait for the laminator to heat up (which seems to take forever).

And, you don’t have to wait in line to use the machine (which also seems to take forever).

Creating a Reusable Math Center Activity

EasyLiner® also comes with helpful gridlines that make measuring the right amount a snap!

Prepping a Math Center

I just roll out several inches of the clear laminate – gridlines facing up.

Measuring Clear Laminate for Math Centers

Then I lay the activity page on top. The edge of the page is my measuring line.

Cut the length of clear laminate you need.

How to Cover a Math Center with Clear Laminate

The gridlines side is the removable piece you’ll need to peel off. I find it best to snip a tiny corner off.

Then it’s easier to peel the backing off in one piece, which avoids leaving crease marks on the laminate.

Lay the laminate down, sticky side up. Then place the activity directly on top, face down.

Turning a Worksheet Into a Reusable Math Center Activity

Flip the page over, add a second sheet to cover the back (if needed), smooth it out, and you’re done!

All that’s left now is to cut out any activity pieces and add other items (such as the sticky dots you see above).

Duck Brand EasyLiner Clear Laminate for Covering Math Center Activities

Removable Adhesive EasyLiner has another advantage: It wipes clean.

So, if you need to sanitize your math center activities in between groups, you can use cleaning wipes on the pages with no problem.

How to Prep a Math Center with EasyLiner

I love clear laminate for making dry erase activities in my centers.

With it, I can turn any printable worksheet into a reusable center activity.

Using Clear Laminate to Make a Dry Erase Activity

When the pages are covered with clear laminate, I can let students use dry erase markers or dry erase crayons.

Dry Erase Math Center Activity

Then just use a napkin (or a napkin plus water for wet erase markers) and we’re good to go for the next group!

Watch me cover a math center activity with clear laminate below!

I hope these tips for how to prep a math center faster have been of help to you.

If you use any in your classroom, let me know which ones worked!

See more of my apple-themed math center activities for early grades below!

This apple counting to ten math center for kindergarten is an excellent way to welcome students back to school with fun counting practice!

Teach first graders how to tell time to the hour and half hour with this apple themed telling time math center!

These apple shape tracing worksheets are so fun for helping students learn to build plane shapes!

Filed Under: Math Tagged With: math activities, math centers

Apple Orchard! Digital Comparing Numbers Apple Picking Game

August 3, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Is there anything better than biting into a super ripe, crisp apple?

Maybe biting into a super ripe, soft peach. But I live in Georgia, so I might be a little biased there.

Whether you can get to an apple orchard or not this year, you can still add some apple fun to your primary lessons.

And this digital apple picking game is a fun way to practice counting and cardinality with kindergartners!

Digital Apple Picking Game for Comparing Numbers

Need to use distance learning this year? This digital comparing numbers activity is perfect! It’s no-prep and easy to use, even for early learners.

Keep reading to see how to score it for your students. And, for more fun with apple learning, take a look at our list of 20 engaging apple preschool books!

Learn how to compare numbers up to ten with this fun digital apple picking activity!

Digital Comparing Numbers Apple Picking Game

To use this digital inequalities apple picking game, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • A computer (We like these Google Chromebooks) or a tablet (like this iPad)
  • A copy of our digital Apple Orchard! Inequalities Activity
Digital Comparing Numbers Apple Picking Game

This digital apple math activity is designed as a drag and drop game, so students can use with a computer and mouse or with their fingers on a touchscreen device.

Each of the seven activity slides features:

  • An apple tree with movable apples
  • Two baskets each featuring a different numeral
  • Three inequality symbols for students to use after counting the apples
Comparing Numbers Digital Apple Picking Game

Here’s how it works:

Students look at the numeral on each apple basket.

Then they count out the correct number of apples for each basket and move them into the correct container.

Finally, they compare the numbers and place the correct inequality or equal math symbol in the circle.

See the product in action below!

This is a great way to build number sense, practice comparing numbers, and help students get used to learning on a digital device.

Scroll down to get your copy of this Digital Comparing Numbers Apple Picking Game!

Stop by and check out these other early learning ideas that go well with an apple theme!

These 20 apple preschool books make wonderful read aloud selections for fall in early learning classrooms!
This printable apple same and different lesson is a fun way to help early learners practice visual discrimination skills!
Use these apple shape sorting worksheets to help early learners practice recognizing the four basic shapes with a fun fall theme!

To get your copy of this Apple Orchard! Inequalities Digital Activity, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Digital Inequalities Apple Picking Game for Kindergarten

>>>Apple Orchard! Digital Comparing Numbers Activity<<<

Filed Under: Digital Resources Tagged With: apple activities, digital resources, math activities

Counting Crows! Write and Wipe Addition Cards

October 22, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When my husband and I moved to the suburbs, we started to see something we hadn’t seen before.

Crows.

Our neighborhood didn’t have many trees, but it had lots of telephone lines. And it was an everyday occurrence to see crows gathered up in groups on the lines right outside our window.

In the fall, before the weather turned cold, we’d see lots of them. Then they’d suddenly take off and we wouldn’t see them again until the spring thaw. 

So I thought crows would be a fun fall or spring theme for math center activities and that’s where these counting crows write and wipe addition cards come in!

Fun Counting Crows Addition Fact Cards

These addition fact cards are so handy for reviewing basic sums using addends up to five. Plus, you can use them over and over again, so it’s a prep once and you’re done activity!

Read on to see how to get these for your students! And take a look at this Fall Leaves Count and Match Game for more fall math fun!

These counting crows addition fact cards are so fun for helping students practice addition fluency! Use them with dry erase crayons at math centers!

Counting Crows! Write and Wipe Addition Cards

To use these counting crows themed write and wipe addition cards, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Laminator
  • Dry erase crayons
  • Scissors (optional)

Printable Counting Crows Addition Fact Cards

This product includes 28 addition fact cards that feature addends from one to five. The sums are missing, so that students can fill them in.

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Counting Crows Addition Fact Cards

Each card also shows the number of crows that corresponds to each addend. That way, students can use these objects to count up to the sum, if necessary.

Counting Crows Addition Cards

Use these with dry erase crayons so that students can practice, wipe their answers away, and pass them on to the next learner!

Printable Counting Crows Addition Fact Cards for Kids

You can even cut each card out, place them on a ring, and use them in morning tubs for quick review.

Counting Crows Addition Fact Cards for Kids

There is also a set of 28 cards featuring blank addend and sum spaces. Since the number of crows still appears on the cards, students can fill in each space and add as usual.

Scroll down to get your set of Counting Crows! Write and Wipe Addition Cards!

Take a look at these other math learning printables for kids!

Learn how to add sums up to ten with this printable panda adding to make ten math lesson! Try this with early grade students for addition fluency!

Make counting practice fun with this five in a row printable farm game! Great for early math centers!

Follow my Math Mania! board on Pinterest for more ways to make teaching math fun!

To get your set of our Counting Crows! Write and Wipe Addition Cards, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Printable Counting Crows Addition Cards

>>> Counting Crows! Write and Wipe Addition Fact Cards <<<

These counting crows addition fact cards are so much fun for helping students master basic addition facts! Laminate them and use them with dry erase crayons for a quick math review!

Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, Math, Teaching Printables Tagged With: math, math activities, math printables

Pumpkin Pie Parts! Fraction Clip Cards for Kids

October 21, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Fractions are not exactly known for being…the most fun math concept to teach. 

I remember trying to make colorful anchor charts to bring this topic to life as much as possible, but it just fell flat. The kids were not interested in hot pink definitions of fractions on colored chart paper.

The good thing is that fractions lend themselves very well to food. There are so many foods we cut into equal parts, including pumpkin pie.

Which is why these pumpkin pie themed fraction clip cards are a neat way to make learning about fractions fun and easy to understand!

Fun Pumpkin Pie Fraction Clip Cards

I’m so excited to share these, because they make wonderful fall math center activities! Or you can add them to morning tubs for a quick math review.

See how to get your set below! And, for more fall math activities, don’t miss our printable Apple Counting Puzzles and our Pumpkin Places Ordinal Number Lesson!

Pick up these pumpkin pie fraction clip cards to help students practice fraction skills during fall! So fun for fall morning tubs and math centers!

Pumpkin Pie Parts! Fraction Clip Cards for Kids

To use these pumpkin pie themed fraction clip cards, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer Paper
  • Scissors
  • Clothespins
  • Laminator (optional, but good for durability)

Printable Pumpkin Pie Fraction Clip Cards

This product includes three sets of fraction clip cards with a cute pumpkin pie theme!

Fun On the Farm Bundle TPT Ad

Pumpkin Pie Fraction Clip Cards for Kids

One set includes color clip cards featuring fraction pictures and three values for students to choose from.

Printable Pumpkin Pie Themed Fraction Clip Cards

There’s also a line art version included if you want to save on ink.

Just a note: I used orange Astrobright paper for the line art fraction cards here.

Pumpkin Pie Fraction Clip Cards

And there’s a full answer key!

Printable Pumpkin Pie Themed Fraction Clip Cards for Kids

You could even put all of the answer key cards on a ring and use them as a quick fraction review for students. 

Then let the students practice remembering what they learned by choosing the correct fraction values on their own!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Pumpkin Pie Parts! Fraction Clip Cards!

Stop by and check out these other hands-on math activities for kids!

Make counting practice fun with this five in a row printable farm game! Great for early math centers!

Use this fun fall leaves preschool concentration game to help little learners practice number skills and counting!

Follow my Math Mania! board on Pinterest for more math teaching ideas!

To get your copy of our Pumpkin Pie Parts! Fraction Clip Cards, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Pumpkin Pie Themed Fraction Clip Cards

>>> Pumpkin Pie Parts! Fraction Clip Cards <<<

These pumpkin pie themed fraction clip cards are great for practicing math skills during fall! Add them to morning tubs or fall math centers!

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Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, Math, Teaching Printables Tagged With: math, math activities, math printables

10 Math Activities for ADHD Students

April 4, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

If you have a child with ADHD, you might find that sitting down to teach math is…a bit of a challenge.

Well, in my family, the word “challenge” isn’t quite strong enough to describe how difficult math lessons can be. Let’s try “cage match to the death”. I think that’s more accurate. 🙂

My wiggly kids resist anything that requires sustained mental effort, due to issues with executive function, so learning math concepts is their least favorite thing to do. As a result, I’ve had to take math off the page and into their hands to make some ideas really stick.

So – if your child with ADHD struggles with math, you might want to try these 10 math activities for ADHD students. They’ve worked wonderfully in our house!

Math Activities for ADHD Students

Image c/o: Nadezhda1906 / depositphotos

10 Math Activities for ADHD Students

  1. Use LEGO blocks to construct 3D Bar Graphs.
  2. Make Math Factor Snowflakes and hang them in your window.
  3. Show kids how to cut and paste simple repeating math patterns.
  4. Have children work out tens and ones with Unifix cubes.
  5. Practice math facts while doing a simple exercise or having a Brain Break.
  6. Teach math concepts in a foreign language, such as how to count in Spanish or Sign Language.
  7. Use math lapbooks to help kids visualize math concepts and memorize basic facts.
  8. Combine math with reading by using math storybooks such as Life of Fred.
  9. Drill kids on basic math lessons, including fractions, polygons, and telling time using flashcards.
  10. Create math art, such as coloring grids on graphing paper.

10 Math Activities for ADHD Students

Be sure to check out my ebook “Homeschooling with ADHD” for more help to teach your ADHD child at home!

DHD eBook @ Look! We're Learning!

Want even more fun math ideas? Try these book suggestions!

Fun Math Books for Middle School

And be sure to follow my Math Mania board on Pinterest!


Filed Under: ADHD Homeschooling, Homeschool Math Tagged With: adhd, adhd homeschooling, adhd math, homeschool math, homeschooling with adhd, math, math activities, math for adhd kids

Hi! I'm Selena, a veteran teacher and homeschool mom to four. I'm so glad you're here!
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