An easy idea for a work center for children to randomly draw four numbers from a hat. The hat should contain several sets of numbers zero through nine. The children to arrange the four numbers so they represent the biggest number that can be formed, and the smallest number that can be formed. This simple activity requires students to evaluate place value. Children record their original numbers and answers on a worksheet like the one found on the practice section of AAA Math website's "Place Values."
Students need to learn to quickly make rough estimates of simple math problems. Teaching children to round numbers helps. Rounding quickly can be made more fun at a math center by using an egg timer and worksheets. How many numbers on this sheet can be rounded to the nearest hundred in three minutes? How many can you round to the nearest ten? To the nearest hundred? Students can strive for personal bests.
Play money and priced items are all a teacher needs to set up a center so children can practice making change. One child plays store keeper and the other customer. Or, children can work independently answering a question about a set amount of money put aside in a baggie. The IXL website offers several examples of types of questions that can be posed, such as "A harmonica costs $3.72. Do you have enough money to buy it?"
Gather several paper pizzas cut into halves, quarters, sixths, eighths, tenths, and twelfths for this math center. Children are then asked to see how many ways they can fit the pizza together. A child, for instance, may notice that one half pizza and three slices of the one-sixth pizza make a whole pizza, as do three quarter-slices and two eighths. Have children record the possibilities.