Remembering how to multiply or what is a multiple of another number can be a difficult task for a child at first. Create a numbers worksheet by either drawing one or selecting a pre-made one (see Resource 1). Give the children one crayon. Have them find all the numbers that are multiples of 2, and color those with the crayon. Any numbers that are not multiples of 2 should remain blank. Use a new sheet and new color of crayon to help students find multiples of 3. Adjust the search for multiples, and the amount of crayons, depending on your students' levels.
Use puzzles to teach various math functions, such as addition. Purchase pre-made puzzle games or create you own puzzle pieces on the computer, and adjust the pieces to reflect your students' levels. For example, use an addition puzzle in which students build a picture equation by combining two different digits with their correct sum. Remember to provide pieces that show the signs for "plus" and "equals." If your students are confident in addition, change the puzzles to teach subtraction or multiplication.
Turning addition and subtraction into a game is a way to get your students to learn basic math skills. Create Bingo cards in a 5-by-5 grid and keep the middle space as a "free" section. Use small trinkets or coins for number markers. Create addition and subtraction problems that can either add up to the Bingo number or have the Bingo number the missing number in the equation. For example, announce to your students the bingo problem "2+2=?". Students will then have to decide that this totals 4, and look on their bingo cards for the correct number. For a more advanced game of Bingo, use problems such as "2+? = 12" so that students have to find the missing number on their Bingo card. Give out prizes such as fun pencils or even gold stars to the winners of each round, and have students exchange cards so everyone has a different card with each round. Use the Bingo game for advanced functions like multiplication and division.
Create an interactive game for the entire classroom using a beach ball and some markers. In the colored sections of the beach ball, use a permanent marker to write a number or several different numbers (depending on how large the ball is). Have students sit in a circle in the classroom. Toss the beach ball to one student. That students must announce the two numbers that his thumbs are touching, and then add them together to create a total. That student can then toss the ball to another student to see where the next child's thumbs land. Use beach ball math to teach subtraction, multiplication and even division.