For young children learning their numbers, use candy to teach basic addition and subtraction. For example, you can give each child 10 small foil-wrapped candies to count. Add and take away different amounts of candy and have them recount each time. For slightly older children who understand addition and subtraction, you can use the candy to teach multiplication. For example, give each student three green candies and three brown candies, separately. Have them count the number in each group, then count the total number of candies. Explain that two groups of three candies equal the same amount as the total, and that multiplying groups is faster and easier than counting each individually. For division, give them an even number of candies and have them divide the candy into equal amounts.
Use chocolate candy bars with individual pieces you can break off to teach fractions. Give each student a square of four pieces of chocolate from a candy bar and count them. Instruct them to break one off and eat it. Explain that they just ate one out of the four pieces of chocolate they have, which is one-quarter in fraction terms. Explain that the numerator, the one piece you ate, always goes first in fractions, followed by the total amount, the denominator. Allow the children to eat one piece at a time and say in fraction form how many they've eaten and how much is left.
Give students a handful of a candy that comes in several colors. Have the students count the total number of candies, then sort their candy by color and write down how many of each color they have. They should also write down observations such as which color they have the most of and the least, then create a bar graph, using the colors of the candies for each bar. Create a large graph on the board to graph the total number of each color candy for the whole class. Ask the students what stands out to them, such as the color that most people had and the smallest number.
Use small candy pieces in a jar to teach the children how to make educated estimates. Base the candy on the nearest holiday. For example, you could have a jar of candy hearts around Valentine's Day or a jar of candy corn near Halloween. Allow the children to get close to the jar. Encourage them to count as many as they can in one area, then to think about how many pieces the jar could hold. Ask the students to think about the size of the jar and the size of the objects when making their estimate, and discuss how why they chose that estimate. Count out the candy in sets of five after everyone has guessed, to make the counting faster and reinforce number sets. Reward the child who has made the closest guess, without going over, with extra candy to take home.