Theater Games that Support Students’ Math Skills

Elementary teachers can use these theater games to get kids moving in math class as an engaging way to build their skills.

by Jocelyn Greene

This article was originally published on Edutopia

Playing Three Noses at Child’s Play NY
Photo Credit: HM Photoshoots

Imagine a classroom where students understand math through physical play: They learn to skip count by literally skipping. They can recall different triangle shapes because they made “sculptures” of them with their bodies. Or they learn ways to make 10 by creating an adding “machine” using gestures and sound. Physical games, used by drama educators and reimagined for your classroom’s curriculum, can go a long way toward supporting students’ math skills.

Read the full article of “Using Theater Games to Support Students’ Math Skills” on Edutopia

Learn More Theater Games for Math Skills

Three Noses

Three Noses is a physical icebreaker that feels like an elevated version of freeze dance or musical chairs, and it can be used to foster numerical comprehension.

“By intentionally bringing games into the classroom, you make learning playful and creative while still reinforcing the concepts you want to teach.”

Machine

In the theater game Machine, students collaborate on the number sentence ahead of time, reinforcing their addition skills for how to make 10.

“Physical games, used by drama educators and reimagined for your classroom’s curriculum, can go a long way toward supporting students’ math skills.”

Sculptures

In the game Sculptures, students create shapes with their bodies, reinforcing and remembering concepts by making them physically.

“While these games center math concepts, they have the added benefit of supporting executive function skills like working memory, turn-taking, and flexible thinking.”

I Have a Gift For You

This game is typically a get-to-know-you exercise that builds social and emotional skills. However, students can learn mental math by applying this theatre game.