Posted in My Homeschool FAQs

This is how I teach my kids to use the numberline. 





To Make:

I made 15 index cards into a village numbered 1 - 15.  I have home, church, post office, gas station, fire dept., bakery,  police, ice cream parlor, library, toy store, candy store, hotel, pizza parlour and park.  Then for the playing pieces I made 2 half cards into bicycles.  (As you can tell I am a real artist!  ROTFL!!)  For the park you will need a tree to place apples.  We have 2 sets of 3 apples numbered 1, 2 & 3.

To Play:

Line up your village in order 1 -15.  Both bikes start at home.  Put your apples on the apple tree in the park.  The object of the game is to ride your bike to the park and pick 3 apples.  Each time you pick an apple you go back home and start again.  We have a 10 sided dice and a blank dice I marked with + & -.  I got the 10 sided dice at a game store.  (They come in a set with everything from a 4 sided to a 20 sided.  I frequently subsitute the larger numbered dice when we play board games to increase counting skills.)  The blank dice I bought at a teacher supply store.  You could also use a coin and write a + & - on with a Sharpie.  (I love Sharpies, can you tell!)  Once you have the game set up take turns rolling the dice and going forward and backwards on the numberline.  You don't have to get the exact number to get an apple.  If you pass the park you get an apple and return home to play again.  The 1st one with 3 apples wins! 

My kids really like this game and when we introduce the concept of the numberline they automatically get it.  I start this game with them when they are 4.  (My 11 yo still likes to play it with his sister.)  I have laminated my pieces and they are at least 7 years old.

Who knew the numberline could be sooooo much fun!