Grid Games help kids practice counting, subitizing, 1:1 correspondence, and numeral identification. These are simple games that kids can learn to play independently.
You can place these in the Math Center, change them out with each theme or each month, and kids will automatically know how to use them.
There are more grid games at this link that use specific manipulatives. This set of grid games was made to finish out all of the themes. So now all of my themes have a grid game to go with it.
How to Prepare the Grid Games
They are so easy to prepare! Just print them out and slip into a clear page protector (or laminate). Get a game die or make one with a wooden cube. You can use a die with dots or numerals. Gather some manipulatives to use: flat floral marbles, plastic colored chips, Unifix cubes, mini erasers — there are lots of possibilities!
How to Play Grid Games
Roll the game die and either identify the number of dots or the numeral on it. Count out the same amount of manipulatives and place each manipulative on one picture on the grid.
Children will continue to roll the game die and cover pictures until the whole grid is full.
Each game includes a 10 space grid game (for beginners) and a 20 space grid game (for counting higher). I have begun re-making these games, and the new sets have an additional 30 space grid game as well as both color and blackline versions. A teacher asked me if I would make grid games with 30 spaces, so I will add a game with 30 for each theme as time permits.
How to Differentiate the Games for Different Learners
Make your own dice by using a wooden cube and permanent marker. You can also put sticker dots on the cube and draw on the sticker. That way, the stickers can be removed if you need to change it.
If you have a child who can only count up to 3, make a die with numerals 0-4 on it (or dots). That way they can practice counting higher than 3, but they can be more successful than they would with a 1-6 die.
You might want to make one game die per student and just change that student’s stickers as they progress. I store my dice in an ice cube tray.
Another way to differentiate this game is by printing two of the mats (say a 10 space game and a 20 space game), then place them back-to-back in a page protector. Kids can just flip the mat to the side they need.
Download the Grid Games
To download, just click each image below. These are free printables.
New Games: These are the new versions. All sets will be updated as soon as possible.
Older Versions:
Need more grid games? Click the link for more.
Thanks so much! Great addition! I will direct my readers/customers to them.
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the break.
Thanks so much, Tara! Nice to hear from you. Hope you had a great Christmas, too!
Hello, Thank you for all the great resources you share. What manipulative did you use with the pets and wild animals grid games?
Hi Nidia,
Most of the time I use floral gems from the craft store to cover them (I call them flat marbles in class). You can also use plastic chips or Unifix cubes or mini erasers.
Thanks so much for all of the wonderful resources you make available. I use so much of your material in my prek classroom!
I just discovered your site, I love the grids for the Ocean.
Thank You soooo much, I’m going to use them in my classroom this week.
Thanks, Debbie!
My teacher friend just showed me your site. I am a teacher in Haiti so all of our resources are rather limited. I highly appreciate you making your wonderful materials available to us at no cost!
I love games especially with easy to use materials. Thank you so much for these game mats and wonderful ideas!
Therese
Thank you Karen for all of the fabulous ideas and resources. You also encourage my creative process 🙂
I used your empty master grid, added pictures of my students and myself and entitled it “My school friends – Grid Game”. The children love it and it also assists in learning the names of their new peers.
Thank you….thank you….thank you for your wonderful resources!!!!!
This is exactly what I need for my little preschoolers!
Karen,
Vanessa speaks very highly of you and I can see why. Thank you for the wonderful resources you’ve posted. They are exactly what I need for my roll and stamp math games. I have introduced many pre-k teachers to your website. Continue doing a great work. From all of us in pre-k land THANK YOU!!!!
Just started using your grid games this week with my preschool class, WHAT A HIT!!!
Love your updates, so inspirational!! I can always find just the right idea to incorporate into my curriculum.
Thank you!!!
Thanks Toni!
My kindergarten class has used many of your grids over the last year or two. At first we use them with one to one correspondence. Later in the year, each students chooses a specific color counter or pop-cube to mark their places. At the end of the game when the board is full. The students have to roll a die that is marked with MORE or LESS. This way the person with less spaces covered is actually the winner, sometimes. Also a good way for them to see and compare More and Less. I love your website and all of the printables you share.
Thanks so very much!
Denise
Thank you so much for sharing!! These are wonderful!!! 🙂
Thank you for expanding the number of spaces on the grid games. It’s much appreciated!
Thanks so much. It’s much appreciated.