What to do with this activity?
Get some chalk and draw a hopscotch design outside on the ground. Copy the picture above. The squares need to be big enough to fit one foot in and to hop between. Here's how to play:
1. Take turns to throw a small stone onto a numbered square. Start with number one. If the stone doesn’t land in the square, you lose your turn and pass the stone to the next person. If you get the stone into the square, hop to highest number (hopping over the square which has the stone in it) then turn round and hop back to the square one number above where the stone is.
2. Lean down (still on one foot) and pick up the stone. Then skip over that square and finish up. You can then throw the stone onto the next highest number and hop as before.
3. If you step on a line, hop on the wrong square, or step out of the square, you lose your turn.
4. Your goal is to complete the course having thrown the stone onto each number in turn. The first person to do this wins the game!
If your find it easier, watch this youtube video explaining how to play hopscotch. You can go up to number 8 as in the video, or make it more difficult by going to number 10 as in the picture above.
On a rainy day, you can stay inside and mark out the floor using masking tape that lifts easily.
Children learn numbers and maths in a natural way through play and everyday activities. It’s different to school and should always be fun and practical – that way your child will enjoy working with numbers.
Your child also develops a sense of patterns and what time means in everyday life. This is important for helping your child to manage everyday activities – going places, how long they have to wait and understanding when things will happen in the future.
Talking about numbers helps your child’s fluency in counting, estimating and understanding numbers and money in everyday life. It takes time for children to understand addition and subtraction so use objects when helping them understand this or when doing their homework.
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