Up next in our Math Mat Series are these these simple, yet effective Spring Flower Math Mats for practicing addition and subtraction! They’re perfect for your home school or traditional classroom for use during center time or small groups.
Pair with our Spring Centers & Activities for PreK/Kindergarten
Spring Flower Math Mats
Spring is in the air! Flowers will soon be sprouting and children will be giddy looking forward to the warmer temperatures and outdoor fun they will soon be having.
In the classroom, it’s fun to bring in some of that spring time joy. I’m back today to share with you more math mat freebies! If you’re like me, you really appreciate simple, yet effective math activities that give children the opportunity to practice math concepts and have fun! Let’s get started.
First, gather your materials.
- Print and laminate the Flower Addition and Subtraction Math Mat Printables
- Dice
- Dry Erase Marker and Eraser
- Seeds or any other manipulative for counting
For this activity, I like to use real seeds to make it appear to be the seeds that you would normally see in the center of a flower. If you’re not able to get your hands on seeds or if you’re concerned your children might try to eat them, then grab any other counting manipulative that will work for your students.
I also like to laminate my math mats for use year after year. It also makes this activity more effective when the children can use dry erase markers to write in the math equations. If you don’t have access to a laminator then you might try slipping the printables inside of a sheet protector. I’ve used them this way as well!
Addition
Students will start by rolling 2 dice (or one die, twice) and then writing the numbers in the equation at the bottom of their addition math mat printable.
Now it’s time to build the equation! Students will simply use the seeds to build each half of their equation. I just love how this printable shows both parts of the addition problem!
RELATED RESOURCE: Word Problems for Kindergarten: May Edition
Lastly, children will solve their addition problem by adding up the 2 parts in their flower. Using a dry erase marker, students will write that number in the 3rd box of the addition equation.
Subtraction
You can also use these flower math mats to practice subtraction. Students will start by rolling one die to find their starting point. They will place that many number of seeds in the center of the flower. This flower doesn’t have 2 parts because we are showing how we are “taking away” a part of this number equation. They will also write the number rolled on the die, in the first box of the equation.
Students will then roll a second die (or one die, twice) to find the second part of the equation. The second number rolled is how many seeds that will be subtracted from the center of the flower. Children will write this number in the 2nd box of the math equation. At this point, students will remove seeds from the center of the flower depending on the number rolled on the 2nd die.
Once the seeds have been removed from the center of the flower, students will write how many were left in the 3rd box of the equation to get their answer!
Grab Your Copy
Ready to work on addition and subtraction? Grab your copy of the Flower Math Mats by clicking the large, yellow button below.
Then, hop on over and try these Bug Subtraction Cards!
Mandy
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Thanks once again for sharing you work it is really appreciated