Do you have a child who is struggling with fractions? Fractions can be intimidating for many children but visual aids can really help. And, anytime you throw a game into the mix kids learn even faster. If they’re playing a fun game, and learning at the same time, you’ll soon have a child who understands all about fractions. It’s quick and easy to make a pizza game which will help kids learn while having a great time. The game is perfect for a home school classroom or even for kids to practice fractions at home.
Print pictures of whole, round pizzas out on printer paper and cut out the circles. If you want to make these a bit sturdier glue or tape them to cardstock. Another option is to purchase large cardstock circles and let kids draw pizzas on them. You’ll need five pizzas which are each about as large as a paper plate. You’ll also need one paper plate for each child who will be playing. These can be used over and over again; just store them with the pizza game when you’re finished making it.
At a craft store you’ll find small, dice-size wooden cubes which are perfect for making a unique die for the pizza game. The wooden cubes are sold in packs of several and, although they’re not sold in singles, they’re not expensive. With a fine-tip marker write on each side of one die. Write “½”, “¼”, “1/3″, “1/8″, “1/12″, and “Free”.
To play the game, lay the whole pizzas out in the center of the table, and give each child a paper plate. If you want, the kids can roll the die to see who gets the largest fraction to determine who will go first. Otherwise, just choose someone to begin and go around the table clockwise to take turns. If they’re rolling the dice to see who goes first anyone who rolls “Free” automatically goes first.
Each child will roll the die and take a slice of pizza which coincides with the fraction shown on the roll. The game continues as the players take the slices indicated on the die. But if someone rolls the “Free” that player will take any slice he or she wants from someone else’s plate.
Players don’t necessarily have to take one piece which is indicated by the die. For instance, if a child rolls “¼”, he or she can take 2 of the “1/8″ slices. This helps kids to learn about adding and subtracting fractions. Even though kids can take more than one slice to equal the amount shown on the die no player can end up with more than a whole pizza.
As the game continues, the first person with a full plate of pizza yells “Pizza” and that player is the winner. But actually, they all are, because now they understand a whole lot more about fractions than they did when they started.