🌞 Summer Math Outside: 8 Playful Activities to Prevent the Summer Slide

Jun 4

Summer is here! As routines shift and school takes a break, young learners can lose ground in critical subjects like math. This “summer slide” is real—but with a little creativity and outdoor play, your child (and grown-ups too!) can keep learning while having fun!

Here are eight joyful, outdoor math activities designed to spark curiosity and help your child stay math-strong all summer long:

🔍 1. Play I-Spy Numbers

Skills: Number recognition, observation
Take a walk around your neighborhood and play “I Spy” using numbers!

Look for numbers on:

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License plates
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Mailboxes
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House numbers
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Street signs
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Business signs
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Say things like:
👉 “I spy something with the number 5!”

Help your child with clues if needed, and watch how quickly they start spotting digits everywhere.

Feel free to adapt the game, move onto spying groups of objects. For example say, “I spy 4 green signs” while on a family walk, or “I spy 8 shoes” while getting ready for the day!

➡️ Get the full I-Spy activity guide »

🪨 2. Make a Homemade Number Line

Skills: Counting, sequencing, simple operations
Grab sidewalk chalk and some painted rocks to build a giant number line in your driveway or on a sidewalk.

Try these playful ideas:

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Put the numbers in order
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Jump along the line to count
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Toss a rock and name the number it lands onUse it to demonstrate simple addition or subtraction

➡️ Learn how to create an outdoor number line »

➕ 3. Do Interactive Addition & Subtraction with Stones

Skills: Hands-on addition and subtraction
Paint animals or numbers onto flat stones. Then use them to model simple math stories.

Example:
🐸 “There are 4 frog stones. Two hop away. How many are left?”

Kids can physically move the stones around to solve the problem—great for tactile learners!

➡️ More addition/subtraction ideas using stones »

📊 4. Create a Sidewalk Bar Graph

Skills: Sorting, counting, comparing
Make math visual! Go outside and tally:

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Car colors
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House colors
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Flower types
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Dog breeds
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Use chalk to draw a simple bar graph and compare the results together. Clipboards help if you’re walking or driving around the neighborhood!

➡️ Step-by-step outdoor bar graph guide »

🍂 5. Count and Sort Nature’s Treasures

Skills: Counting, grouping, patterning
On a walk, collect and count items like:

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Leaves
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Rocks
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Sticks
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Pinecones
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Sort them by shape, size, or color. Create simple patterns or group them into sets to build math fluency through nature.

➡️ Explore more nature-based math ideas »

🃏 6. Play the “Make 10” Card Game Outdoors

Skills: Mental math, number bonds
Bring a deck of cards outside and try this fun game:

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Lay out several cards face up
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Look for combinations that add up to 10
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Try to find the most pairs in a short time!

➡️ How to play Make Ten »
➡️ Even more outdoor math ideas»

🥏 7. Play Integer Frisbee

Skills: Integer operations, mental math, movement
Designed by educator Tim Brzezinski, Integer Frisbee is an energetic outdoor game that combines physical activity with math practice.

How to play:

Label frisbees with different integers (positive and negative numbers).
Set up targets or zones with assigned integer values.
Players throw the frisbees aiming to land them in zones.
Calculate the sum of the frisbee's number and the zone's number to practice integer addition.

This game is ideal for upper elementary and middle school students, but with modifications, younger learners can enjoy simplified versions focusing on basic addition or subtraction.

➡️ Watch Tim Brzezinski's Integer Frisbee in action »

🍬 8. Marshmallow Shoot & Measure

Skills: Measurement, estimation, data collection
Create a marshmallow shooter using household items like plastic cups and balloons. Then:

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Mark a starting line on the ground.
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Shoot marshmallows and measure how far they travel using a ruler or measuring tape.

Record the distances and compare results.

This fun activity introduces basic measurement concepts and encourages experimentation.

➡️ Watch a tutorial on creating a marshmallow shooter »

☀️ Tips for a Summer of Learning

Keep it playful: Think laughter, not worksheets.

Mix it up: Try one new activity each week.

Let them lead: Follow your child’s interests—bugs? cars? flowers? Go with it!

Celebrate the fun: Snap a photo and tag us—we’d love to see your math-in-action moments!

With just a few simple tools and a spirit of adventure, you can help your child stay confident and curious in math all summer long.

Which activity will you try first? Click the links above for full how-tos and enjoy making math memories outdoors!

Emir Elliott-Lindo https://www.bigfcp.com