Practicing Multiplication with Chalk

🎂 7 + years ⏱️ 15 min 📍 Everywhere ⭐ easy

You're outside. You have chalk in your hand. There's space on the ground. Today, you don't need a math book; today, you're playing math. You'll jump, throw, and calculate. You'll make mistakes and laugh. And in the end, you'll be able to do something that felt hard before. You can learn multiplication with your whole body. You see the numbers, you say them out loud, you move around. This way, your brain understands how the tasks are connected much better. And the best part: you only need chalk, two stones or other natural materials, and a bit of courage to get started.

What you'll need

Chalk
Natural materials

How it works

Find a free space outside. On the schoolyard, in the yard, or on an empty terrace. Grab some chalk, preferably a color that's easy to see. Draw a large cross in the center. This is your marking.
Around the marking, write the numbers from 0 to 10. The numbers should be clearly readable and have enough space in between so you can aim well with the stones or your feet later. Your number wheel is now ready.
Now you need two small stones or pine cones. Stand in front of your number wheel. Carefully throw both stones into the circle. Which numbers did they land on? For example, on 7 and 8? Then your task is: 7 times 8.
If you don't have stones or prefer to jump, that's fine too. Jump with both feet on two numbers. The numbers you land on are your task. Sometimes the stone lands between two numbers; just take the number that's closer.
When you're done, throw the stones again or jump again and calculate the next task. Are you already good? Then build a second number wheel next to it. This way, you can practice larger tasks like 11 times 11.
When you learn with your body, your brain remembers the tasks better. You can feel, hear, and see the numbers. You can move, laugh, and play. This way, multiplication becomes a fun game instead of dry memorization.
What's important is not to know everything right away. What's important is that you dare to try. That you practice. And that you stick with it. If you enjoy this, you can also invent new chalk games with math tasks.