Everyone needs a holiday, especially you and the kids! But as an ex-primary teacher, I remember that the students’ return after the summer holidays is always a bit of a shock. They all seem to have forgotten what was taught last year, and their brains are completely in holiday mode, leaving us with a few weeks of just getting back into the rhythm of learning. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of games and videos you can play to get back to learning… in a holiday way! Here are a few of our favourites:

1. Counting and movement song by GoNoodle and Dr Seuss – music and math is a perfect couple, let’s throw some dance moves in and you have a great way to count while having fun!
2. Subitizing song by Jack Hartman – or subitising in the UK! Subitising is the quick recognition of numbers without having to count them, and is an essential skill for learning numbers. Get kids to shout the numbers once they appear. 
3. Play ‘Guess My Number’ on a road trip – Very similar to 20 questions, one person thinks of a number and the others take turns at asking yes/no questions, for example “Is it an even number?” “Is it greater than 10?” Remember to stay within the numbers your kids know! 
4. Digit Detectives – Like Guess My Number, but this time you give the clues! Give clues like “It’s even”, “It has two digits” until they guess correctly. The perfect game if you have a spare five minutes before the end of a lesson!
5. Our new Bumper Cars Racing Game! – As a special holiday treat, we have made a fun new compact game for the home or on a trip – the Bumper Cars Race! If your kid loves the Bumper Cars in Number Skills, they’ll definitely love this. You’ll need 1 die and two counters, then simply print on A4 paper, bring along on your trip and race each other to the finish line to win. Perfect for a little counting practice, or we’ve added tips in the instructions for increasing the challenge. 

So there you have it, a few fun ideas to get back into learning before school kicks off again. In the meantime, have the best summer, and we’ll see you back for more Number Skills practice soon!