Place Value Maze

Description

These place value mazes are a fun way to point out to your child the way adding 1 in different place values can change a number. As kids work through each place value maze they can make math connections in a fun and enjoyable way.

Have your child start with adding tens to the first place value maze. It will seem easy until he hits a nine. Oh, the dreaded, tricky nines.

Here’s how I handle the nines. I have our base-ten set ready to go. I find that pre-teaching is less effective than answering questions, so I just let my kiddos get started. When they hit a nine and have a hard time visualizing the regrouping, that’s when I bring out our base-ten blocks.

Your child will hit 8,197 halfway through the maze. Build the number 8,197 using 7 unit blocks, 9 ten rods, 1 hundred base, and 8 thousand cubes.  Hand your child another ten rod and ask him where it goes. Give him a minute to think about it.

He might make the connections and figure it out himself, because the base-ten blocks are such a great tool. But if he needs to be prompted, ask him if he wants to trade you ten rods (tens) for a base (100), then have him write out the number, 8,207 from the base-ten blocks. The subsequent mazes are just more difficult versions of the same thing — differentiated for more advanced place value understanding.

If that first place value maze is easy for your child, just let him progress through the mazes until he has a question. Help him figure it out with the base-ten blocks and try to move on. If the first maze seems difficult, have your child build the first number with the base-ten blocks, and build each number as you progress through the maze, showing your child what it looks like to add a ten rod over and over.

You can get these place value mazes free at this post. And here are several more place value games to increase understanding.

 

Required materials: All you will need are the mazes and a pencil.

 

Age range: 2nd to 4th grade