These activities all make use of counters. They supplement the tasks in our Counters Feature.
game
Favourite
Snail one hundred
In this game, you throw a dice and move counters along the snail's body and in a spiral around the snail's shell. It is about understanding tens and ones.
problem
Favourite
En-counters
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
This task requires learners to explain and help others, asking and answering questions.
problem
Favourite
6 beads
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
If you put three beads onto a tens/ones abacus you can make the numbers 3, 30, 12 or 21. What numbers can be made with six beads?
problem
Three by three
Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
Arrange 3 red, 3 blue and 3 yellow counters into a three-by-three square grid, so that there is only one of each colour in every row and every column
problem
Three way mix up
Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
Jack has nine tiles. He put them together to make a square so that two tiles of the same colour were not beside each other. Can you find another way to do it?
problem
Teddy bear line-up
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
What is the least number of moves you can take to rearrange the
bears so that no bear is next to a bear of the same colour?
problem
Favourite
Counters in the middle
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
This task depends on groups working collaboratively, discussing and reasoning to agree a final product.
problem
Counting counters
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Take a counter and surround it by a ring of other counters that
MUST touch two others. How many are needed?
problem
Beads
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Three beads are threaded on a circular wire and are coloured either red or blue. Can you find all four different combinations?
problem
Make pairs
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Put 10 counters in a row. Find a way to arrange the counters into
five pairs, evenly spaced in a row, in just 5 moves, using the
rules.