Creative maths activities to try at home
Explore our fun creative maths activities, available to download for free! Our activities are suitable for children aged 4-12. We have used this symbol* where they are best suited to older children.
Psst! Parents and carers, remember all of our resources are designed for exploring as a family. There is no right or wrong way, so don’t be afraid to get stuck in and enjoy experimenting. Get creative, play, make mistakes and let children take each activity or challenge as far as they want. You’ll be creating positive memories of maths together as a family – an important step in building a confident, can-do attitude towards maths.
Summer Saturdays
New creative maths activities added weekly, throughout the summer holidays
We cannot run our July & August face-to-face library sessions so we’ve created Summer Saturdays with the Maths Mates – a 7-week programme each with a different theme exploring a range of mathematical ideas. There’ll be craft, construction, puzzles, maps and games and you can do them in any order.
Visit the Summer Saturdays page
Numbers
Maths of me activity
This activity is all about the maths of yourself. Explore the numbers surrounding you and your life.
MATHS OF ME ACTIVITY
Write a Pi Poem (Piem) or Story activity*
A creative way to explore π! Try writing a poem or story using the digits in pi to 20 decimal places.
WRITE A PIEM ACTIVITY
Number Square activity
Number squares are really useful resources. Set yourself challenges, discover patterns and create your own games. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 20th April 2020)
NUMBER SQUARE ACTIVITY
Make a Pi Plate activity
This is a fun way to explore the digits of pi (3.1415926535) and discover the concept of infinite numbers. You will be using and understanding mathematical terms whilst learning interesting facts about circles. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 11th May 2020)
PI PLATE ACTIVITY
2019 in numbers maths activity
Take the 2019 number challenge! Can you find ways of getting numbers 1-12 using only 2,0,1,9 and the 4 operators?
NEW YEAR IN NUMBERS 2019 ACTIVITY
Times Table Scroll activity
Make your own version of an ancient scroll that was used to record the times tables in China around 305 BC. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 8th June)
TIMES TABLE SCROLL ACTIVITY
Nifty numbers activity
Improve your family’s number skills and have fun at the same time with these creative ideas and games.
NIFTY NUMBERS ACTIVITY
Make a Rainbow Multiple activity
Create a rainbow multiple to put in your window and make people smile. You’ll also be practising your times tables! Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 6th April 2020)
MAKE A RAINBOW MULTIPLE ACTIVITY
Create a Number Character activity
What’s your favourite number? Choose a digit from 1-9 and bring it to life! This activity combines numbers and story telling. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 23rd March 2020)
CREATE A NUMBER CHARACTER ACTIVITY
Maths Trail activity
Create a maths trail around your home! What will you find? This activity involves counting, multiplying, exploring shapes and using everyday objects to measure. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 30th March 2020)
MATHS TRAIL ACTIVITY
Doublebugs activity
Use these creepy crawlies to practise doubling + symmetry! Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 27th April 2020)
DOUBLEBUGS ACTIVITY
9 Times Table Trick activity
Get to know the 9 Times Table with this fun creative maths craft project to try at home with your family!
🎬 9 TIMES TABLE TRICK ACTIVITY
More ‘Tables Tricks’
If you enjoyed the 9 Times Table activity, here are some ideas for other ‘Table Tricks’.
TABLES ‘TRICKS’ IDEAS ACTIVITY
Make a 100 bead necklace
Practising counting, multiplying and using number bonds to 100.
100 BEAD NECKLACE ACTIVITY
Multiple Monsters activity
Practise multiplying with paper. Make a monster, then multiply it! How many legs did you start with and how many do you have now? Why not give them some eyes and spots or stripes? Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 15th June 2020)
MULTIPLE MONSTERS ACTIVITY
Coin Toss Activity – The Queen’s Birthday Bumps
Grab a coin and try a coin toss experiment. You’ll be thinking about how likely it is that a coin will land heads side up by using your knowledge of probability to develop and evaluate predictions. Remember to please play safely. Coins are not toys and can be a choking hazard for young children.
BIRTHDAY BUMPS ACTIVITY
Coin Toss Activity – Corgi Heads & Tails (2-players)
In this game of chance, you’ll be learning about probability. Toss a coin and move your counter along the corgi dog depending on how the coin lands. The first player to reach the head or tail wins! Remember to please play safely. Coins are not toys and can be a choking hazard for young children. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 22nd June 2020)
CORGI HEADS AND TAILS ACTIVITY
Measurements
Marathon 2020 Challenge activity
You will be Measure time and distance, convert units and make predictions with our marathon-themed activity sheet
MARATHON 2020 CHALLENGE
Marvellous measure maths activity*
Forget treasure hunts – go on a measure hunt instead! Explore the different lengths of the everyday things you see. You’ll need a tape measure for this activity. If you don’t have one, why not use string and then measure against a ruler? Or create your own with our ‘Make a Hand Kite’ activity (below).
MARVELLOUS MEASURES ACTIVITY
Make a Hand Kite activity
Explore measurement and the importance of accuracy in mathematics. Throughout history, people have been using themselves to measure length. Now you can too with this handy hand ruler! Part of Monday Maths Fun Day (Monday 25th May 2010)
HAND KITE ACTIVITY
Measure Me activity
With this activity you’ll be choosing and using mathematical equipment to make accurate measurements and you’ll also be exploring scale and ratio. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 4th May 2020)
MEASURE ME ACTIVITY
Build a rocket activity
Make a rocket and see how far it can travel! Learn about measurements and distances.
BUILD A ROCKET ACTIVITY
Fractions, Percentages & Time
Bits + bobs fractions activity
Learn about fractions and ratios, and enjoy a treat at the same time! You can use any multi-coloured sweet treat but you’ll probably need 2 packs – one for the activity and one to eat!
BITS + BOBS FRACTIONS ACTIVITY
Data decoder maths activity*
Decode the world around you with this activity. Explore the fractions, percentages and decimals spotted in everyday life.
DATA DECODER ACTIVITY
Sorting Cereal activity
A yummy way to collect, present and compare data in different forms. You’ll need some multi-shaped cereal. Don’t eat any until afterwards otherwise your sorting will get in a muddle! Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 18th May 2020)
SORTING CEREAL ACTIVITY
Kings Cross family trail maths activity
Maths on the move! Take a trip to Kings Cross station in London to discover the maths around Pancras Square. Or perhaps you can create your own family trail about your local area, or your home!
KINGS CROSS FAMILY MATHS TRAIL ACTIVITY
Patterns, Shapes & Angles
Easter tangram activity
These farmyard friends have received some Easter gifts but who could they be from? Try the tangram activity and see if you can work it out.
🎬 EASTER TANGRAM ACTIVITY
Easter egg symmetry activity
Practise pattern-making, create shapes and use symmetry with this egg-themed activity.
EASTER EGG SYMMETRY ACTIVITY
Angle eater activity
Make your own angle eater and go on a hunt for right angles!
ANGLE EATER ACTIVITY
6 sided dice net activity
Make your own giant dice with this cube net. A net is a flat shape which when folded and put together forms a 3D shape!
DICE NET ACTIVITY
Mobius strip maths activity
Download this template to make your own mobius strip. This mysterious shapes has only got one side – but how? Prepare to amaze your friends and family.
MOBIUS STRIP ACTIVITY
Create a Garland of Shapes + a Diamond necklace activity
Recognise and name 2D and 3D shapes and explore key properties of regular shapes, such as how many sides or faces they have. Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 13th April 2020)
GARLAND OF SHAPES ACTIVITY
Party puzzle maths activity
How do you see patterns differently from others? Create your own pattern and compare it with your friends.
PARTY PUZZLE ACTIVITY
Make an Equilateral Triangle
An equilateral triangle is a triangle with all its sides the same length. You can make loads of different shapes and patterns from an equilateral triangle. Can you construct something with your equilateral triangles? Look for inspiration around you! Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 29th June 2020)
EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE ACTIVITY
Tetrahedron Challenge
A tetrahedron is a shape made of four triangles. Take on our tetrahedron challenge! Can you turn a loop of 12 straws in to a tetrahedron just by by twisting? Part of ‘Monday Maths Fun Day’ (Monday 6th July 2020)
TETRAHEDRON CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Snowflake activities
Two craft activities perfect for chilly winter afternoons. Download these snowflake activities to create your own festive decorations and explore space, shape and symmetry.
❄ LOLLY STICK SNOWFLAKE ACTIVITY ❄ PAPER SNOWFLAKE ACTIVITY
Super shapes maths activity
Draw your favourite shape in the form of superhero! What special powers will it have?
SUPER SHAPES ACTIVITY
Toasty Tangrams activity
Make your own Toast Tangram puzzle, and then make giraffes, cats or whatever you want. It’s playing with your food, but it’s also definitely mathematical.
TOAST TANGRAM ACTIVITY
Little Robot activity
When you make Little Robot you’re seeing how flat shapes come together to make 3D shapes – a maths skill. There’s also counting, logic, and figuring out.
LITTLE ROBOT ACTIVITYMaths on Toast Bites Films
Maths on Toast Bites is an online maths resource. It is a series of 5 fun ‘How To…’ videos presented by children aged 8 – 11.
How to make a hexaflexagon
A hexaflexagon is a folded paper polygon with a magical hidden surprise inside. Make your own and astound your friends!
🎬 HOW TO MAKE A HEXAFLEXAGON
How to make Platonic solids
Discover the 5 special shapes known as the Platonic Solids. Make a Tetrahedron, which has 4 faces, and an Icosahedron, which has 20!
🎬 HOW TO MAKE PLATONIC SOLIDS
Magic maths: how to step inside a playing card
And now for your next trick – discover how to step inside a playing card. Abracadabra!
🎬 MAGIC MATHS: HOW TO STEP INSIDE A PLAYING CARD
Construction challenge film
Can you build a sturdy structure using only cocktail sticks and sweets? Try it yourself and discover which shapes are the strongest.
🎬 CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGE FILM
Fun maths games for the family
Fun maths games you can download and play at home with family and friends. You’ll need some dice for these.
🎬 FUN MATHS GAMES FOR THE FAMILY
Write a review of maths on toast bites
After you’ve watched all the videos, why not write a review? Download the review template and tell us what you think of each Maths on Toast Bites film – how many stars will you give us?
WRITE A REVIEW OF MATHS ON TOAST BITES