Name that Number!: A Guessing Game

Use this fun and lively guessing game as a way to help reinforce number concepts, while keeping your child entertained. It’s perfect to play during restaurant waits, car rides, or anytime you have a few extra minutes to kill.
In the grand tradition of “I Spy”, “Twenty Questions”, and the other guessing games you may vaguely recall from your childhood, this is a do-it-anywhere, no-equipment-required diversion.

Here’s how it works:
Think of a number from 0- 10. Tell your child she’ll have ten guesses to figure it out. As she makes guesses, you’ll give “higher” and “lower” responses to help steer your child to the unknown number. As your child’s ability and confidence grow, change roles so that you’re the one guessing the number and your child gives the clues.  Eventually, increase the range of number to 0-50, or change the range to start with a higher number, such as 30-50.

A typical game might go like this:
Parent: I’m thinking of a number between 0 and 30.
Child: Is it 20?
Parent: No, lower.
Child: Is it 10?
Parent: No, higher. So now we know it’s between 10 and 20.
Child: Ok, is it 12?
Parent: No, it’s higher than 12.
Child: 11?
Parent: No, remember, we said it’s higher than 12 and 11 comes before 12.
Child: 15?
Parent: Higher than 15.
Child: 16?
Parent: Higher, but you’re getting close.
Child: 17?
Parent: Higher.
Child: 18?
Parent: YES! That’s it! You got it!

Kids will likely focus on the fun of the guessing, and the added delight of tricking mom or dad. But they’re also learning a key preschool math concept: how to compare, describe, and order numbers by more or less.  If the game is too hard at first, you can give extra support by jotting down a quick number line for your son to reference when he needs a hint. If it’s too easy, you can limit the number of guesses your child can make, or challenge her to guess the number within a certain time frame