There are so many fun ways to explore fractions with young learners. And we all know that kids make a deeper connection to learning by doing hands-on activities. So it’s important to have a wide array of activities on hand to help kids learn this tricky concept. We’ve pulled together a list of favorite classroom fraction games and activities and online fraction games to try in the classroom or at home.
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Classroom Activities and Games for Learning Fractions
Digital Games for Learning Fractions
Classroom Activities and Games for Learning Fractions
1. Build fractions with play dough
Using a plastic cup or cookie cutter, have students cut out circles from different-colored dough. Then, using a plastic knife, have each student cut their circles into different fractions (halves, quarters, thirds, etc.). Finally, use fraction pieces to have students find equivalent fractions and create greater-than and less-than math sentences.
Learn more: Play Dough Fractions at Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls
2. Make a fraction sundae
Students follow the recipe to create a yummy fraction sundae with ice cream, sprinkles, and cherries on top!
Learn more: Fraction Sundae at Ashleigh’s Education Journey
3. Sort sticky notes
Divide sticky notes into sections, then have kids sort them onto anchor charts. We especially love using fun shapes like hearts or stars.
Learn more: Sort Sticky Notes at Smitten With First
4. Connect fractions to learn and win
Repurpose a Connect 4 set to play fraction games. The goal is to match not only your colors but the fractions themselves. For instance, you need four one-fourths in a row, but only three one-thirds, so there’s strategy involved too.
Learn more: Fraction Game With Connect 4 at No Time for Flash Cards
5. Shoot hoops
Using the world’s smallest official Nerf basketball set, students shoot a specified number of baskets, keeping track of their success and turning each round into a fraction.
Learn more: Basketball Fraction Review at Teaching With Jennifer Findley
6. Solve the Fraction of the Day
Fractions are one of those math concepts we actually use quite a bit in everyday life. Make them part of routine practice by posing a new Fraction of the Day question each morning, like “What fraction of the class is wearing shorts today?”
Learn more: Fraction of the Day at Runde’s Room
7. Grab fraction Spoons
If you’ve played Spoons before, you know the drill. Match four of a kind (this time using free printable fraction cards found at the link below), and you get to grab for a spoon—and so does everyone else! The loser takes one letter from the word SPOON, and play continues. When a player gets all five letters in SPOON, they lose.
Learn more: Fraction Spoons at Games 4 Gains
8. Get Them in Order
Comparing fractions is definitely a bit of a challenge. This simple free printable game tasks kids with putting a series of four fractions in order from smallest to largest. They can race to see who finishes first or just challenge themselves to get the right answer.
Learn more: Get Them in Order at Math Geek Mama
9. Whip up some s’mores
Can you think of a better way to get your students’ attention than with the mention of a yummy treat? Your students will love this hands-on equivalent fractions activity.
Learn more: S’mores Fractions at The Curriculum Corner
10. Fight it out in a fraction war
Your kids probably already know how to play War with cards. This version just adds a fraction aspect. Students deal two cards—a numerator and a denominator—and then determine whose fraction is the largest. The winner keeps all four cards, and play continues until the cards are gone. You can also play using these free printable fraction cards.
Learn more: Fraction War at Math File Folder Games
11. Noodle around with fractions
It’s so easy to make these pool noodle math manipulatives, which you can then use for all kinds of fraction games and activities.
Learn more: Pool Fraction Noodles at We Are Teachers
12. Build excitement with LEGO fraction games and activities
Visualizing what fractions represent is easier (and a lot more fun) when you use LEGO bricks! Lay them out side by side or build towers. No matter how you play, this is a surefire hit.
Learn more: LEGO Fractions at JDaniel4’s Mom
13. Try butterfly fractions
Teach your older students the butterfly method for adding and subtracting fractions. The step-by-step directions will lead them through the process.
Learn more: Butterfly Fractions at Move It Math
14. Make paper-plate fractions
Such a fun, colorful way to play with fractions and equivalencies!
Learn more: Paper Plate Fractions at We Are Teachers
15. Move to Fraction Avenue
This is such a fun activity! Grab the free printable street scene at the link. Then, have kids follow the directions to add details. For instance, 2/8 of the homes have dogs outside. Ask kids to reduce the fraction, then draw the correct number of pups.
Learn more: Fraction Avenue at Ashleigh’s Education Journey
16. Make fraction flip-books
Fraction flip-books are fun to make and a great resource to help students build understanding around comparing fractions. This step-by-step video will guide you through all the steps for your students to build this valuable tool.
Learn more: Annette Krimmer on YouTube
17. Divvy up buttons
This is a great hands-on activity, especially if you’re trying to avoid using food as a math manipulative. Ask for donations of buttons from your community and keep a large supply on hand. For this activity, let each student take a large handful of multicolored buttons and add up how many they have all together. Then, have them divide the buttons into groups by color. Finally, have them write a fraction equivalent for each color.
Learn more: Fraction Buttons at The Teacher Next Door
18. Jump into fraction hopscotch
It’s hopscotch—with a fraction game twist! Draw a hopscotch board on the playground (or outline one with tape on your classroom or hallway floor). Label the squares with fractions instead of whole numbers. Kids throw a marker and jump to where it lands, then name the equivalent fractions for that square.
Learn more: Fraction Hopscotch at Capturing Classroom Ideas
19. Put a spin on the fraction fun
Kids get a kick out of stuff that spins, so they’ll love these free printable fraction games and activities. Since the spinners are just pencils and paper clips, every kid can have their own as they practice their fraction skills.
Learn more: Fraction Worksheet Games at We Are Teachers
20. Color your way to fraction bingo
There’s learning and strategy involved when you play fraction bingo. Kids color in portions of the circles in an effort to get five in a row, based on the fractions the teacher calls out. Of course, the best part is getting to shout “Bingo!”
Learn more: Bingo Fractions Math Game at School Time Snippets
21. Reduce fractions and race to the finish
Kids draw a card (the free printable cards and board are available at the link below) and reduce the fraction shown. They then move along the board to the next square that matches. First to the end wins!
Learn more: Fraction Race at 123 Homeschool 4 Me
22. Build relationships as you build math skills
Divide students into small groups. Give each group a list of questions they can use to find out more about one another. Have them record their results on a poster in the form of fractions.
Learn more: Fraction Groups at The Teacher Next Door
23. Get into a fraction fiasco
Once they get the rules down, kids will be adding fractions and checking one another’s work in this free printable game. You’ll find all the instructions and the game board at the link below.
Learn more: Fraction Fiasco at Learn With Math Games
24. Do the math with domino fractions
Dominoes are like ready-made fractions! Multiply (or add, subtract, or divide) them and reduce the results. Turn it into a race to see who can finish—correctly—first.
Learn more: Domino Fractions at Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational
25. Use M&Ms to teach fractions
Start this activity with instructions that your students can eat their math manipulatives after the lesson! Then, let them dive into creating different fractions.
Learn more: M&M Fractions at Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls
26. Play with pattern blocks
If you’ve already got pattern blocks on hand, put them to good use in some fractions games. In this one, kids spin to find out how many blocks they get to add to their board in an effort to be the first to build six complete shapes.
Learn more: Pattern Block Fractions at Math Geek Mama
Digital Games for Learning Fractions
27. Feed Me Fractions
Feed fractions to the monster and watch him grow. One free month, then memberships start at $9.95 a month.
Learn more: Feed Me Fractions at IXL Learning
28. Worm Sandwich Fractions
Kids identify fractions to split up wiggly worm sandwiches in this silly math game. It’s free and just requires signing up for an account.
Learn more: Worm Sandwich Fractions at Education.com
29. Frax Foundations
Explore the galaxy with adaptive, game-based fraction activities online. Free 30-day trial available.
Learn more: Frax Foundations at Frax Math
30. Compare Fractions
The game asks students to compare non-unit fractions using fraction strips as visual cues. Students then choose the correct symbol >, =, or < to answer the questions. Parents can try for free, and teachers can use it for free with account sign-up.
Learn more: Compare Fractions at SplashLearn
31. Fraction Fling
Fractions float by and the player must fling a rock to hit the correct answer to the visual model. It’s free, with premium membership available.
Learn more: Fraction Fling at ABCya
32. Fractions Splat
Students can choose their level, mode, and speed as they match a fraction with images floating by, Tetris-style. When they choose the correct image, they are rewarded with a “splat” sound. Free.
Learn more: Fractions Splat at Sheppard Software
33. Fraction Farm
Students must identify what fraction of the animals (bunnies, cows, etc.) are making a particular motion (eating, kicking, hopping). For every few answers they get correct, they get to choose a new feature for their own farm. Free.
Learn more: Fraction Farm at Roomrecess.com
34. X-Ray Math Fractions
Students will drag a box through the “X-ray machine” to reveal the fraction inside it. Then they will drag the box and drop it on an equivalent fraction. Free.
Learn more: X-Ray Math Fractions at MathNook
35. Dino Fishing
In this game, students head to an ancient watering hole and try their hand at capturing a unique array of fish by correctly answering questions comparing fractions.
Learn more: Dino Fishing at Education.com
36. Math Monster Fractions
Uncover all 12 monsters by comparing fractions. Free.
Learn more: Math Monster Fractions at Math Playground
37. Golfing Fractions
Students drag the golf club back and click swing to move the ball the fraction asked for in the question. Free.
Learn more: Golfing Fractions at Turtlediary.com
38. Equal Fractions
Students drag one visual image onto the plate on the left, then drag the written equivalent onto the plate on the right. Free.
Learn more: Equal Fractions at Topmarks
39. Tony Fraction’s Pizza Shop
Follow the customer order to load the pizza with the correct fractions of ingredients. Free; ad-free version available for $29 a year.
Learn more: Tony Fraction’s Pizza Shop at Mr. Nussbaum
40. Mathcopter
Fly the Mathcopter into the balloon containing the fraction that is equivalent to the fraction found at the bottom of the screen. Free with ads.
Learn more: Mathcopter at Primary Games
