16 Smart Place Value Activities For Elementary Math Students

1. Place Value War: Divide students into pairs and give each pair a deck of cards. Each pair plays a normal game of War, but with a twist. Instead of comparing the cards’ face values, they must compare the place value of a specific digit in each number. For example, if one card has the number 452 and the other has 620, the students would compare the tens digit (5 and 2) to determine the winner.
2. Number Towers: Provide students with a set of base-ten blocks (or you can use virtual base-ten blocks online). Instruct them to build towers of numbers using the blocks to represent the place value. For example, they could build a tower with a hundred block, followed by two ten blocks, and three one blocks to represent the number 123.
3. Place Value Flip Chart: Create a flip chart with columns for each place value (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.). Ask students to write different numbers on index cards and place them in the appropriate column. This activity helps students visualize the concept of place value and understand the value of each digit.
4. Place Value Bingo: Create bingo cards with numbers represented in different place values. Call out a number, and students must cover the corresponding place value on their cards. For example, if the number called is 362, students would cover the tens and ones places on their cards.
5. Place Value Puzzles: Create puzzles where students have to match the expanded form, word form, and standard form of a number. For example, they might have to match “300 + 60 + 7” with “367” and “three hundred sixty-seven.”
6. Place Value Toss: Draw a large place value chart on the ground or use a place value chart mat. Give students bean bags or small balls. Call out a number, and students have to throw their bean bags or balls onto the correct digit in the chart. This activity helps reinforce the concept of
place value and accuracy in reading numbers.
7. Place Value Scavenger Hunt: Hide different numbers around the classroom or outdoor area. Provide students with a worksheet or a checklist with different place value representations (expanded form, word form, etc.). They must search for the hidden numbers and write down the corresponding place value representations.
8. Place Value Mystery Code: Create a coded message using numbers and their place value representations. For example, each digit in a number corresponds to a letter in the alphabet. Students have to decipher the message by solving place value problems and matching the answers to the coded letters.
9. Place Value Board Game: Design a board game where students move their game pieces based on place value questions or challenges. For example, they might have to solve a place value problem to advance on the board or answer a place value question to earn extra turns.
10. Place Value Manipulatives: Provide students with manipulatives like base-ten blocks, place value discs, or place value flip charts. Ask them to build different numbers and represent them using the manipulatives. This hands-on activity enhances their understanding of place value and encourages them to work with concrete materials.
11. Place Value Riddles: Create riddles where students have to guess a number based on the given clues about its place value. For example, “I am a three-digit number. My hundreds digit is twice my tens digit. My ones digit is 4. What number am I?” Students can take turns creating their own place value riddles for their classmates.
12. Place Value Art: Have students create artwork using numbers and their place value representations. They can draw pictures or create collages where numbers are used to represent different elements. For example, they can draw a tree with the trunk represented by the ones digit, the branches by the tens digit, and the leaves by the hundreds digit.
13. Place Value Sort: Give students a set of number cards with different place value representations. They must sort the cards into groups based on their place value. This activity helps students compare and categorize numbers based on their place value relationships.
14. Place Value Memory Game: Create pairs of cards with numbers written in different place value representations. Students take turns flipping two cards to find a matching pair. This game tests their memory while reinforcing their understanding of place value concepts.
15. Place Value Calculator: Provide students with calculators and a list of numbers. They have to enter each number into the calculator and identify the place value of a specific digit. This activity helps them practice using a tool while applying their knowledge of place value.
16. Place Value Worksheets: Assign worksheets or online practice activities where students solve problems related to place value. Include a variety of questions that cover different aspects of place value, such as recognizing patterns, comparing numbers, and determining the value of specific digits.