Experimath - Experiment 32

Syllabus links

Key Stage 2 (age 7 to 11)

Can you design and create your own maths fishing game?

This experiment gives children an opportunity to have fun playing a fishing game while solving a variety of maths problems.

The child will learn how to construct the game and will be able to practice solving maths questions.

some plastic bottles

a stick

string or wool

some curtain J-hooks

some curtain eye hooks

a marker pen

some paper

a pencil

sticky tape

a pair of scissors

a paddling pool (optional)

Gather all the necessary materials.
Create your fishes using empty plastic bottles. Use your permanent markers to draw eyes, fins, and tails on the bottles. Attach an eye hook (or a washer) on one end of each bottle to serve as the fish's mouth.
Create your fishing rods using sticks and string. Attach J-hooks (or magnets) as your fishing hooks.
Use the marker pen to write a different number on each fish. These numbers will be the answers to your maths questions.
On your piece of paper write down some maths questions. Each question should have an answer that's drawn on a fish.
Place your fishes into a large tub of water or a paddling pool.

Be very careful not to tread on anything sharp, especially if you're playing in bare feet.

Invite your friends and family to play the game.
Ask an adult to read the questions while you and the others play the game.

Race the other players to catch the fish with the number that answers the question.
When all the fish are caught, create another set of maths problems. Ask the other contestants to help to make your questions more challenging.
Play the game again with the new set of questions.

What types of maths problems are easy for you to answer? What types are you having hard time answering?

This will vary from child to child, but it's important to think about any areas of weakness.

It would be good to create new sets of questions that focus on any problem areas.

How could you make the game more challenging?

One way to make the game more challenging would be by reversing the mechanics: write the answers on paper and the maths problems on the bottles.

Experiment 32 v2