outdoor problem solving ks1

Outdoor Math Games – 50 Ideas That Really Work

Getting maths into the outdoors is one of the biggest concerns many practitioners have. It is probably the thing I am asked about the most where maths is concerned.

This post is by far the most comprehensive quantity of high-quality outdoor math activities for children aged 3 to 6 that you will be able to find all in one place.

Why do maths outside?

The benefits of maths outdoors are many, which include:

• You can do things on a bigger scale
• Maths can become really active and physical
• You can use a wider range of found objects
• You have the space for large games
• Some children prefer being outdoors and will access maths opportunities more freely than indoors

Outdoors offer both an opportunity to learn new things, as well as practice basic math concepts they already understand with bigger and more active resources.

Here we go – let’s get stuck into some of the best and tried and tested outdoor math activities that will get your children loving maths outside.

Table of Contents

Number Stones

I have created quite an array of different types of number stones. These are actually great for use either inside or out. Lots of the math games I will demonstrate below can be played with these, although you can use many other things such as sticks, leaves, or conkers.

I just bought lots of white pebbles from a hardware shop and some acrylic paint.

If you’re looking to buy similar pebbles, something on Amazon like this will work.

For acrylic paint, some bog-standard primary colors like these will do the job.

I painted the stones with acrylic paint in different ways, and sometimes used a Sharpie pen if I needed to put an outline on them.

The number stones I have created include:

Sets of 1-10 Stones

These are alternately colored, yellow, white, yellow, white, to begin the idea of odd and even in a visual way. Great for ordering or using to label.

If you don’t want to create your own stones, you can also buy beautiful number stones, thus saving you time. Yellow Door painted number stones are a good choice (check out the latest price on Amazon here.)

Matching Numeral To Quantity Stones

Have some stones with numbers on, and some with quantities. It could be dots, or it could be something like insects.

These are brilliant for one to one correspondence in particular. If you want to find out what one to one correspondence is, and the best ways to teach it, then check this out.

Animal Stones

I have some ladybird stones, some leopard ones, as well as some zebra and bee stones. Any animal that has a multi-colored pattern can be copied. These stones are great for games.

2s, 5s And 10s Stones

Great for higher-ability children in the early years, and for challenging younger kids who are starting to count in different ways.

These are perfect for ordering numbers in a range of ways.

Outdoor Models and Images

Mathematicians think in pictures.

Models and images seem to work really well outside because you can make them big, and they can be the focus of active games.

The benefits of using models and images include:

• They present maths as pictures
• They are visual
• They allow for problem-solving
• They allow for the manipulation of physical objects
• They can be used again and again, often in different ways

Chalkboard Paint

A lot of the resources that I have created are using black chalkboard paint . This is one of the ultimate resources in the early years. It is great for painting large surfaces for mark-making, such as fences, sheds, pallets, or old furniture.

I imagine any can of chalkboard paint would work, but I use American Crafts DIY Chalkboard Paint (check out the current price on Amazon) . It does the job great.

I have painted several pieces of MDF from a hardware shop and then used these for games. However, you could just as easily chalk the games on the floor. I also once painted tree stumps with lots of games using acrylic paint. They lasted for at least a year, even out in the rain.

Addition Triangles

These are great for exploring number bonds. They represent the part-part-whole model used in Singapore Maths.

I have painted my addition triangles onto a piece of MDF. Using the animal stones (or another resource such as leaves and sticks), you can explore number bonds.

For example, start with five stones in the top circle. Split them up into different quantities, and put the stones in the two lower circles. For example, it could be 1+4, or 2+3.

Higher-ability children could try to record what they have found.

2 Sets For Addition

This math game is another good one when children are beginning to add. You can use painted stones, or just found objects from the area.

Place some objects in either circle and then simply count how many you have got altogether. This is an excellent way of adding two sets and finding the total.

Trellis Models And Images

One of the best things I ever tried was sawing up a big trellis that I found at a garden center. I am pretty sure I saw this on Pinterest but cannot remember where. I cut it up into many different models, such as:

• A ten frame
• A five frame
• A two-part addition frame
• A four-part frame

There are so many games that you can play using these. Children really love finding objects to experiment with in the frames.

Ten frames are a key resource to introduce to young children both inside and out . To find out more about what ten frames are and the many ways to use them, take a look at this .

Board Games Outside

Board games are fantastic for a range of mathematical skills. They encourage:

• Counting for a purpose
• Recognizing numbers
• Problem-solving
• Find more/less

Some examples of fantastic outdoor board games include:

Noughts And Crosses

This seems to be known more by the modern generation as tic tac toe.

It is a brilliant game for problem-solving and simple counting, as well as turn-taking. You can easily create simple boards on wood or logs, and use painted stones or objects such as pine cones and conkers.

I have recently seen a board made out of rope.

It is good for simple counting, doing mental math and subitizing, as well as thinking ahead.

Connect Four

Another classic game from the old days.

If you play this game on the floor it is actually easier to get four in a row than if you play the standard plastic version.

Create a large grid board, and then use different objects for each player. It could be stones vs. conkers. Put one on at a time, and try to get four in a row. You can actually have more than 2 players if you want as well. Great for counting, subitizing numbers, tactics and problem solving.

Racetrack 1-6 Game

Have a dice with numerals on it and a board that is a simple grid, with numerals 1 to 6, and some other boxes. Pick which number you think will win, and put your colored stone at the top of the grid for that number. Then roll the dice multiple times. Every time you roll it, put a stone on the right numeral on the grid. The first number is the number that fills up its grid.

This is a fantastic activity for number recognition. If you want to find out my favorite 16 games to teach recognizing numerals, then take a look at this article.

Racetrack 1-12 Game

This is quite a bit harder, and has a lot of probability and calculating involved. But this game makes math problems and math equations more enjoyable to solve.

Have a racetrack that is a 12 x 4 grid. Have the numbers 1-12 written on the bottom of the grid.

You will need two dice, ideally a dots dice and a numeral dice.

To start with every player predicts which number they think will win. They use something such as a colored stone to signify this by putting the stone at the top of the grid in the number column.

Then you take turns to roll a dice. For example, you might get 3+4. Put a stone on the first box in the 7 column. Keep going, adding stones to the number columns. The ‘winner’ is the first number to come out 3 times and make it to the top of the grid.

This game is excellent for multiple things:

• Calculating
• Counting on
• Probability – Numbers 6 and 7 are the two most likely to win. They have the most combinations of numbers possible. Number 1 can never win as you can never throw a 1 with two dice. Children may start to get a bit of an idea of this when they play.
• Thinking about ‘more’. I.e. how many more a number needs to win.

Number Line Race

This is a great way of exploring a number line.

Have a long number line either chalked on the floor (or painted on a piece of wood). Each child has one ‘counter’ such as a colored stone.

The idea is that everyone starts at the beginning of the line. The first child rolls a 1-6 dice. They move their stone along the line to that point (e.g. 5). Then the other children go. For the next go, you simply keep moving along the number line. The winner is the person that gets to the end first.

This is good for number recognition, and also problem solving (such as how far your opponent is ahead of you)

Blank Number Line Race

I also have a number line that has blank spaces on it. Children can add their own numbers to it.

They could be 1, 2, 3, etc., or they could mix it up. They could go backwards. Or they could start from a number that’s not 1. You could also do a game counting in tens.

Active Outdoor Math Games

Here are some physical outdoor games that can get children really engaged.

Stepping Stones

This is an excellent game of cooperation and teamwork.

I use rubber spots for this game with numbers on them. You can find similar spots to these at Amazon here.

You need one more spot than you have children, so if you have a team of six children you will need 7 spots (with numbers 1 to 7 on).

The children are in a line. The child at the front has all the spots (they have a hard job). The person at the back of the line actually has the hardest job, as they have to bend down and pick the spots up.

The idea is that the floor is now lava. You cannot stand on it. However, you can stand on the spots that are the stepping stones over the lava.

The child at the front finds number 1 and puts it on the floor. They stand on it. Then they put down number 2 in front of them, and step on that. Then number 3 etc. As there is a free stepping stone behind them, the others start to step onto the stones.

When number 7 is on the floor, the children should be standing on stones 2 to 7. Then it is the turn of the person at the back to pick up stone number 1 and pass it down the line.

They help each other to pass it down and the process starts again. The person at the back keeps on bending down and picking up the spare stepping stone.

I like to get them to say the number as they stand on it. This game is good for number recognition and ordering.

Using water spray-bottles

This is dead easy. Have water spray bottles and a dice. (A spray bottle lo oks a bit like this if you weren’t sure!)

Roll the dice and spray the bottle that number of times. It could be on the fence or on wallpaper. If you are brave you add a bit of paint to the water in the bottles.

Sticks Activities

There are so many learning opportunities can you perform with sticks including:

• Making 2D shapes.
• Ordering through size
• Making pictures – such as houses, vehicles, rockets, etc.
• Counting them
• Making ten-frames, or number lines

Balloon Games

Balloons are great for physical development, cooperation, and turn taking. Some great outdoor maths games with balloons include:

• Have a small group of children in a circle (approximately 4 to 6 children). Write numbers on a balloon in pen. Maybe put about 6 numbers on the balloon. One child hits the balloon up into the air, then another hits it up and continues. When you hit the balloon, say the number that you hit.
• Have lots of balloons, each with one number on them. Start with one balloon, keep it up, and when you hit it say the number. Then add another balloon to the circle, then another. Keep saying the number as you hit each balloon.
• Have one balloon again (this time with no numbers written on it). The first person says ‘One’ as they hit the balloon. Then the next person says, ‘two’. Continue like this.
• The harder version is counting back from 10 to 0. The first person hits the balloon and says ‘ten’. Then the next person says ‘nine’ as they hit it, and so on.

Maths Ball Games

All sorts of counting and number activities can really be brought to life with ball games . Here are some great examples:

Have Bibs With Numbers

This is one of the most fun outdoor math activities on this list!

Have shirts or bibs with numbers on that the children wear. The child-size version of these number sports vests would work well, as an example.

If you don’t have anything like this, you can write numbers on stickers and they stick them on their tops.

Stand in a circle.

The first child says a number that someone else is wearing and throws the ball to them. That person says ‘thank you’. Then that person chooses someone else, says their number and throws it to them.

This game can be done as a rolling game if they are struggling with catching.

Great for numeral recognition in a fun context. 

Write Numbers On The Balls

Either put stickers with numbers on onto balls, or write directly onto them if you don’t mind having permanent number balls. We use large rubber balls that look a bit like this (check them out on Amazon).

Again this could be a rolling game or a throwing game, depending on the skills of the children.

Start with one ball, but you want to quickly extend it to at least two and hopefully more.

One child says someone’s name and throws a ball to them. That child catches it and says the number.

Then they say someone else’s name and throw it to them. Repeat.

If you have two or three balls going at once there is lots of communication and teamwork required.

Pass The Number Balls Around The Circle

Using the same balls that you created for the last game, play a simple numeral recognition game.

The children sit in a circle and pass the balls around. When they are holding a ball they say the number that is written on it, before passing the ball to the next person.

This game is good because even if you don’t recognize all the numbers, you can listen to the person next to you and copy what they have said. Hopefully, in this way, you are absorbing what the numbers are in some way.

For those who know the numbers already, it is great for speed and quick recognition practice.

Symmetry – Building Half A Giant Outside

This is a great provocation for using outdoors with natural loose parts – things like sticks, leaves, conkers, reels, and building blocks. Just whatever you can find in the outdoor space. To find out the many resources you can use for loose parts play, take a look at this list of at least 100 ideas .

There is a simple way to do it, and a trickier way.

The simple way is for the adult to draw the silhouette of a huge giant on the floor with chalk. Draw a central line down the center of the body, from the top of the head down to the feet.

Now children ‘build’ the giant. Whatever they place on one side – for example, 4 conkers for hair – they try to copy on the other side.

There are harder ways of trying this game out. One harder variation is just draw a central line on the floor with chalk and nothing else. Then, once again, they try to build the giant on one side, and copy it on the other. This will create a much more random creation, and really get them thinking

Washing Lines

There are so many things you can do with washing lines , and it really is so simple to set up. Pretty much all you need is a piece of string.

You can put the string:

• Between two fences
• Between two walls
• I know several teachers who have put wooden broomsticks into pots and then filled the pot with concrete so that the brooms stand up. These are great for creating a washing line between two brooms

If you put a washing line up outside, the big thing to be careful of is that children do not run into it by mistake. The big threat is things like neck injuries.

Some ways to combat this include:

• Having the string next to a wall or fence
• Have it above their head height, maybe with a platform for them to stand on to peg things on to it
• Have it in an area where running is not possible

Anyway, here are some fantastic outdoor washing line activities:

• Hanging up the giant’s clothes. The trick is to bring some large adult clothes in, and you will be amazed at how the children are convinced they are giant clothes. Hang them next to baby clothes, and talk about the differences in size
• Hanging up pairs of socks
• Finding objects outside, such as sticks and leaves and pegging them up. You can peg found objects up in patterns, or you can add or subtract from them. For example, you could have three red leaves and add two brown leaves. How many have you got altogether?
• Ordering numbers. Ideally use something natural, like pegs with numbers on them or wood slices with numbers on them.

Parachute Games

Parachutes are another fantastic resource that can be used either adult-led outside or can be used independently if you model the games and how to use them to the children.

The parachute that I use looks like this:

These are really resilient and can create years of fun and learning. (Check out the latest price of this parachute on Amazon).

Here are some excellent maths parachute games:

• Number dive. Have some numbers underneath the parachute. Have several children holding the parachute. Pick a child to go first, and say ‘1,2,3 – lift!’ Everyone lifts the parachute high into the air. Then shout a number. That child dives under the parachute, grabs the number, and brings it out to safety. Repeat for other children. If the children are doing it by themselves, then the child that has just gone picks the person to go next, and also what number they will get.
• Shape Dive! This is the same as number dive but with shapes.
• Singing counting songs . This works really well if you have some toys to go with it. For example, five monkey toys so you can sing 5 Cheeky Monkeys Jumping On The Bed. Great for singing the song, and taking off one monkey at a time. (Check out these gorgeous monkey finger puppets you could use for this activity here.)
• Bean bag bounce. This is an excellent number bonds game. Have ten bean-bags on the parachute. You have a few seconds where everyone tries to bounce the bean-bags off the parachute. Count back by going 5-4-3-2-1-0. When you get to zero, see now many bean bags are left on the parachute. You will always have a number bond. If there are two on the chute, then there will be three on the ground. If there are four on the chute, there will be six on the ground.
• Hit The Number! Have some rubber numbers (or something similar) and balance them on top of the parachute as everyone holds it together. Have a rubber ball for this game as well. The adult says a number, and everyone tries to roll the ball onto that number. This is a game of cooperation as well as number recognition. You can potentially make it harder by saying things like ‘one more than three’ (and trying to roll the ball onto number four).

Outdoor Games Top-Tips

• Make everything big!
• Make it active
• Use lots of models and images for games
• Use found objects like stones, sticks and leaves
• Use balls, and floor games, and things like balloons

Outdoor math games have loads of fantastic benefits.

It makes maths fun!

It consolidates prior learning in an active and concrete way.

It helps children to link maths learning to the real world.

It is also extremely cheap and quite simple to set up. Pretty much all of these outdoor math activities use resources that are easy to source, and cost next to nothing or are free.

So why not give outdoor math games a go today?

If you are reading this and are based in the UK, then you may well be interested in my Practical Early Years Maths Training Courses that I run around the UK. Check them out to find a venue near you. All sessions are hands-on, practical, and based on numerous ideas to help you find success in teaching maths.

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14 Best Outdoor Math Activities That Make Learning Fun

1. Nature’s Numbers Hunt

2. sidewalk chalk math, 3. garden measurement, 4. outdoor math bingo, 5. shape hunt, 6. water balloon math toss, 7. math relay races, 8. time-telling with sundials, 9. nature patterns and sequences, 10. math treasure hunt.

Mathematics , a subject crucial for cognitive development, can sometimes be challenging and less appealing to young minds. However, it transforms when taken outside amidst the playfulness of nature and the freedom of open spaces. Outdoor math activities break the monotony of traditional learning methods , making math both engaging and enjoyable . They provide a hands-on experience where children can connect mathematical concepts to the real world.

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This blog delves into fun and creative outdoor math activities. Whether you’re a parent or a teacher, these activities are simple to organize and rich in learning outcomes. 

Rainy day? No problem! Keep your kids learning math with SplashLearn indoors. Explore interactive indoor math adventures and make the most of any weather.

Nature’s Numbers Hunt is one of the best outdoor math activities that combines the thrill of a scavenger hunt with the foundational skill of counting. In this activity, children are given a list of natural items to find in specific quantities, such as 5 pine cones or 3 red leaves. As they explore and collect, they practice counting and number recognition , turning a simple walk in the park into a fun math adventure.

Age group: 3-6 

Learning Focus: Counting , number recognition.

Sidewalk Chalk Math brings creativity to outdoor math activities. With just a box of chalk, any pavement becomes a canvas for learning. Draw hopscotch grids with equations or create large number lines for kids to jump along. This activity makes math visually stimulating and physically engaging as children hop, skip, and jump their way through basic arithmetic and number sequences.

Age group: 4-8

Learning Focus: Basic arithmetic, number sequences.

Garden Measurement is a hands-on approach among math outdoor activities , where kids engage directly with nature. They can measure the growth of plants, the length of garden beds, or even the amount of rainfall in a container. This activity teaches them how to measure and understand different units and instills a sense of responsibility and connection with the environment.

Age group: 5-10

Learning Focus: Measurement, understanding units .

Outdoor Math Bingo is a versatile addition to math activity to play outside. Create bingo cards with various math challenges that kids can solve outdoors. These challenges could range from simple arithmetic to finding shapes or counting objects. As children explore their surroundings to complete their bingo cards, they engage with various math concepts in a playful and dynamic way.

Age group: 6-12

Learning Focus: Diverse math concepts depending on the challenges.

Shape Hunt is an excellent way to introduce geometry through math activities outside. In this activity, children are encouraged to find and identify different shapes in their environment. This could be the circular shape of a tire swing, the rectangular outline of a park bench, or the triangular form of a tree’s leaves. It’s a fun way to develop shape-recognition skills and an understanding of basic geometric principles.

Age group: 3-6

Learning Focus: Geometry, shape recognition.

The Water Balloon Math Toss combines the excitement of a water game with the arithmetic challenge. In this activity, children solve math problems to earn the chance to toss a water balloon. This makes practicing math fun and adds a sense of reward and motivation to the learning process, making it a favorite among outside math activities.

Learning Focus: Arithmetic, reward-based learning.

Math Relay Races bring a competitive edge to learning. Set up relay races where each leg of the race involves solving a math problem. This could include puzzles , mental arithmetic, or logical challenges. It’s a great way to encourage speed and accuracy in problem-solving while fostering teamwork and healthy competition among participants.

Age group: 7-13

Learning Focus: Speed and accuracy in solving problems, teamwork.

Teach kids about time-telling by creating a simple sundial. Place a stick (gnomon) in the ground, and as the sun moves, the shadow will indicate the time. This activity teaches time concepts and introduces the idea of angles and the Earth’s rotation.

Age group: 6-10

Learning Focus: Time-telling, understanding angles

Nature Patterns and Sequences are a cornerstone of fun outdoor math activities. This activity involves creating or identifying patterns and sequences using natural items, such as leaves, stones, or flowers. It encourages children to observe the natural world closely and apply algebraic thinking to recognize and form patterns and sequences.

Learning Focus: Patterns, sequencing, algebraic thinking.

The Math Treasure Hunt turns solving math puzzles into an exciting adventure. Set up a treasure hunt where each clue is a math problem that needs to be solved to find the next location. This activity makes math problem-solving thrilling and enhances logical reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Age group: 7-12

Learning Focus: Problem-solving, logical reasoning.

11. Counting Stars

Counting Stars is a serene and educational activity that combines math learning with basic astronomy. On a clear night, children can count stars, learn about large numbers, and learn basic astronomical concepts. This activity not only introduces children to the vastness of the universe but also to the concept of infinity in a physical math activity setting.

Learning Focus: Counting, introduction to astronomy, and large numbers.

12. Stick Tally Challenge

The Stick Tally Challenge is an engaging outdoor math activity that combines nature exploration with learning basic counting and representation skills. In this activity, children gather sticks during an outdoor walk and use them to create tally marks . This hands-on approach helps them understand the concept of tallying and counting in a fun and interactive way. It’s an excellent method for teaching kids how to represent numbers visually and keep track of counting in groups of five.

Age group: 4-9 

Learning Focus: Basic counting, representation of numbers, fine motor skills.

13. Outdoor Number Line

Create a giant number line in an open space using chalk or rope. Assign different math problems or equations to specific points on the number line. Kids can jump or hop to the correct answer, helping them practice addition , subtraction , or multiplication while having fun in a physical math activity setting.

Learning Focus: Basic arithmetic, number line concepts.

14. Math Picnic

Organize a math-themed picnic where the food items are used to teach various math concepts. For instance, use slices of pizza to teach fractions or count the number of grapes in a bunch. This hands-on approach combines outdoor enjoyment with math learning.

Learning Focus: Fractions, counting, and simple arithmetic

7  Benefits of Outdoor Math Activities

Engaging in outdoor math activities offers many benefits for children. These activities not only make learning math more enjoyable but also contribute to their overall development. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Hands-On Learning: Outdoor math activities provide a tangible, hands-on approach to learning math concepts. Children can touch, see, and experience mathematical ideas in the real world, making abstract concepts more concrete.
• Enhanced Engagement: The novelty of learning outdoors sparks interest and enthusiasm among children. They are likelier to be engaged and motivated when math is integrated into fun outdoor experiences.
• Connection with Nature: Outdoor activities foster a connection with the natural world. Children learn about math by observing natural patterns, shapes, and phenomena, which can inspire a greater appreciation for the environment.
• Reduction of Math Anxiety: For some children, math can be intimidating. These activities offer a relaxed and non-threatening environment to build confidence in their math skills.
• Multi-Sensory Learning: Outdoor math engages multiple senses – sight, touch, and sometimes even hearing or smell. This multi-sensory approach helps children retain information better.
• Life Skills : Math activities in the outdoors often involve practical skills such as measurement, time-telling, and money calculations. These skills are essential for everyday life and are learned in a real-world context.
• Positive Attitude Towards Math: By associating math with enjoyable outdoor experiences, children are more likely to develop a positive attitude towards the subject, leading to improved academic performance.

In the great outdoors, we’ve discovered the beauty of math. Now, let’s bring that wonder indoors with SplashLearn. Our indoor math adventures are designed to make math a year-round delight. Join us on this educational journey and help your child embrace the magic of numbers, both indoors and out.

Frequently Asked Questions  (FAQs)

What is meant by outdoor activities in mathematics learning.

Outdoor activities in mathematics learning involve engaging in math-focused games, explorations, and practical applications in an outdoor setting, enhancing real-world understanding.

Why do we teach maths outside?

Teaching maths outside offers a dynamic, hands-on learning experience , fostering engagement and practical application of mathematical concepts in the natural environment.

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13 Fun Outdoor Maths Activities For Early Years To Year 6

David Leighton

Check out our favourite outdoor maths activities to enjoy with your primary school class; most of these are entirely adaptable for any year from Reception upwards.

1. Find a maths connection

2. playground problem questions, 3. get the chalk out, 4. go on an angle hunt, 6. plan and run summer fete activities, 7. fun and games, 8. position and direction, 9. spot the shapes, 10. ball games, 11. measuring, 12. make shapes, 13. target games, bonus activity: spot patterns.

Once the summer term arrives bringing summer holidays closer you may be taking time to reflect on the progress that you and your pupils have made in maths this year. You may also be thinking about your plans for the summer…BBQs, camping trips and holidays abroad anyone?

Whether they’ll be heading into Year 6 in September, or they are just developing an awareness of number in Foundation Stage, help your pupils’ continue their progress by getting them in the habit of doing some outdoor maths activities, so that wherever they are, (and wherever you are) they can be keeping up their numbers, angles and bar charts.

Your pupils can complete the activities outside while basking in the summer sun, practising key topics from KS1 and KS2 Maths without even knowing it – our favourite form of “stealth learning”.

There are lots of structured activities that you can plan outdoors but why not start off by setting your pupils a more open ended, exploratory activity which challenges them to make links between things in the outdoor environment and maths e.g.  Look around you. What can you see that has a mathematical connection? Write or draw any mathematical words or shapes in and around the space you are in. Write your ideas down in words or draw a mathematical calculation. This helps pupils to start making connections with the work they do in class and the how it connects with the real world.

Write some word problems which require the children to explore the outdoors to find all the information they need to answer the question.

E.g. Find a picnic table.  How many legs has it got?

How many legs would there be on 5 picnic tables?

If there were 44 legs, how many picnic tables would there be?

Or It costs 26p for every metre of painted lines on the school playground.  How much would it cost to draw the line all the way round the netball court?

All you need for this is some playground space and some chalk. In foundation stage it’s a great way to explore cardinal numbers, with children drawing a different number of items. In KS1 and KS2, you can reinforce data and statistics by creating large scale bar charts, carroll and venn diagrams. You can make it more interactive by getting the children to stand in the correct place or sort different items they find in nature into different categories.

Topical Activities Linked To Key Dates This Term

Maths investigations linked to key primary school events, designed to develop reasoning and problem solving in your pupils

If you are introducing right angles, make a template such as  these  then get out and about to see if children can spot right, acute and obtuse angles in their environment. In upper KS2 Maths, why not get the pupils to take accurate measurements of angles on the playground, then get them to create their own map with missing angles to challenge their partner, which they can then mark themselves. During your angle hunt you could also integrate some discussion about the use of horizontal, vertical, perpendicular and parallel lines.

Step outside the playground and observe cars and other traffic on a nearby road. Give younger pupils categories to collect data on or challenge older ones to come up with their own question to answer e.g. what is the most common colour car. Pupils should gather the information and then have a go at representing it in different ways.

Not necessarily outdoors but a great inspiration for Maths activities in the summer term nevertheless! Get your pupils into groups and challenge each of them to plan a stall or activity for your school summer fete or Enterprise Week. There are lots of opportunities to integrate maths e.g. weighing ingredients to make cakes for a cake stall, ratio of squash to water if making lemonade, working out totals and giving change on the day, totalling scores for participants in any games, recording popularity of different stalls on the day and presenting the data…

There are lots of different playground games that can be used to reinforce number facts. One which works well is to get the pupils to run around and then when you blow a whistle shout out the size of the group they have to get into. You can extend this by saying “get into a multiple of 3” or “get into a squared number” or “get into a factor of 24”. Alternatively, you could try “there must be 30 fingers in each group” or “there must be 16 arms and legs in each group”

Get pupils into teams and then challenge them to direct their team mates around the playground using only turns (turn 90s clockwise, turn 180 anticlockwise) along a particular route. Make this harder by blindfolding the person following the instructions or setting obstacles for pupils to avoid.

Send the children out with a list of shapes to spot outside. In Key stage 1, see if they can spot any regular polygons. Give weaker pupils a prompt sheet to help them. See if Key Stage 2 pupils can spot any 3d shapes, explore their properties and report back to the class. If you have digital cameras or tablets, you could even get them taking photos and presenting the info back to class for a good cross curricular link to Computing.

In pairs, pupils can throw and catch a ball. Each time a successful catch is made they count up in a particular multiple. If they drop the ball they have to go back to the start. You can make this more of a competition by setting a time limit and seeing which pair can get to the highest multiple. With children who are struggling more you might want them to throw the ball round a circle and give a bit more support.

The are numerous potential opportunities for measuring experience outdoors. After reviewing different units of length, why not practise estimating by getting pupils to estimate the length of different parts of the playground, height and width of different bits of playground equipment or the distance from one particular spot to another. Then use rulers, tape measures, metres sticks to take accurate measurements. They can practise subtraction by getting pupils to calculate the difference between their estimate and the real measure. You could explore measuring with Key Stage 1 or foundation stage by using non standard measures e.g. how many pupils long is the playground? How many hands high is the bench?

Children could explore making 2D shapes in two ways: with their bodies, e.g. lie on the floor to make a triangle, or using large loops of string/ribbon. The string method is better for Key Stage 2 so you can look more closely at the angles, e.g. make a right angled triangle, make an isosceles triangle, make an irregular pentagon.

Set a target and allocate a particular score for each area that the pupil is able to throw a beanbag into. Pupils can have clipboards and be responsible for noting down scores and adding them up. This is easily adaptable from Year 1 to Year 6: using single digit numbers for, move on to multiples of 10, 20 and 100 or challenge with a mixture of 3 or 4 digit numbers for upper KS2. You could even get them adding decimals numbers. Why not challenge each team to calculate their average score at the end?

Looking for more? We’ve got lots more maths games and fun maths activities for you, including 19 fun end of term maths activities, some great back to school maths activities and our favourite fun maths lessons .

Encourage your pupils to look for patterns either in nature or on buildings. Ask them to describe the patterns. What shapes do they use? Do they tessellate? How often do they repeat? Nursery and Reception children can engage with this one just as much as Years 5 and 6 (although you may struggle with the tessellate question… )

As you might be heading towards the summer break, you may also be interested in our summer maths activities to keep young minds working over the 6 week break.

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45 Outdoor STEM Activities For Kids

Welcome to our list of amazing outdoor STEM activities to keep your kids busy outside! Get kids outdoors to enjoy the natural world while developing problem-solving, creativity, observation, engineering skills, and more. We love easy and doable STEM projects for kids!

What Is Outdoor STEM?

These outdoor STEM activities can be used for home, school, or camp. Get kids outside and get kids interested in STEM! Take STEM outdoors, on the road, camping, or to the beach, wherever you go, but take it outside this year!

So you might ask, what does STEM stand for? STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. Additionally, you might hear about STEAM , which includes an “A” for art!

We love STEM for kids because of its value and importance for the future. The world needs critical thinkers, doers, and problem solvers. STEM activities help kids better understand science, adapt to the latest technology, and engineer new solutions to solve problems of all sizes. Try our Real World STEM challenge !

Outdoor STEM is one of the best ways to get kids involved and keep them engaged. Below you will find nature STEM activities, outdoor science activities, and ideas for STEM camping activities. We even include some cool outdoor science experiments!

Helpful STEM Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources to help you introduce STEM more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Engineering Design Process Explained
• What Is An Engineer
• Engineering Words
• Questions for Reflection (get them talking about it!)
• BEST STEM Books for Kids
• 14 Engineering Books for Kids
• Jr. Engineer Challenge Calendar (Free)
• Must Have STEM Supplies List

Click below to get your free printable STEM challenges!

You’ll find fantastic Nature STEM challenge cards that are meant to be done outdoors!

Outdoor STEM Activities

These outdoor STEM activities provide new ways to incorporate favorite electronics, get dirty, look at nature differently, and explore and experiment. Don’t spend too much time sitting indoors when the weather is beautiful outdoors!

Click on the links below to learn more about each activity.

Outdoor Science Experiments

• Love fizzing and exploding experiments? YES!! All you need are Mentos and coke .
• Or here is another way to do it with diet coke and mentos .
• Take this baking soda and vinegar volcano outdoors.
• Bursting Bags is a great outdoor science experiment.
• Simple outdoor science and a cool chemical reaction with an easy DIY Alka Seltzer rocket !
• Explore surface tension while you blow geometric bubbles !
• Try this color-changing slime outdoors and watch what happens!
• Set up a leakproof bag science experiment .
• Make a bottle rocket and blast off!
• Blow bubble snakes and learn about surface tension.

Nature STEM Activities

• Build an insect hotel .
• Make a cloud viewer and determine if the clouds you can see will bring rain.
• Set up a bird feeder , grab a book, and identify the birds around your house or classroom.
• Start a rock collection and learn about the rocks you find.
• Build your own mason bee house for a few simple supplies and help the pollinators in the garden.

Outdoor Engineering Projects

• Explore physics through play with this homemade Toy Zip Line .
• Design a homemade pulley system and learn about simple machines.
• Make a paper helicopter and see if it flies.
• Craft a paddle boat and watch it move!
• Test the wind with a DIY Anemometer.
• Make a wind vane .
• Set up a DIY rain gauge .

• Develop those design and planning skills when you build a stick fort .
• Build a solar oven and even try s’mores on it.
• Design and build a water wall .
• Explore forces as you fly a kite .
• Alternatively, track the time with a DIY sundial .

More Outdoor STEM Activities

Set up an outdoor STEM camp, explore nature-inspired STEAM, learn about the weather, or study plants.

• Want to set up a STEM camp? Check out these summer science camp ideas !
• Love science? Check out all our summer science experiments .
• Find all our nature activities and plant activities .
• Here’s our list of things to do outside for easy outdoor activities for kids.
• Get creative with these outdoor art activities .
• Design and craft a   DIY kaleidoscope for kids or try this spectroscope .
• Record the moon’s phases for the month, or track the weather !

Printable Engineering Projects Pack

Get started with STEM and engineering projects today with this fantastic resource that includes all the information you need to complete more than 50 activities that encourage STEM skills!

Do you have instructions for the Stem challenges please? Particularly catapults.

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Active Maths Outdoor Idea

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This active maths outdoors idea is idea for engaging and energising your children through a maths lesson.

This outdoor lesson is just one of dozens of outdoor lessons, environmental education lessons and forest school ideas from Learning through Landscapes. You can download all for free, including a year of outdoor homework and curricular led outdoor lesson planners. The outdoor learning resources cover early years (EYFS), primary and secondary schools. The outdoor learning lesson resources are grouped by stage and curricular area. The suggestions are idea for outdoor learning sessions, forest school ideas and environmental education.

You can visit all the outdoor learning ideas and our publications and guidance on outdoor learning and play . For bespoke advice or training, please look at our outdoor learning training pages.

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Outdoor Problem Solving Activities KS2- Learning Maths

Outdoor Problem Solving Activities KS2 – Learning Maths Outdoors

These are some ideas for outdoor problem solving activities for KS2 to help children with learning maths outdoors. One of the most critical aspects of teaching and learning maths is to be able to solve problems. While teaching maths in school, I found that it can become easy to get overly focused on teaching the rules and procedures for doing maths. These are essential tools that everyone needs, but the actual point is to be able to apply those skills in real life. Therefore, children must be given opportunities to practice problem-solving and make it purposeful.

I hope you find these outdoor problem solving activities for KS2 useful, and perhaps they will also inspire you to try other ideas. If you would like some other ways to take learning maths outdoors, you may also want to see my post, Outdoor Maths Activities KS2 .

Nim is a mathematical strategy game where two players take turns removing objects from a pile. Each player must take at least one object per turn. The goal is to either take or avoid taking the last item from the stack. Children can play nim with a pile of sticks or rocks.

Ordering natural objects by different features

Children can place in order objects such as rocks or pinecones based on the characteristic(s) they decide upon. It might be longest to shortest, least to the greatest circumference or smallest to greatest volume.

Observing the sun & moon

Children can explore and investigate the sun and moon, including changes that take place over time. They can try to figure out some of the following questions, and ask some of their own questions as well.

• What time does the sun set and rise? Does this ever change? How do you know?
• Where on the horizon do you first/last see the sun or the moon? Does this change? How do you know?
• Can you observe the phases of the moon- how does it change? Are there any patterns that you notice?

Measuring circles

Children can measure circles (such as flower pots, tree stumps or other circular objects found outside). They can measure the circumference, radius and diameter and then investigate the relationship between radius/diameter and circumference. What do children notice? Is there a pattern? They may even be able to ‘discover’ pi.

How tall is a tree?

Measure / calculate the height of a tree with the shadow & calculation method, triangle method and/or clinometer method.  If children try more than one method, do they get the same results?  Which method might be more accurate?

(ex. Estimating by height, clinometer method, looking through legs method, pencil method, meter stick method)

Different ways children can help with planning in a garden

Children can figure out how much space is available in the garden and how many different types of plants can be planted. Can they figure out how many of one kind of plant will fit into one planter box? Can they figure out how many different sized plants fit into the same planter box? Children would need to use their measuring skills to calculate the surface area of the garden. Then they would need to find out how much space each plant requires (e.g. from seed packets) and then determine how many and which of the plants can be used.

If a new planter box is purchased, children can help work out how many bags of compost would be needed to fill it. (They would need to measure, calculate the size, etc.) Will there be any leftover soil from one of the bags? How do you know?

If children grow crops such as pumpkins, they can do things like ordering them from heaviest to lightest. This way they might see which is the ‘prize-winning pumpkin’ in a harvest festival.

They might also consider how much each pumpkin could be sold for.  This would involve calculating each pumpkin’s cost, based on a price of £1.00 per kilo, £2.00 per kilo (or whatever reasonable price is determined). They might also try to figure out if larger pumpkins (or other crops like corn) always weigh more than smaller ones? *The children will have to define what is the larger, longer, or wider circumference.

Children could get involved with selling the crops they grow.  This will give them plenty of opportunities to use mathematical skills and handle money in real-life contexts. They will also need to plan the pricing of different vegetables based on weight, the number of vegetables, or selling them in combinations. Children could even try to figure out the appropriate amount to charge for each crop based on the cost of the seeds, the growing time, grocery store costs or any other factors.

If they do sell some of what they grow after school or possibly at a market, then the children can apply their maths skills to figure out how much each customer will need to pay when buying any particular fruit or vegetable.  

Monitoring Plant Growth

See if children can figure out how quickly different plants grow. Can they determine the rate of growth (e.g. mm per week)? Which seedlings / plants grow fastest? Is it a steady rate of growth, or does it change?

*To take this further, children might also conduct an experiment to compare different groups. They might compare the growth or the growth rate of plants whose seeds have been frozen vs those that have not, or something else.  

Making Shapes

How many shapes can you make (including shapes within shapes) using a set number of sticks (ex. 6 large sticks and 6 small sticks)? Is there a way to make more or fewer shapes using the same number of sticks?

Planning and holding a bake sale

(Some parts of this activity take place inside and some outside. This activity can be linked further to learning maths outdoors if children use some ingredients grown from a school garden).

Baking for a bake sale is a great way to give children hands-on practice solving problems in real contexts. For a baking project they will need to follow recipes and accurately use measuring cups and weighing scales. They might also want to make larger quantities and scale up recipes by doubling, tripling, or quadrupling them. The children will need to plan ahead and calculate how much of each ingredient they need to buy to make a set number of cookies, cupcakes, etc. They must also determine how many batches would be needed to make 200 cupcakes if the recipe makes 2 dozen.

Then when they hold an actual sale they will be using their maths skills to calculate how much to charge people.  They must also learn how to give people the proper change (just like selling vegetables above). They can setup a stall outside of school and sell them after school one day. 

Organizing and running a track & field event

Children can get involved in organizing a sports day or track and field event. They can first decide which events to include and then figure out how much space is needed for each activity (e.g. measuring the appropriate length and width required). The children can then help measure and set up the activities.

Once races are held, that data can be used to make calculations. For example – for a jumping event, children can measure how far people jump, and after several tries, figure out if there is improvement and how much (finding the difference). Children can time how far it takes them to run certain distances, e.g. 500 meters versus ½ a mile. They can figure out how fast they are running. They might then calculate how fast they ran different races (e.g. miles per hour) and then figure out when they ran faster or slower.  

Finding ways to approximate measurements

See if children can find different ways to measure the approximate distance between two far points with a meter stick and string. This might be the length of the playground or the distance between two trees, etc. Children might compare different ways of measuring the approximate distance such as measuring the length it takes them to take one step and then counting the number of steps between two points. They might also use the string to go between the two points and measure the string’s length. See if they can find any other ways to find the approximate distances.

I hope that you find these outdoor problem solving activities for KS2 helpful and it helps you take teaching and learning maths outdoors!

Arithmetic , Gardening , Geometry , Maths , Measurement , Number & Place Value , School Age , Sticks

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