Place Value Games for Kids

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1: How do we teach place value of numbers?

Ans: We can teach place value of numbers by making kids identify the position of each digit in the number. For example; 3 in 2345 is at hundreds place while in 1023, it is at ones place. Once the position is identified students can relate the position with the corresponding value. For example For example; 3 in 2345 is at hundreds place with a value of 300 while in 1023, it is at ones place and the value is 3.

Q2: What are some games on place value of numbers?

Ans: There are many fun games on place value of numbers. SpalshLearn page has a lot of games on using place values in finding expanded form of numbers, writing them in words and representing them in visual form. You can visit the website to master your skills in this concept in a fun and engaging way.

Q3: How do we represent place value of decimals?

Ans: We can represent place value of decimals using grids. If you use a hundreds grid to represent ones, then one-tenth of it can be represented as tenths and one-hundredth of it can be represented as hundredths. On the other hand, a 3D grid of hundreds can be used to represent tens.

Q4: How do you teach expanded form and word form of numbers?

Ans: The concept of place value is important to teach expanded and word form of numbers. Place value of each digit is written as their sum to express the number in expanded form. For example: Expanded form of 345 is 300 + 40 + 5. Similarly, place value helps in writing the number in words. Word form of number means writing a number in words. 345 is written in word format as three hundred and forty-five.

Q5: How do we represent numbers?

Ans: We can represent numbers as numerals, in word form or in expanded form using their place value. The number 1345 can be written in standard form as 1,345; in words as one thousand three hundred and forty-five and in expanded form as 1000 + 300 + 40 + 5.

 

An overview of “Place-value”

The place value definition in mathematics refers to the arithmetic value associated with each digit corresponding to its place in a number.

For example, the number “58” has the digit “8” at the unit’s place and “5” at the tens place. The arithmetic value denoted by the number is equivalent to 5 “tens” and 8 “ones”, represented as follows in the form of a math expression:

• 5 “tens” + 8 “ones”
• 50 + 8 = 58

Reference image: Understanding the place value of each digit in a 3-digit number

The knowledge of arithmetic value is applied in counting objects as well as measuring physical quantities. Using the technique of forming numbers with symbols 0-to-9 using place-value charts and grids, interactive math games nurture the number-sense skill in kids.

Next section envisions the contribution of math games to learn the place-value concept and the associated learning objectives.

Math Games for Teaching “Place-value”

The place-value system to comprehend numbers is a fundamental essential. To understand the process of forming numbers in a step by step manner, “place-value” technique is introduced to the kids as early as kindergarten. Initiating the concept with the nomenclature of places, 1st grade learning games on the “place-value” strengthen the counting skills.

The upcoming section highlights the projected learning and the respective outcomes.

1. Learning & outcome: The decimal number system with the symbols 0-to-9 is the building block to understand the number comprehension techniques. The place-value system encourages kids to write the numbers relevantly to represent an arithmetic value. The projected learning outcomes for the lessons on the “place-value” are listed as follows:

 

 

 

• Strengthening the conceptual knowledge of place value system and the relevant nomenclatures to read and write the numbers as per the arithmetic value
• Representing 2 and 3-digit numbers using base-10 blocks and decomposing the numbers in the form of hundreds, tens, and ones
• Assimilating the place-value concept to represent fractions as decimals and rounding-off the numbers to the nearest place-value for the estimation
• Counting the numbers after “10” up to thousands and beyond, followed by writing the numbers in order using manipulatives and counters
• Comprehending the textual representation of numbers in the expanded and word form to frame logical answers for word math problems
• Establishing the relationship between the multiple numbers to arrange and order them

 

2. Required math skills: The prerequisite math skills to apply the place-value system on digits to write numbers include math fluency in the comprehension of symbols from 0-to-9. The concurrent basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in the later grades are instrumental in recording and representing decimal numbers using the place-value technique.

 

 

3. Engagement: The development of rudimentary math initiates with writing numbers in an order. Interactive games for kids for SplashLearn incorporate the place-value notion and the associated technique through brain teaser puzzles. The math arcade of logic puzzles for kids is based on per the “common core math standards” curriculum. The playful theme-based interface results in higher engagement. Parents can build a conducive homeschool learning environment for the complex methods to become a math genius by employing fast math facts. Comprehensive worksheets to learn math fast are acclaimed for guiding kids in daily math homework as well.

 

 

Manipulatives used for teaching place-value

1. Counters: The concept of counters originates from the basic counting skills acquired in the kindergarten. The colorful discs marked with unit ones, ten and hundred are used to represent a number by decomposing it as per the place value associated with each digit.

 

 

For example, the number 8, 46 and 372 using counters are represented as:

 

Reference image: Representation of different numbers using place-value counters/discs

2. Base 10 blocks: Akin to the counters, the base-10 blocks introduce the concept of place-value system in an efficient and easy-to-understand manner. Starting from the basic unit block, which denotes “1”, the blocks in the form of “tens” and “hundreds” are designed.

Reference image: The elements of a base-10 block system to understand the place-value

These blocks are used to visually represent the numbers for better comprehension. The respective numbers of blocks (unit ones, tens, and hundreds) associated with the place-value of each digit within a number are arranged and filled in the grid to represent a number.

The following section delineates the grade-wise progression of “place-value games”.

Progression of Place-Value Comprehension with Grades

Reference image: Grade-wise progression of “Place-value” system

In grade 1, the “place-value” comprehension starts with bundling “ones” in a group of 10. Multiple bundles of 10 constitute numbers like 20, 30 and beyond. Each number is a multiple of 10. 1st grade math games develop counting skills with base-10 blocks using “tens” and “ones” up to 100.

2nd grade learning games extend the counting skills to 3-digit numbers starting from 100. With the help of “ones, tens hundreds chart”, the place value and the arithmetic value of each digit within a number is evaluated. Comprehension of numbers in the expanded form using math symbols and operations such as addition nurtures the textual representation skills to answer math problems.

3rd grade curriculum further enhances the counting skills up to thousands using the math fluency in writing consecutive numbers. With other math skills such as addition and subtraction of numbers in the range of thousands; instruments such as math facts flash cards for skip counting and number-line are useful in comprehending the advanced number-sense. 3rd grade worksheets also insist on representing numbers in expanded and word forms to frame a reasonable answer to math word problems.

4th grade worksheets conceive the learning of fundamentals from the previous grades. The interactive games for kids on reading and writing numbers in hundred-thousands develop the skills to apply number-sense and place-value for ordering and comparing large numbers. The concurrent math lessons on fractional numbers in the respective grade also nurture the data interpretation and representation skills on a bar-graph and line-plot.

Math games for 5th graders focus on comprehension of numbers derived from the fractions. Kids learn to read the numbers in decimals and evaluate the place value which is 1/10th of each place (upon reading from left to right through interactive games featured in the 5th grade worksheets. With proficiency in textual comprehension of numbers; math skills to perform basic math operations and solve math equations are developed.

The upcoming section explains the math strategies adapted to learn the place value concept.

Learning Methodologies for Place-Value

The kindergarten math games introduce the concept of counting using objects. In the later grades, counting skills using base-10 blocks and counters instigates the comprehension of numbers on a place-value chart. Following section reviews the technique for reading a place-value chart.

Names of places – Comprehension of “Place-value” chart/grid

Each digit in a number holds an arithmetic value. The corresponding arithmetic value of the digit is ten times of its place value, starting from right to left. The names of the places for the digits are illustrated as follows with the examples of different numbers:

  a. Unit/ one’s place: First digit from the right

The digit at the “unit” place denotes the number of ones in any number. The arithmetic value is evaluated by multiplying the digit with “1”.

  b. Ten’s place: Second digit from the right

The digit at the “tens” place denotes the number of “tens” in any number. The arithmetic value is represented by the corresponding block of tens. Using the respective digit, the contributing number of tens (groups of the 10's) are evaluated.

  c. Hundred’s place: Third digit from the right

The digit at the hundred’s place denotes the number of “hundreds” in any number. By multiplying the digit with “100”, the arithmetic value is determined.

Following the same technique, thousands place and later places are determined.

  d. Decimal numbers

The decimal number comprehension divides the place-value grid into the two sections. The first section before the decimal place denotes the whole number in one, two or more digits. The latter section, post the decimal place denotes the value which is 1/10th of the respective place corresponding to a decimal number.

Reference image: The place-value grid for various decimal numbers

The decimal numbers exist between two whole numbers. Thus, the first decimal number starts from 0. As 0 can also be written as 0.0, there can exist multiple decimal numbers between any two whole numbers. 5th grade math focuses upon learning decimal numbers and performing basic math operations on them.

For example, the decimal numbers between 1 & 2 and 2 & 3 are represented as follows:

Place-value representation

  a. Expanded form and word form

To comprehend the numbers and the corresponding arithmetic value, the expanded form of representation is used. An expanded form of any number is the mathematical expression with addition “+” operator and the place-value of each digit. Upon addition of the respective place values, the actual number is determined.

For example, the number 682 in an expanded form is written as:

 

Reference image: Expanded form representation of the number 682

The representation of the numbers in word-form insists on fluent language comprehension.  The word-form of numbers are useful in writing well-versed answers of puzzle questions and brain teasers for kids. For example, the number 682 in the word form is written as:

• 682 = Six-hundred and eighty-two
• 4728 = Four-thousand, seven-hundred, and twenty-eight

Depending on the number (in 3,4 or 5 digits), the digits are clubbed together for convenient reading and writing a number in a meaningful and logical manner. Counting worksheets for large numbers in the 4th grade curriculum hone the skill with phenomenal brain teaser puzzles.

  b. Comparing and ordering numbers

The knowledge of place value chart or grid is instrumental in comparing and ordering two or more numbers. By evaluating the arithmetic value of digits in any numbers, kids learn to use mental computation strategies and fast math facts to order numbers in the increasing or decreasing order of the magnitude.

For example, compare and order the following numbers:

• 247, 53 and 904

• Compare the digits at the “hundreds” place, followed by the “tens” place to order the numbers as follows:

• 904         >         247         >         53

The place value grid and chart play a vital role in nurturing the number-sense pertaining to whole numbers and the decimals during preschool and later grades. The number-sense and counting skills are also used in learning the math associated with quadrilateral shapes such as evaluation of area and perimeter.  

Using the concurrent math skills such as multiplying or dividing numbers by the multiples of 10, math proficiency in the measurement of data and physical quantities is achieved. 5th grade learning games instigate on rounding off the numbers to the given decimal place and deducing the estimate to solve a math problem quickly.

Application:

The learning of place-value method is spanned across the curriculum of preschool math activities. The math lessons on place value are highly useful in learning the application of math for counting change (money games) or to solve a math problem comprising multiple steps. With the language comprehension to write large numbers, development of skills related to decimal numbers nurtures the reasoning and abstract thinking for learning the math involved in fields such as physics and chemistry.

SplashLearn Place-value Games Worksheet

Math quiz games for SplashLearn are devised by the experts to overcome the learning complexities. With an acclaimed approach to learning math step by step with interactive games during preschool math activities, kids are motivated to learn math facts. The comprehensive curriculum is an exclusive assistant to parents engaged in homeschooling and to prevent skill-loss during summer vacation. By creating a productive learning experience and mastering math with planned practice sessions and fun puzzle games, the real-time progress dashboard provides a regular educational assessment of math tests taken.