Turn column addition into an interactive and engaging experience with the Exchange Shop! This fun, hands-on game helps children build a deeper understanding of place value, addition, and exchanging in a playful and visual way. Perfect for classroom use, homeschooling, or at-home practice, Exchange Shop makes learning addition concepts exciting and memorable.
Aim of the Game:
Build numbers using place value counters or snacks, calculate the answer, and visit the Exchange Shop to exchange ones for tens and tens for hundreds where needed.
What You’ll Need:
Question and Answer Cards: Printable cards with column addition questions and answers – download them here.
Place Value Grid: Printable grid for hundreds, tens, and ones – download one here.
Snacks: Use small objects like:
Crackers for hundreds.
Breadsticks or chocolate fingers for tens.
Skittles, raisins, or Smarties for ones.
Scissors (to cut out cards).
How to Play:
Set Up the Exchange Shop:
Designate a space to act as the Exchange Shop.
Decide what items represent hundreds, tens, and ones.
Pick a Question Card:
Players take turns selecting a column addition question card.
For example: 267 + 138.
Build the Numbers:
Use snacks or counters to build the numbers on the place value grid.
Place the correct amount of items for each column (hundreds, tens, ones).
Start Calculating:
Begin adding the ones column first.
If the total exceeds 9, visit the Exchange Shop to trade 10 ones for a ten.
Example: If you have 13 ones, exchange 10 ones for 1 ten.
Move to the tens column:
Add up the tens, and if the total exceeds 9, exchange 10 tens for a hundred.
Finally, add up the hundreds column.
Visit the Exchange Shop:
Players “shop” at the Exchange Shop to trade items:
10 ones → 1 ten.
10 tens → 1 hundred.
Keep track of exchanges and update the place value grid.
Find the Answer Card:
Once the final total is calculated, find the matching answer card to check if the calculation is correct.
Scoring Options:
Players score a point for every correct answer.
The first player to successfully calculate 3 correct answers wins!
Educational Benefits:
Hands-On Learning: Visual and tactile representation of place value and exchanging.
Concrete Understanding: Reinforces why and how we exchange ones for tens and tens for hundreds.
Problem-Solving: Encourages critical thinking and addition accuracy.
Engagement: Interactive “shopping” element keeps players motivated and excited.
Bring math to life with Exchange Shop – a perfect way to practice addition while having fun!
