Repeated Addition Activities for Kids

In this set of activities adaptable for grades K-3, parents and educators will find ideas for teaching about repeated addition as a strategy for multiplication. These activities are designed to complement the BrainPOP Jr. Repeated Addition topic page, which includes a movie, quizzes, online games, printable activities, and more.

Classroom Activities for Teaching Repeated Addition

Legs

Have students cut out or draw pictures of different animals with four legs, such as dogs, cats, and rabbits. Then have pairs present each other with their pictures. How many legs are there in all? Guide students to write a multiplication sentence and a repeated addition sentence to help them solve. Partners can check each other’s work. Then repeat the activity using pictures of animals with two legs.

Count Them All

Have each student hold up two counters. How many counters does the whole class have together? Go around the room and have students skip-count by twos in succession to find the answer. Then write the repeated addition sentence on the board. Repeat the activity again with 5 and 10 counters. Why is it easier to multiply than to add? Discuss with the whole class.

Family and Homeschool Activities for Teaching Repeated Addition

Raisin Game

Use raisins or other dried fruit for this activity. Give your child instructions, such as “Make 4 groups, with 2 raisins in each group. How many raisins do you have in all?” Have your child model the story problem and write number sentences to find the answer. Repeat the activity with other numbers. Then switch roles. Be sure to “make a mistake” in your calculations and have your child correct your work.

Market Day

Go to the grocery store with your child. Have him or her take a hundred chart, a notepad, and pencil. Then count different items on the shelves together. For example, you might see juice boxes that come in packs of 6. Have your child figure out how many juice boxes are on the shelf or on a section of the shelf. He or she can write a multiplication sentence and a repeated addition sentence, and then use a hundred chart to solve. Repeat the activity with different items in the store.