Rounding Activities for Kids
In this set of activities adaptable for grades K-3, parents and educators will find ideas for teaching about rounding to nearest 10 and nearest 100. These activities are designed to complement the BrainPOP Jr. Rounding topic page, which includes a movie, quizzes, online games, printable activities, and more.
Classroom Activities for Teaching Rounding
Round and Round
Have each student randomly draw a digit from 0 through 9 from a hat. You may wish students to wear their digits around their necks or use sticky notes attached to their clothes. Then have students mingle around the room and find a partner. Have them identify and write down a two-digit number they can form together using the digits they’re wearing. Then have partners round up or down to the nearest ten. You may want children to then reverse the digits and round up or round down again. You can repeat the activity by having students gather in groups of three to make a three-digit number.
Number Line Hop
If possible, go outside and have small groups draw number lines on the concrete in chalk. You may wish to assign or randomly distribute specific number lines (10 through 20, 20 through 30, 30 through 40 and so on until 90 through 100). Have one group member call out a number that is on their number line. Another member can stand on the number on the line, and all together they can decide whether to round up or round down to the nearest ten. The group member standing on the number can hop to the nearest ten. Remind them that they should round to the multiple of ten they are closest to. If they are not sure whether to round up or round down, they can count their hops to each end of their number line and compare. Repeat the activity so that everyone has a turn to hop along the number line.
Family and Homeschool Activities for Teaching Rounding
Open for Business
Set up an imaginary store in your home. Choose small items and label them with a price. Choose low amounts, such as a pencil for 12¢. Give your child some coins and count them together. Then have your child round each price and determine which items he or she could buy with the coins. Remind your child that he or she can only buy items that are less than or equal to the total amount of coins!
Go the Distance
Map out the route from your home to a special destination, such as a relative’s house, City Hall, the local library, or a museum. You may even want to choose farther distances, such as other cities or states. Then have your child round the distance to the nearest ten or hundred. Which is closest? Which is farthest away?