DIY: Egg Carton Multiplication or Skip Counting Game

I am a visual learner. I’ve confessed it. 🙂 This means I think in pictures in my brain. No, I’m not weird. (right?!?!?) I’m sure some of you know exactly what I’m talking about! ha! Last year when I was teaching my sweet, little Abecedarians how to skip count the 12s, I brought egg cartons to class. We all marched around the room singing “12, 24, 36, 48,…” while we paraded our egg cartons in the air. I thought it would be a fun visual for them to see that when they buy eggs, they’re buying a dozen, or 12 eggs. If my sweet, little Abecedarians ever need to count multiple egg cartons to see how many eggs they have, they can sing and count “12, 24, 36, ….”

As we marched around the room in my CC Class, I had an epiphany! We learned the first 12 numbers of every skip counting set–1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, etc. I immediately visualized this “Egg Carton Multiplication” or “Egg Carton Skip Counting” game in my mind. I went home that afternoon and made it.

DIY Egg Carton Multiplication or Skip Counting Game

Here’s how you can make your own! I’m sure you’ll have each of these supplies already at home. Don’t you love that?!?!? Also, if you have older children have them assist you in making this! They will be even more excited to use it because they helped make it!

Supplies needed: 1 egg carton (number the bottom of your carton 1-12), construction paper, sharpie/marker, and ziploc bags (for storage) or go here for a FREE PRINTABLE of all the needed number tiles so that you don’t have to take time to make your own!

1) Number your egg carton–Use a Sharpie or marker to number the 12 compartments in the egg carton.

2) Make your number tiles–I cut out 12 small squares (small enough to fit into the individual egg compartment) and 1 large square out of the same color construction paper. On the large square, I put the number that we were Skip Counting. In the example here, you’ll see the “11.”

I, then, numbered the 12 small squares–11, 22, 33, 44…up to 132. I made number tiles for the 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, etc. up to the 15s.

Side note: For Skip Counting the 13s, 14s, and 15s, they memorize beyond 13×12, 14×12, and 15×12. For those 3 examples, I had my sons put the remaining tiles in order following the “12” container on the outside of the egg carton.

3) Storage–Store your Skip Counting tiles in ziploc bags. I put 4 sets in each ziploc bag and made sure that the 4 sets were different colors. This allowed me to quickly sort which numbers go with which set. I keep all of my ziploc sets in a File Folder for easy access to use during my school day.

How to use the Egg Carton Multiplication or Skip Counting Game at home

I used this game with my sons for the remaining weeks of our school year to review their Skip Counting songs. The other plus with this game is that my boys could play it independently because they could recognize their numbers. (If your child has not mastered number recognition for larger numbers, you may need to do this activity together with your child.) I always enjoy an independent, educational activity for my sons. This frees me up to do other instruction with another son while confidently, peacefully knowing that my other son is actually learning something (instead of running around wildly, clad only in underwear, picking his nose. This may or may not have happened in my home before….but I digress.)

For skip counting: I give my sons the 12 small tiles and the egg carton. I tape the large tile with the number we’re “skip counting” onto the top of the egg carton. In the example above, we’re skip counting the “11s.” He, then, has to put the small tiles in the correct order in the egg carton.

For multiplication: I would do this activity with my child to ensure that he/she is reviewing the multiplication facts. For example, you can ask your child, “What is 11×4?” He/she would find the answer and have to put the correct small tile inside the “4” compartment of the egg carton. This is also a great visual allowing him/her to see the large “11” tile, the “4” written in the egg compartment and the “44” written on the small tile. Hopefully, this is further cementing “11×4=44” into his/her brain!

I hope this is a helpful, frugal, easy-to-make resource for your home that helps your child master skip counting and multiplication!

This post is part of a Classical Conversations Cycle 2 Link-Up over at Half A Hundred Acre Wood. Click below to find other Cycle 2 resources.