← Ages 3 to 7

Count-and-Toss

Toss rolled-up socks into numbered bowls, or feed the hungry lions! Then count the dots and add up your score.

Counting
Adding
Number sentences
Aiming

“He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.” Psalm 147:4

Game in progress

Players

Game

Add them up Target 10

Bowls

1 to 5 1 to 10

Socks each turn

2 3 4 5

Rounds

2 3 5

Where to stand

Ages 3 to 41 big step

Ages 5 to 62 big steps

Ages 7 and up3 big steps

Mark each line with tape or a sock. Grown-ups can try from across the room!

Options Feed the lions The bowls are hungry lions’ mouths, and they roar when you score. Read the sums aloud Every throw and every sum is said out loud, like “3 plus 4 equals 7”. Sounds A plop for each sock and a cheer at the end.

You’ll need

Paper and a pen for the bowl labels

Count-and-Toss

Scores

Use − and + to fix a score.

Write your own labels

Write each number big on its own sheet of paper.
Draw that many dots underneath, so little ones can count them.
Draw a lion face on each one, if you like. Roar!
Put one in front of each bowl, or tape it on. Put the big numbers furthest away.

“He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.” Psalm 147:4

How to play

Set out the bowls in a row, each with its number. Put the big numbers furthest away.
Roll pairs of socks into balls. Mark a throwing line for each age.
On your turn, toss your socks one at a time. After each one, tap the bowl it landed in, or Missed.
Watch the dots fill up and say the sum together: “3 plus 4 makes 7!”
Tap Add it up for your score. After the last round, see everyone’s totals.

Target 10

Try to make exactly 10. Stop whenever you like, or keep throwing.
Exactly 10 earns a star. Too many? Count how many more than 10 you got.

Safe tossing

Only soft, rolled-up socks: no balls, toys or shoes.
Use plastic or paper bowls (or boxes), nothing that can break.
Throw underarm, and wait until everyone is behind the line.

For mixed ages

Little ones stand closer: one big step for ages 3 and 4, two for 5 and 6, three for 7 and up.
Older children can add up in their heads first, then check the dots.
Try Target 10 for big kids, and bowls 1 to 10 for bigger sums.

Keys on a computer

1 to 9 (and 0 for 10) tap a bowl, M is a miss, and U undoes.
Enter or Space adds it up, then goes to the next player.