Maths at Home

September 2025 - En-Counters for Two

Arranging counters activity for adult and child. ​

Can you create the pattern of counters that your partner ​

has made, just by asking questions? ​

Here's a game to play with an adult!​

How do you play?​

You'll need an adult to play with.​
You also need two matching sets of counters (or something similar - bottle tops, coloured circles of paper etc) - up to 12 in each set. ​
Give one set to the adult and keep the other set for yourself. ​
Make a secret place where the adult can hide the counters. You could make a screen with a book, or do it on a tray and cover it up with a piece of cloth.​
The adult secretly makes a pattern or design with some of the counters, describing what they are doing as they make it.​
Your job is to make the same design by asking questions, which the adult answers as helpfully as possible.​
When you think you have a completed design, ask the adult to check.​
If you're right you could swap roles.​
If you're wrong keep going!​
How many questions did you need to ask?​

Top tip: it may be helpful to start with a simple pattern such as a straight line with just 3 or 4 counters and build up the complexity from there.​

Mrs Bishop would love to see photos of you playing this game so please send photos to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk and she will add them to the school website to celebrate maths at home.

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