How I Organize Math Games and Manipulatives for Math Intervention
“Great... but where am I supposed to put all this stuff?” I can only imagine that is what some of you were thinking after my last post "Why Games Belong in Math Intervention: 6 Benefits of Using Games to Build Mathematical Understanding".
If you have ever started using more games and hands-on activities during math intervention, you have probably asked yourself this question.
In my previous blog post, I shared 6 Benefits of Using Games in Math Intervention. Games can increase student engagement, provide meaningful repetition, encourage mathematical discussions, and help students build confidence.
But once you start adding more games and manipulatives to your intervention program, a new challenge often appears:
How do you organize everything?
Math games can come with game boards, cards, dice, counters, spinners, recording sheets, and other small pieces. Manipulatives can include linking cubes, two-color counters, ten frames, base-ten blocks, and more.
Without an organization system, it does not take long for materials to become difficult to find.
A game that should take two minutes to set up can quickly turn into a ten-minute search for missing cards, dice, or game pieces.
The goal of organization is not to create a perfect storage system. The goal is to make materials easy to find, easy to use, and easy to put away.
Here are some of the strategies I use to organize math games and manipulatives for intervention.
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1. Keep Game Materials Accessible
There are some materials that are frequently used in a variety of different games. Think of all the different manipulatives you might need for one game! The list might include counters, dice, spinners, along with other manipulatives. When students are ready to play, you then have to gather everything before the game can begin.
Before the school year begins I prepare 7-8 pencil pouches that include all of these frequently used materials. While pencil pouches are more expensive they can withhold the use of kindergarteners all the way through fourth grade. We all know that students are not the easiest on our classroom supplies.
This makes it much easier to grab and your students are able to spend more time playing the game and applying the skills. Pictured below are the pencil pouches and materials that I include. When there are other materials that we are going to need such as base 10 blocks I add them prior to our lesson so they are ready for students to use.
2. Use Containers or Baskets for Manipulatives
Math manipulatives are incredibly useful during intervention, but they can quickly become difficult to organize.
If every manipulative is placed into one large container, finding what you need can become frustrating. You might have to search through counters, cubes, dice, and other materials just to find the specific item you need for a lesson.
I prefer using smaller containers that allow each type of manipulative to have its own space.
For example, we use popsicle sticks for place value very frequently. In order for these to be easily accessible, they in their own bin on my bookshelf. This allows myself or a student to easily grab them and put them away throughout the day.
Small storage bins are useful for separating manipulatives and keeping them visible. You can use clear containers similar to what I have shown below or open containers that allow easy access to the items inside the container. Each manipulative is unique and the container it's in will also be unique based on size and need for easy access.
This type of organization is particularly helpful for materials that students use frequently.
3. Label Everything
Labels may seem like a small detail, but they can make a significant difference in an intervention classroom.
When materials are clearly labeled, everyone knows where items belong. This makes it easier for you to find materials and easier for students to help with cleanup.
Labels can be placed on storage bins, drawers, game pouches, folders, and shelves.
For example, you might have containers labeled:
- Counters
- Linking Cubes
- Dice
- Game Cards
- Recording Sheets
- Addition Games
- Place Value Games
The exact labels will depend on the materials you use most often.
The important thing is that the label should make sense to the person who needs to find the material. A simple label such as Dice is usually more useful than a complicated organizational system that only the teacher understands.
A label maker can be a useful tool if you are organizing a large number of containers, drawers, or shelves. Consistent labels also make your organization system look more intentional and easier to maintain.
4. Organize Games by Math Skill
Another effective strategy is to organize games by the mathematical skill they practice.
This can be especially helpful when you are planning intervention lessons. If your students are working on combinations of 10, you can go directly to the section containing games and activities related to that skill.
You do not have to search through every game you own to find an appropriate activity.
For example, you might organize games into categories such as:
- Number Sense
- Addition & Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Place Value
- Fractions
You could also organize them by the specific skill being addressed.
For example, your addition and subtraction games might include separate sections for Combinations of 5, Combinations of 10, and Fact Fluency.
The best system depends on the number of games you have and how you typically plan your lessons. The important thing is that your organization system should help you find a game quickly when you need it.
5. Create Grab-and-Go Game Kits
One of my favorite organizational strategies is creating grab-and-go kits.
A grab-and-go kit contains most or all of the materials needed for a specific game or skill. Instead of gathering materials from several different locations, you can simply pull out the kit and begin.
For example, a Combinations of 10 kit might contain a game board, game cards, two-color counters, dice, and a recording sheet.
This can be especially helpful when you have limited time between intervention groups.
The less time you spend gathering materials, the more time you have available for instruction.
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Grab-and-go kits can also be helpful when you need to be away from the classroom. Another teacher can look at the label and quickly understand what materials are available and how they are organized.
6. Keep Frequently Used Materials Easy to Access
Not every item needs to be stored in the same place.
Materials that you use every day should be easy to reach. If you use dry erase markers, counters, linking cubes, and dice during most of your intervention sessions, those materials should not be buried in the back of a cabinet.
Less frequently used materials can be stored in my cupboards so they are not a distraction for the students.
A simple rule I try to follow is:
The more frequently you use something, the easier it should be to access.
This may seem obvious, but it is easy to organize materials based on what looks neat rather than how often the materials are actually used.
An organized cabinet is not necessarily an efficient cabinet.
The best organization system is the one that helps you quickly find the materials you need during a busy school day.
Clear plastic storage drawers can be helpful for materials that you use frequently. They allow you to separate supplies while keeping them visible and easy to access.
They can be especially useful for small intervention materials such as dry erase supplies, game pieces, cards, and other items that need to be quickly available.
7. Create a System for Returning Materials
Organization is not just about finding materials. You also need a system for putting them away.
At the end of a game or intervention activity, students can help return materials to their proper locations.
This might involve counting game pieces, returning cards to the correct pouch, placing manipulatives back into their containers, and returning the game to its storage location.
When students know where materials belong, cleanup becomes much easier.
This also gives students a greater sense of ownership over the intervention space. They are not simply taking materials from the teacher and leaving them behind. They become part of the process of taking care of the materials they use.
Even a few minutes of consistent cleanup can prevent materials from slowly becoming disorganized.
My Basic Organization System
My goal is to make math intervention materials easy to find, easy to use, and easy to put away.
I organize my materials based on how they are used.
Math games can be organized by skill or topic.
Game pieces can be stored in small pouches or containers.
Manipulatives can be stored in labeled bins.
Frequently used materials should be kept within easy reach.
Recording sheets and larger game materials can be organized in folders or other file storage.
The specific system you use is less important than having a system that works for you.
Your organization system should match the way you teach, the materials you use, and the space available to you.
Final Thoughts
Math games and manipulatives are valuable tools for math intervention.
However, the more materials you use, the more important organization becomes.
A good organization system does not need to be complicated or expensive. You do not need a perfectly organized classroom or a large amount of storage space.
Start by identifying the materials that cause the biggest problems.
Are game pieces frequently getting lost?
Are you spending too much time searching for manipulatives?
Are students unsure where materials belong?
Begin by solving those problems first.
Over time, you can continue to improve your system.
The goal is not to create a perfect classroom organization system.
The goal is to spend less time searching for materials and more time helping students develop mathematical understanding.
Because when your materials are organized and ready to use, it becomes much easier to make games and hands-on learning a regular part of math intervention.
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