Aims:
To become familar with numbers and quantities
To split large numbers into smaller numbers
To prepare pupils for operations with numbers
To practise working in groups

Materials:
Dried beans

Introduction:
This game is played in pairs.

Main part:
Each pupil has three beans and they hide one, two, three or no bean in one hand. They show their partner the other closed fist.
The partner has to guess how many beans there are in total between their own beans and those in the closed fist of their partner.
This activity may be done with higher numbers of beans.

Roundup:
The teacher observes how the pupils play and takes note of the arguments they use for further discussion with the class.