Doubles, Doubles Plus 1, Doubles Plus 2 Hands-On Math Center Games That Actually Work
If you teach 1st grade or intervention for 2nd and 3rd, you know when a strategy, like finger counting, hits a wall. As problems become more complex, you know students would benefit from knowing their math facts to free up mental space for them to work on problems as a whole, rather than counting on.
Finger counting is an essential skill that should be developed, but what if you know your students are ready for more and just need a little extra push to get them there?
We introduce doubles facts (2 + 2, 5 + 5), and kids catch the pattern pretty quickly, but what happens when they are asked to use that benchmark to solve a near-doubles fact like 5 + 6 or 7 + 9? Students can freeze up and go back to using their fingers.
The solution isn't more timed drills or flashcards. The secret is giving students low-stakes, visual, highly engaging practice through partner math games.
Let's talk about it.
Why Doubles and Near Doubles Matter So Much
Doubles facts are anchor points of early elementary arithmetic. Once students have automatic recall of numbers doubled up to 10 + 10 = 20, they can more easily access flexible mental math strategies that will last them for years to come!
Doubles + 1 (Near Doubles): Seeing 6 + 7 not as two random numbers, but as (6 + 6) + 1 = 13
Doubles + 2: Recognizing 6 + 8 as (6 + 6) + 2 = 14 or 7 + 7 = 14, taking 1 from the 8 and making both addends 7.
When students can master these relationships, they stop counting on their fingers and start decomposing numbers naturally.
3 Problems with Traditional Math Centers (And How You Can Fix Them)
Too Much Cutting and Lamination: Love the idea, but let's be real, who has time for that?! Cutting out task cards, organizing and reorganizing when they get mixed up, replacing lost pieces- choose a print-and-go game instead!
Confusing instructions: If 1st graders have to ask you how to play every two minutes, you can't run your small groups, and they can't benefit from the practice games can bring! Using simple directions with pictures is the way to go!
No Differentiation: Every classroom has students who are working across different readiness levels. Every game has 3 levels of differentiation: doubles, doubles + 1, and doubles +2 in black and white and full color!
A Peek Inside: Games to Work on Doubles and Near Doubles
1. Find the Missing Pets!
This geometric strategy game is an absolute hit. Students find a doubles fact (like 2 + 2) and its matching sum (4). They cover both triangles with counters. The student who places the final counter to close the ring around a cute pet rescues it! It sneaks spatial reasoning right into basic fact recall.
2. Jungle Doubles & Dinosaur Doubles
These path board games turn mental math into an adventure. Students roll a die or spin to move their game token, solve the addition equation on their landing space, and cover it to claim territory while dodging tricky trap spaces along the trail!
3. Spin, Graph & Race to the Top
Graphing and racing games give students a clear visual finish line. With just a paperclip and a pencil for the spinner, students double their spin and color in their column or speedway track until one number crosses the finish line.
4. Bump, Blackout & Squares
From classic "Bump" games where students can knock each other off spaces unless they lock their spot with two counters, to ten-frame "Blackout" races and "Dots and Boxes/Squares" math grids, these formats keep friendly competition lively and productive.
Low-Prep Teacher Tips For Every Day Use
Sheet protectors or Dry-Erase Sleeves! I used them daily; easy to switch out games (and a great job kids can do)! You can print new sheets daily or put them in sheet protectors, so there is no need to laminate, but make each of these games reusable.
Streamline your supplies: Every game calls for everyday items you probably already have in your classroom or building! Dice, dry-erase markers, paperclips and pencils, spinners, and some kind of counter! Pro tip: If they move around as students are using them, give each spinner the tiniest bit of sticky tack, and it won't move for your whole math block!
Differentiate Seamlessly: Give one table the doubles games, and the doubles +1 or +2 crew their gameboards when ready. Each gameboard looks almost completely identical, so students won't know they have a different version at a glance, and the rules are the same for every version except for whether they are doubling, adding one, or adding two!
Bring These Math Games to Your Classroom
Ready to ditch the prep time and watch your students build real fact fluency?
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