What can you do with leftover birthday balloons?  How about make a number line?  This is an easy game that gets kids moving and works on math skills, too.

1. Write numbers 1-10 on ten balloons with a sharpie.  (I also wrote some letters to see if my three-year-old knew the difference between numbers and letters.)
2. Scatter the balloons around your backyard or around your house.
3. Ready, set, RUN and get a balloon!
4. Bring it back to a central location to make a number line.  Ask questions to help little kids figure out where to place their balloon.  Should 10 be on the left or right?  Is 3 before or after 4?  Should 8 be closer to 1 or 10?

Variations for older kids:

• Write numbers 1-20
• Skip count by 2’s, 5’s, or 10’s
• Write random numbers 1-100

Common Core Standard

(kindergarten- Know number names and count sequence)