Here are some games, investigations and activities we think are particularly good for children in Year 5 and 6.
Some of these tasks may appear on other year group pages too. These tasks are open-ended and the children can learn a lot from exploring them. These types of activities are used a lot in the classroom as children have the same starting point but can take their thinking in lots of different directions. Some children may need extra prompts and support to guide their thinking.
[Last update 18 July 2020]
In addition to the table below, there are more general links on this Additional Links Page. A link for those who would like to contribute or suggest resources is on the main Primary page.
| Year group | Theme/Description | Activity Type Maths content |
Task Summary | Printer | Adult | You will need |
| Y4, Y5, Y6 | Palindromic Numbers | Investigation Addition of 2 and 3 digit numbers |
Explore adding palindromic numbers to establish whether the total is palindromic | No | No | Paper and pencil |
| Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6 | Farmer’s Fields | Investigation Number fluency Systematic thinking |
Work with the number 25 to allocate workers to fields so that the farmer can see 9 workers from each window in his house. | No | No | Paper and pencil |
| Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | The Remainder Game | Game Division facts | Division facts game, highest score of remainders wins! | No | You need a partner to play with | Group of objects, pen and paper |
| Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | The Mars Mission: Building on Mars Design and build a Martian Village | Practical/DT 2D nets, 3D shapes |
Investigate 2D nets to make 3D shapes. Invesigate which shapes are best to use for Martian houses and why. | Yes | Advisable | to print 2D nets, glue, sellotape, |
| R Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | Pavement Chalk Designs | Drawing Shapes |
Mark out a rectangle on the pavement using masking tape. Use tape to make sections within the rectangle. Colour in the sections to create a design. | No | Yes for younger children | Masking Tape, chalks, ruler or measuring tape |
| Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | Game of Hex | Game Strategic thinking |
Try to be the first player to create an unbroken chain from one side of the board to another | Optional | Play against computer or a partner | Internet or print a copy of Hex Grid |
| Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | Leo the Rabbit Game | Game Systematic working |
Find how many different ways Leo rabbit can hop up a number of stairs | No | Yes for younger children | Piece of paper and a pen |
| R Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | Count on me | Investigation Counting on fingers/systematic working |
How many ways can you show each number from 1 to 5 on 1 hand or 2 hands | No | Yes | Fingers |
| R Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 | Shape Origami | Investigating shapes 2D shapes |
Investigation what shapes you can make by folding paper in different ways | No | An adult will be needed to set the activity up | Pieces of paper for folding |
| Y4 Y5 Y6 | Make a Hexaflexagon | Investigating shapes Hexagons |
Create a Hexaflexagon and have fun exploring how many faces it has. | Yes | An adult will be needed to set the activity up | Print out of sheet, scissors, glue, pens, pencils |
| Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6 | The Tower of 40 | Number fact fluency game Addition, subtraction, multiplcation and division facts |
Make a gameboard with two digit numbers. Turn over two cards and chose whether to add, subtract multiply or divide to cross a number off on the board. | No | You need a partner to play with | Paper and pencil, Deck of cards, counter or coin |
| R, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6 | Lego Barrier Game | Activity 3D Shape matching using verbal instructions |
You and your partner have the same lego pieces. One person builds a shape and then describes it to the other person so they hopefully build a shape that matches. | No | You need a partner to play with | Hard books to make a barrier, Lego. |
| Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6 | Multiplication Ludo | Number fact fluency game Multiplication and Division fatcs |
Race to get your four counters from 1 square to the 120 square | Yes but you could also hand draw the grids | You need a partner to play with | 120 chart, 4 counters, six sided dice |