Math Fun with M&M’s®

We have created this M&Ms Math post because learning with candy can be such a motivator for some reluctant learners.

These M&Ms Math activities can be used for some engaging summer practice or end of the year learning fun in the classroom.

It’s summer and as moms we are looking for ways to keep our kids’ minds active in between video games, TV time and outdoor play.  One easy way to do this while keeping our children excited is by pulling out the candy.  One of our favorite sweet treats that can be used with learning activities are M&M’s®.

These are a go to candy in the classroom when it comes to learning about probability and fractions but they can also be great for at home learning.  To get us started we created a few printables.  You can download these M&Ms Math Activities at the bottom of this post.

Within this M&Ms math collection we have included:

1. First, you will find a page that is designed to help students practice their data collecting skills.  Begin by having your children scoop a small handful of M&M’s® and place them in a bowl.  We then had our children create a concrete graph by placing the M&M’s® on the graph boxes.  (For those of you who aren’t teachers, a concrete graph is simply a graph that uses real items.)  Once they completed their graph, we had them count the total number and fill in the spaces at the bottom. 
2. Another activity we created are pattern cards. Our kids thought it was fun to use their M&M’s® to complete the patterns on each card.
3. The last set of cards are designed for kids learning to count.  You can use these in two different ways.  You can use the cards with the M&M’s® images and have your kids match them with the numbers.  Or, you can use the blank cards we included and give you children numbers.  They then have to place the correct number of M&M’s® on the card.

As a bonus idea, you might even try using Life Savers to help your children practice patterns.

We also like the idea of using Skittles®  for additional learning during the summer.

Younger kids can practice colors and sorting skills by dividing the candies in piles by colors.

Another idea is to have children count the number of each color and then practice adding multiple numbers by adding the five numbers.

Again, these candies can also be used for creating simple patterns.

Have older kids you would like to include? Older kids can be encouraged to find the percentage of each color in the bag.

You can find the free M&Ms printables here:  M&M’s® Math at Home

How would you use Life Savers® Hard Candy and M&M’s® to keep your kids learning over summer?  We would love for you to share your ideas!