Rescue the Toys Addition Game | Inspiration Laboratories

Let’s rescue the toys and practice some kindergarten math skills. Work on counting, addition, and writing numbers while playing with your favorite toys in our Rescue the Toys Addition Game.

example of rescue the toys addition game with addition equation 2+5=7. 2 Hatchimals and 5 My Little Pony toys are below the written equation.

Kindergarten Math: Rescue the Toys Addition Game

I set this activity up for my kindergartner and my (just turned) 4 year old. The goal of the math activity was for Lily (my kindergartner) to work on addition and writing numbers. Elon got to tag along as the game is more fun with 2 people playing. He was working on counting and one to one correspondence (counting objects with one touch per object). He also wanted to practice writing numbers.

Supplies You’ll Need for the Toy Rescue Math Game

Dry erase board and marker (or paper and a writing utensil)
Favorite toys to rescue (at least 20 to work on adding up to 20) – We used 2 groups of 11 with Hatchimals and My Little Ponies
Super hero toy(s) to be the rescuer(s) – We used Paw Patrol Mighty Marshall. (Any toy can be a super hero.)

How to Play the Rescue the Toys Addition Game

Line up the toys to be rescued. (This will make for easier counting.) We used 11 Hatchimals and 11 My Little Ponies. Use whatever toys you have on hand. Two groups of toys will make the equation building easier.

11 Hatchimals and 11 My Little Ponies lined up in 4 rows

Next, you’re going to write an equation on the dry erase board. Have your child choose a number between 1 and 10 (or half of how ever many toys you have lined up). Ask your child to write the first number on the board. Then, write a plus sign. Have your child choose another number and write that number in the equation. Finally, have her write an equals sign. Don’t solve the addition equation yet.

Now it’s time to set up the rescue scene. (One of my kids set up the rescue scene while the other one did the rescuing. Then, they switched roles.)

Look at your addition equation. The numbers represent how many toys you need to set up in your rescue scene. (2+5=__ means set up 2 toys from group 1 and 5 toys from group 2. For us, we set up 2 Hatchimals and 5 My Little Ponies.)

*The toys to be rescued are on top of a bean bag.*

Now it’s time for your super hero to rescue the toys.

Then, place the rescued toys below your addition equation. Here is where having two groups of toys helps. Finish your equation with the sum of the two numbers. How many toys did you rescue?

Choose new numbers and write a new addition equation. Reset your rescue scene and play again. Where will the toys be placed this time?

*Here Mighty Marshall is rescuing the toys from the top of a box.*

Complete the equation.

Keep playing as long as your kids are interested.

My kids had fun varying the rescue locations. Sometimes the toys were up high. Sometimes the toys were trapped somewhere. Let them use their imaginations to create the rescue scenes. This helps extend the play time and lets them work in more math and writing practice.

*The eagle has trapped the toys. It is up to Mighty Marshall to save them.*

Every rescue results in another addition equation completed.

Game Variations to Try

Simplify for Preschool

Make this game appeal more to the preschool crowd by working on counting and number recognition. Write a number and have your child rescue that many toys. No addition equation needed.

Work on Subtraction

Start with writing a subtraction equation. Set out toys to represent the first number in the equation (the minuend). Have a villain toy capture the second number in the equation (the subtrahend). The toys not captured are the difference (the number after the equal sign).

Add Movement to the Game

Have your child rescue the toys from one side of the room and bring the to safety on the other side of the room. Add in different movements for each rescue (walking, crawling, running, jumping, dancing, etc.)

More Kindergarten Learning Activities

Super Hero Math Game: Catch a Villain – The villains have stolen the gold! Help the super heroes catch those villains while practicing number recognition, counting, addition, and get moving.

Dragon Math: Kindergarten Counting Game (sponsored) – Grab the free printable to work on number recognition, counting, subitizing, and comparing numbers. It also adds in fine motor practice.

Catapult Castle Sight Word Game – Try to get the sight words over the castle wall.

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