End of the Year Math Crafts for First Grade

What if I told you there was a fun way to review important first grade math topics at the end of the year? No, we’re not talking about endless worksheets and task cards. We’re talking about fun, end of the year math crafts! Come along to see 2 of my favorite math crafts to target key math skills as you wrap up the school year.

Why You’ll Love End of the Year Math Crafts

Are you rolling full steam ahead towards the end of the year?! If so, you’re going to LOVE what we’re talking about today. This time of year is filled with review, testing, classroom clean-out, and so many other important tasks. All in all, it’s a crazy-busy time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way!

This is the exact reason that I am a huge fan of using end of the year math crafts in my classroom. Review is at the top of our priority list before the kiddos are out for summer break. But… after many years of teaching, I’ve learned that we can’t expect kiddos to remain engaged through the final days unless we pack in the fun. That’s how these end of the year math crafts came to be. They combine review with engaging, hands-on learning and a dash of creativity to keep the fun going!

That’s not all, though, friends! These end of the year math crafts have many other benefits, too! Here are some of the highlights:

Fine Motor Practice

Crafts are so great for classroom learning because they allow our students to exercise those fine motor skills. My kids really benefit from the opportunity to cut, glue, and assemble their own crafts. Each time we do a craft, I always notice a bit of improvement when it comes to accuracy and neatness, which I always consider to be a big win!

Focus & Following Directions

We all know that the end of the year can lead to some distracted students. And who can blame them? Summer fun is on the horizon after all! Using a fun end of the year math craft like these is a wonderful way to ensure that you can slow those students down and snag their attention. There’s something calming about sitting down and crafting. It helps students focus their attention and listen up! Plus, I find it to be especially helpful in working on following directions correctly as well!

Simple Differentiation

The end of the year math crafts I’m sharing today are super simple to differentiate by skill level. This means you’ll easily be able to assign an activity that aligns with the skill level of each student in your classroom. Our students are all different, and having a variety of options always comes in handy in my room!

Using these End of the Year Math Crafts

Alright friends, ready to learn more?! Let’s dive into the specifics. In my classroom, I have 2 different math crafts that we use this time of year. One is designed for May and has a spring theme. The other is geared towards June and uses a summer theme.

May Math Craft

The craft we use in May is focused on 2-digit addition. There are options with and without regrouping as well as adding tens to a 2-digit number. The best thing about this craft is the versatility. I’ve included different support options for maximum customization. There are options with base ten blocks for learners who need more support, as well as options with equations only for more advanced students. This makes it super simple to differentiate for your students’ needs!

This activity uses a spring butterfly theme that is perfect for May. To use the craft, you will print a butterfly and a speech bubble for each student. The students will then color the pieces, complete the equation, and cut them out. Then, they glue all the pieces to construction paper.

When everyone is done, you can create an adorable spring bulletin board display with their work and the letters I’ve provided that read, “Fluttering Into Addition”. There’s also an easy, low-prep option included with the letters printed on one page. All you need to do to use that option is print it out and place it in the center of your bulletin board!

June Math Craft

The June math craft option is focused on fractions! In this resource, students will focus on halves and quarters. I have also added options for the term “fourths” if you prefer that term for your classroom. This craft uses a summer theme that is great for the end of the year! There are 3 different options for the craft, including a sun, beachball, and ice cream.

To create the craft, you will print the desired item (beach ball, ice cream, or sun), along with a fraction strip and a speech bubble for each student. Then, students will cut out the pieces and sort the fractions by type. They will also color and glue the pieces down in the correct places. When they have finished, they glue all the pieces down on construction paper.

This resource also includes bulletin board letters as well as an easy-print poster option so that you can create a cute display when students are finished! This is a great way to review fractions, while taking some time to do a little crafting too!

Extension Activities

Aside from the crafts, differentiated options, and bulletin board letters, both of these resources include extension activities. I find that these are especially helpful at the end of the year when I’m looking for low-prep options to review math skills.

The extension activities include 2 different worksheets that relate to the math skill for each resource. These are great for practice before or after your crafting time! I also like to use them for morning work review and even homework assignments.

Using these End of the Year Math Crafts

In my room, my absolute favorite way to use these crafts is as a whole-group activity. I tend to save these for the end of the week, when I know my students are losing steam. Before we begin, I give a quick review of the topic we’re focusing on. That might include some quick examples on the board, a YouTube educational video, or some Boom Cards to review. Taking some time to do this is a great way to refresh before we begin and allows students to practice.

Once that’s done, I explain our craft and have some helpers pass out materials. Then, I put on some fun music, or even a summer ambiance video, and everyone gets to work! I love this method for using these end of the year math crafts because it allows me to circulate the room while my students work. I can observe how they’re doing, check their work, and help as needed. It’s a relaxing end to the week that I really look forward to!

I also like to have my kids use glue sticks to assemble the craft, so they dry quickly. Then, as students finish up, they can bring them to me and I add them to the bulletin board right then. It’s so great to do this all at once and then come in to a fresh and cute new display on Monday morning! These end of the year math crafts also work well for center time and small groups, too, so feel free to adjust how you use them to fit your needs!

Grab these End of the Year Math Crafts to Make Review Fun!

I hope you enjoyed seeing how we use the May Math Crafts and June Math Crafts in my classroom to review important first grade math topics. I love that these activities offer an opportunity to practice key math skills while being creative and using fine motor skills, too! Not to mention, my kids really love them! I view these crafts as a way for us to slow down, enjoy each other’s company, and take a little breather during the busy days at the end of the school year.

If you love the idea of incorporating monthly math crafts into your routine, be sure to check out the year-long bundle! Inside, you get a craft for each month that is focused on an important first-grade math skill. My students and I both really look forward to using these, and I know yours will too!

Looking for More End of the Year Activities?

If you’re looking for more ways to practice first grade math skills at the end of the year, be sure to read this post next! It’s filled with my go-to math games that students love!

Save These End of the Year Math Crafts

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