Using Pop-Its in the Classroom!

Sometimes teaching math to young learners can be just plain hard. While it feels great to plan an in-depth lesson that engages students easily, it doesn’t always happen that way. At times, it can feel like absolutely nothing is grabbing our students’ attention when teaching math. If you’re feeling this way, I have the solution! It’s inexpensive, easy to find, and guaranteed to engage your students instantly. Time to bring “Pop-Its” into the classroom! Today I am bringing you a ton of ideas for using “fidget poppers” in your lessons when you need to try something new. Read on for my top tips for using Pop-Its in the classroom!

What are Pop-Its?

In case you haven’t heard about these, “Pop-Its” are a sensory fidget toy that has recently become very popular. They are made of soft silicone and come in a variety of colors, shapes, and themes. “Popping” the bubbles can be somewhat addicting and are great for calming down, stress relief, and shifting focus.

Pop-It is the original “name brand” and I usually find them at Target. You can find similar variations on Amazon that work just as well also! These fun toys are fully washable, lightweight, durable, and approved for ages 3 and up. Pop-Its will keep little ones busy FOR SO LONG!

While many parents find that Pop-Its are awesome for keeping their kiddos occupied, I love using them in the classroom as well. There are so many things you can do with them and I find them especially helpful in teaching math skills.

What can I Teach with Pop-Its?

SO many things! Since Pop-It’s are so engaging to young learners, I use them to teach a variety of skills. It takes no coaxing at all to excite my students about a lesson when we are using Pop-Its in the classroom! These are my secret weapon to pull out when my students are restless, need a break from pencils and paper, or when it just feels like nothing else is working. Using Pop-Its in the classroom will perk up your students and make teaching difficult skills a snap.

Teach Number Formation with Pop-Its

To get started, I love using Pop-Its to teach number formation. Using these is an unexpected way to practice something the kids typically would just use pencils and paper for is a great way to add in some hands-on learning. While worksheets have a place, this is such a fun way to mix it up!

In my Pop It! Math: Number Formation resource, kiddos can practice numbers 0-20. This resource includes 2 options for task cards and recording sheets for the kids to “bubble in” their answers.

This activity is great for “write the room” and provides lots of practice for number formation. I like to use this particular resource as a follow-up activity at the end of the week, throughout the year.

It’s a great way to review this key skill, assess my students and grab their attention at the end of a long week of learning.

Practice Counting Numbers with Pop-Its

Next up, try using Pop-Its for counting practice. Using Pop-Its this way is essentially the same practice as using small manipulatives for counting, without the small pieces. Pretty sure that is a kindergarten teacher’s dream – hands-on learning without the small pieces to get lost!

Now, don’t get me wrong- I love those cute mini erasers as much as anyone, but sometimes they end up ALL over my room. Or in my students’ backpacks…. or their mouths. If you teach younger kiddos, I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. Using Pop-Its for counting practice eliminates those small pieces flying all over the room and makes it easy for students to move about the classroom with their materials.

My Pop-It Math: Counting Numbers resource covers 1-10 and 11-19 in a fun, new way. Students can practice showing the number on their task card by “popping” that many bubbles on their Pop-It board. This resource comes with 2 sets of task cards, recording sheets, answer keys, and a Google Slides activity. I love using the Google Slides version of this activity as a way to integrate technology into the lesson without having to plan another activity. I have also included some blank Pop-It printables, these are great for laminating and using with a dry erase marker for demonstration.

Learn Addition and Subtraction

Young learners need all the practice when it comes to first learning how to add and subtract. I know that my students can get burnt out on doing the same thing over and over, but I also know they benefit from repetition. Pop-Its will save your sanity here! I love to pull these activities out mid-day when my students are starting to get the wiggles and need a change of pace. The kids always get excited when they hear they get to “play” with Pop-Its!

If you’re looking to get your students some extra practice with adding and subtracting, check out my Pop-Its Math: Addition and Subtraction bundle. This resource includes everything you need to teach basic addition and subtraction through 20 as well as adding 3 numbers. Each of the resources in the bundle comes with 2 variations of task cards for easy differentiation, recording sheets, and a Google Slides activity. These activities are true math-boredom busters and make for easy classroom engagement! And . . . they are a fantastic way for students to SEE the concepts of addition and subtraction in action.

Give it a Try in Your Classroom

My students LOVE working with Pop Its and I know yours will too. Give it a try in your classroom with these FREE Pop Its Cards for Addition and Subtraction Doubles. Grab your free resource below and get popping in your math centers.

Start Using Pop-Its in the Classroom!

So, have I convinced you? Using Pop-Its in the classroom has been a real game-changer for me! My students are excited to learn and I don’t have to worry about lack of engagement. If you’re ready to give Pop-Its a try in your classroom, check out my Ultimate Pop-Its Math Bundle! This bundle comes with all 6 resources so you will be set to teach a variety of math skills all year long! This money-saving bundle will also save your sanity on days when your students are just burnt out on traditional teaching methods. Add these to your teacher arsenal and start having fun with math again!

Save these Ideas for Using Pop-Its in the Classroom

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for spicing up your math lessons! Don’t forget to save these ideas for later on your favorite classroom Pinterest board. Happy Teaching, friends!