Activities & Lessons

Fun 3rd Grade Math Games & Activities for the Classroom

4 Min Read
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Looking for fun math activities for 3rd grade? You’ve come to the right place!

3rd Grade Math Activities

No matter where you are in the year or what your students’ levels are, we have a wide variety of third-grade math games and activities for you. Take a look.

Puzzles About 100

The number 100 can be a big deal. It pops up when we talk about place value and percent, and it’s one of the most intimidating base ten blocks! These five puzzles about the number 100 will get your third-grade students thinking flexibly about math. Challenge your students to practice not only their operations within 100 but also their abstract thinking skills. These are all appropriate for the 3rd grade classroom, with versions available for both the student and teacher.

Key learning objectives:

  • Fluently use operations within 100.
  • Reason abstractly and spatially.

In Our Corner of Space

Make math fun by making the scale big. For third graders ready for a challenge, have them compare distances around the solar system. Students get an interstellar taste of math applying to the real world. In this activity, which includes a student version and teacher guide, students also learn about the planets in our solar system by reading a passage and drawing them.

Key learning objectives:

  • Perform operations with numbers over 1 million.
  • Model the solar system with mathematics.

Find the Area!

Spin the spinners and make some rectangles! This math game has students playing a two-person game where both players use spinners to generate a rectangle’s dimensions. The person whose rectangle has greater area wins the round. While we provide everything you need to play this game in person, this is an easy game to play online, too.

Key learning objective:

  • Calculate the area of rectangles.

Coins in the U.S.

Math class can be a great place to talk about money. Ka-ching! Dive into why a quarter is called a quarter, and get students practicing social studies skills by researching and analyzing the coin minting process. This activity includes a student and teacher version.

Key learning objectives:

  • Develop understanding of fractions with denominators through 10.
  • Investigate details of U.S. coins.

Auto Addition

Your kiddos might not be allowed to drive yet, but they can still race to the picnic! In this game, players take turns solving addition problems and checking each other’s work. The first player to reach the picnic wins the game.

Key learning objective:

  • Perform 2- and 3-digit addition.

Inventing Toys

Get your third graders to imagine they are hustling in the toy industry. They’re responsible for the trendy Abuelito and Abuelita dolls that are sweeping the country. This lesson includes a student and teacher version.

Key learning objectives:

  • Model a business with mathematics.
  • Represent and solve problems involving multiplication.

You and your students will need the important facts below to complete the lesson.

  • Each Abuelita doll comes in a box that is 8 inches wide.
  • There are 4 boxes in 1 carton.
  • Abuelita Rosa sings 6 songs.
  • Abuelito Pancho sings 4 songs.
  • Javier sings 5 songs.
  • Baby Andrea and Baby Tita each sing 5 songs.
  • Baby Mimi plays music but does not sing.

Add Mentally!

Turn adding numbers in your head into 3rd grade math games! Players challenge each other with mental addition problems using cards as half of the addends. Note that this game requires cutting out and making cards.

Key learning objectives:

  • Fluently add within 100.
  • Critique the reasoning of others.

More 3rd Grade Math Activities

Looking for more than just math games for Grade 3? Explore more free math games and activities for all grades!

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Grow student confidence in mathematics with HMH Into Math, our core math solution for Grades K–8.

This blog, originally published in 2020, has been updated for 2025.

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