Materials
- One Mancala board per pair
- 48 stones, beads, or counters (4 in each small pit)
- Optional: student score sheet
Teacher + Parent guide
Fun Math Games for 1st Graders: Teach Mancala in One Class
Use this one-page guide to teach Mancala quickly, then let students practice counting and strategy through play.
Why Mancala works for 1st grade math
- Develops one-to-one correspondence as students distribute stones across the board.
- Strengthens subitizing skills and simple addition when calculating totals in stores.
- Directly supports Common Core alignment for Operations and Algebraic Thinking.
- Low-prep, kinesthetic activity ideal for math centers and small group instruction.
Printable Mancala rules (1 page)
Keep this open on a screen or print it for table groups.
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Quick setup
- Seat two players facing each other.
- Place 4 stones in each small pit; keep stores empty.
- Each player uses the six pits closest to them.
How to play
- Player 1 picks up all stones from one pit on their side.
- Drop one stone in each next pit moving counterclockwise.
- Place a stone in your own store, but skip your opponent's store.
- If your last stone lands in your store, you take one extra turn.
- If your last stone lands in an empty pit on your side, capture opposite stones.
- Game ends when one side is empty; count stones in each store to find the winner.
Math prompts for 1st graders
- Before you start, use subitizing or counting to see how many stones are in your hand.
- Demonstrate one-to-one correspondence by counting aloud as you drop each stone.
- How many more stones do you need to reach 10 in your store?
- Which move allows you to land exactly in your store? How many stones away is it?
Teaching tip: Play one short modeled round, then pause after each turn and ask one counting question before continuing.
mancala.com