Maths Skills: Medain line-up

This game can be played both outdoors on the playground or indoors as a party activity. Develops teamwork and social skills by requiring children to use non-verbal communication to play. This game also introduces children to the notion of median numbers by relating it to their own relative ages.

What this activity will develop:
Maths, physical and social skills

Players:
Game leader
3 or more players

What to do:

The goal of this game is to find the median age of the players. The players line up according to age, from the youngest to the oldest. If most of the players are the same age, they will need to use months and days to determine who is oldest. The players must do this without speaking to each other or making any sounds.

After the players have formed a line, the group leader asks them to call out their birthdays and checks to see that the order is accurate.

To find the median age, the group leader has the players at the ends of the line pair off and sit down. If it is an odd-numbered group, continue until only one player is left. The median age of the group is the age of the remaining player. If it is an even-numbered group, continue until two players are left. The median age of the group is the age exactly between the two remaining players.

Other ideas:
Find the median of the group for other things, such as hair colour, weight, height, birth order, shoe size, or favourite colour.

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• Listening Skills
• Math Skills
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• Science Fun
• Reading Skills
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