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Conker Games: Free Printable Guide for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Conker Games is a free printable maths guide for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children count, compare and sort conkers in simple games, using a pencil and a small pile of real conkers or any small objects. It takes about 15 minutes, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children handle conkers as they work. They line them up and count them, pick out the biggest and the smallest, make groups of 2 and take some away. They also sort conkers into big and small, then make a pattern with conkers and leaves. Each question has space to write an answer, so the practice stays hands on and the thinking is easy to see.
- Count out 10 conkers and line them up.
- Find the biggest and the smallest conker.
- Put conkers in groups of 2. How many groups?
- Take 3 away from 10. How many are left?
- Sort conkers by size into big and small.
- Make a pattern with conkers and leaves.
What children build as they play
Counting with care
Lining conkers up in a row helps children touch each one once. That is the best way to avoid missing one or counting it twice.
Comparing sizes
Putting two conkers side by side shows which is bigger. Children start to use words such as biggest and smallest with confidence.
Grouping and sharing out
Making groups of the same size is early work towards counting in steps and, later, multiplication. Children see it with real objects first.
Sorting and patterns
Sorting needs a clear rule. A pattern needs a repeat. Both ask children to look closely and explain what they see.
Why use conkers for maths?
Conkers are the shiny brown seeds of the horse chestnut tree. They fall in autumn, often inside spiky green cases, and many children spot them on walks to school or in the park. Because they are free, familiar and easy to hold, they make good counting objects. No two are exactly the same size, which gives real reasons to compare and sort.
Young children understand number best when they can move things around. Lining up, grouping and taking away conkers turns a number into something they can see and touch. After that, writing the answer on paper feels more natural. If you have no conkers, buttons, pasta shapes or acorns work just as well.
Conkers are not for eating. Keep them away from very small children, who could put them in their mouths. An adult should do any collecting from under trees and check the conkers first. Wash hands after handling them, and keep the games on the table or floor, not thrown.
Conker facts
- Conkers are the seeds of the horse chestnut tree.
- They grow inside a spiky green case that falls from the tree in autumn.
- A fresh conker is smooth and shiny. It slowly dulls as it dries out.
- Horse chestnut trees grow in many parks, streets and village greens in the UK.
- Conkers are not for eating, so they are for counting and playing only.
Skills and curriculum link
- Counting objects
- Comparing size
- Sorting into sets
- Grouping in twos
- Taking away
- Making patterns
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Maths | Number and place value | Year 2 |
What children will be able to do
- I can count a group of objects.
- I can compare two groups and say which has more.
- I can sort objects into sets.
Ideas that help with counting and sorting
- Touch and moveMove each object to a new place as you count it. Then nothing is counted twice.
- Line up to comparePlacing two objects side by side makes it easy to see which is bigger. Guessing by eye can be misleading.
- Choose a sorting ruleDecide on the rule before you start, such as big or small. Then every object has one clear place.
- Say what repeatsA pattern has a part that repeats. Reading it aloud, such as conker, leaf, conker, leaf, helps children spot what comes next.
Key words
- CountSay the numbers in order, one for each object.
- BiggestThe one that is larger than all the others.
- SmallestThe one that is less big than all the others.
- GroupA set of things put together.
- SortPut things into sets using a rule, such as size.
- PatternSomething that repeats in the same order.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Gather some conkers, or small objects such as buttons. Put them on a tray or table where they cannot roll away.
- Work through the first questions together. Let your child move the conkers and talk about each choice.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Ask, "How did you work that out?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with five conkers only. Line them up and touch each one as you count. When that feels easy, add a few more. Say the numbers out loud together and let your child move the conkers themselves.
To stretch confident children
Count in twos and fives. Put conkers in pairs and count 2, 4, 6 and on. Then try small piles of five. Ask your child to tell you what they notice as the numbers grow.
Make it a game
Play a guessing game. Hide some conkers in one hand and ask, "How many in the hand?" Let your child guess, then open your hand and count together. Swap roles so your child hides the conkers.
Talk about it
- How did you count so that you did not miss one?
- Which conker is the biggest? How do you know?
- Which group has more, and by how many?
- How did you decide how to sort them?
- What comes next in your pattern, and why?
- Where have you seen conkers or conker trees?
Take it off the page
Autumn walk
On a walk, an adult collects a few conkers and leaves from the ground. At home, count them and sort them into sets, such as big and small or leaf and conker.
Leaf rubbings
Place a leaf under paper and rub over it with a crayon. Make a row of rubbings and count them. Then make a pattern with two colours.
Handful guess
Fill a bowl with buttons or pasta shapes. Grab a handful, guess how many, then count them. Compare your handful with someone else's.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Real conkers make it fun, but buttons work too. Praise effort and careful thinking, not only correct answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Children can use real objects, which supports mixed ability groups, and page 2 gives help and stretch ideas.
Home educators
Pair it with an autumn walk, a book about trees and a collecting session. The guide is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or for a quick revisit a few weeks later.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children count small groups of objects and say which is more or less. Number Hunt Around the House is a good earlier step. Children who can count a group reliably and say what they notice are ready for this sheet.
After it, children can count in steps of 2, 5 and 10, add and subtract with more confidence, and meet number facts. Shut the Box is a good next step for the same subject. The ideas link to the Number and place value strand of the National Curriculum for England in Year 2.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How did you count so that you did not miss one?
- Which group has more, and by how many?
- How did you decide how to sort them?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Conker Games for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Children who need extra support can start with fewer conkers, and confident children can try the stretch idea on page 2.
- What will children practise?
Children count, compare and sort objects. They line up conkers, find the biggest and smallest, make groups of 2, take some away, sort by size and make a pattern with conkers and leaves.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes. Page 2 for the grown up has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea, so you can make the activity easier or harder.
- Do we need real conkers?
Real conkers are fun, but any small objects work, such as buttons, pasta shapes or acorns. If you use conkers, an adult should collect them. They are not for eating and should be kept away from very small children.
- Is it free, and do I need colour?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour is needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so it is cheap and easy to use.
- Is Conker Games suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and the skills are listed so you can match it to your planning.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper, a pencil and some small objects. It works well for quiet time after school, rainy days and school holidays, and it gets children talking as well as counting.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.