This is a fun little challenge which involves two children competing against each other to answer a given question in the quickest time.
One child uses the main board in the classroom (whether that be an interactive whiteboard, a normal whiteboard or a blackboard). The other child uses a small whiteboard with a dry-wipe pen – if these aren’t available, they can use pencil and paper.
The teacher calls out a calculation (which could be an addition / subtraction / multiplication / division sum, or a word problem). The two children then have to use their boards to answer the question.
The other children in the audience can check the calculation of the child who is using the big board, but the one using the little board has a bit more privacy.
The child who answers the question correctly in the quickest time is the winner.
This activity can be repeated with two new children or using a ‘winner stays on’ rule where the quickest child continues in the game and competes against a new child.