100 Days Smarter: 10 Fun Ways to Celebrate 100s Day at Home

As the school year passes by, you can probably ask your child how many days they have been in school so far this year, and they will know the answer. Not because they are waiting and longing for school to be over, but because keeping track of the days is a great way to practice all sorts of different math skills.

Almost every classroom starts from day one and counts down until the end of the year. In my classroom we use a 100’s chart and flip over the number for each day. My class loves figuring out what the number for the day is, especially as the numbers get bigger. We make the number with straws in order to practice place value (ones, tens, hundreds) and we use our 100’s chart to practice counting by 5’s and 10’s.

This year at my school our 100th day will fall on January 21st. Your child’s 100th day may vary, due to the date they started school or if they have had any snow days. 

In preparation for the 100th day, we always plan some fun activities for our kinders to do that involve the number 100.

You may think that the number 100 is just a normal number, but to a kindergarten child, it is just about the coolest number around! They all strive to be able to count to 100, and once they master that, they get super excited. It’s a huge milestone for them and shows that they understand that counting is really just completing the same number pattern, as each group of 10 starts over.

Every year our kindergarten team makes sure that all of our kinders have a fun 100th day. We have several fun engaging activities that we prepare, some of which you could very easily do at home with your own child, as well.

Here are just a few ideas to try when that special day draws near. I personally guarantee that your child will have so much fun, they won’t even realize how much math they are doing! I’m all for fun while learning, so anything I can do to spark a child’s interest, I’m willing to try. This is especially true when it comes to math, which for some kids is an intimidating subject.

10 Activities to Celebrate 100s Day At Home:

1. Predict-a-Path

Together with your child, predict where you might land if you took 100 steps from their bedroom (or any other place in your house). Once you have both made your predictions, count out the steps and see who was the closest to being correct. Then move to another location and begin again.

2. Trail Mix

Help your child create a trail mix-like snack by counting out ten groups of ten and then combining them into one bowl together to eat. For example, have them count out 10 goldfish crackers, 10 raisins, 10 marshmallows, 10 pretzels, etc. and when combined, they will have a 100-piece snack to munch on.

3. Exercise Circuits

Make a list of 10 fun movements that your child could do 10 of in order to equal 100. They could do 10 jumping jacks, 10 hops, touch their toes 10 times, etc.

4. Math Pizza

Create a fun lunch by making a pizza with 100 toppings. Count out 10 pepperonis, 10 black olives, 10 pieces of Canadian bacon, etc. and let your child put them on the pizza while you count together. This will help them practice their 1:1 correspondence and they won’t even know it!

5. Future Self Portrait

Take an art break and have your child draw or paint what they think they might look like when they are 100 years old. It’s also hilarious to have your child draw a picture of what they think YOU would look like when you are 100 years old too!

6. Edible Jewelry

Work together to lace 100 Cheerios, Fruit Loops, or Apple Jacks onto a piece of yarn to make a pretty necklace. You can add to this by having your child count out groups of 10 or by sorting out 10 of each color if you are using Fruit Loops.

7. Puzzle Time

This one is a no brainer, but having fun by putting together a 100 piece puzzle is not only a way to practice problem solving skills, but it is also a way to spend some one-on-one quality time with your child. You and your child will both enjoy it!

8. Lego Structures

Just like with the 100-piece puzzle, together you can build a structure using 100 Legos or Lincoln Logs. If your child has a favorite building material use it to make something from their imagination using 100 pieces. I often find building with Legos to be somewhat therapeutic, so after a long hard day, sit down and take some time to do this with your child. You will find that you become more relaxed in just a few minutes.

9. Acts of Kindness

Challenge your family to do 100 acts of kindness either leading up to the 100th day of school or after it. This is a way to teach your child some positive life skills and is something your entire family can help out with. Doing something good for someone else can also in turn make you feel good yourself. Providing that example for children can go a long way to helping them become kind little people.

10. Personal Goals

Last but not least, have each person in your family create of goal using the number 100 that they can be working on until the next 100th day of school rolls around. Some examples might be reading 100 books, exercising for 100 minutes 3 days a week, or volunteering 100 hours of your time to a great charity or cause.

These are obviously not the only ways to incorporate your child’s 100th day of school at home, but they will certainly get you started. I’m guessing that you will come up with 100 more ideas once you start on this list!

What 100th day activity are you going to try with your child at home? What is your child’s favorite 100th day activity that they do at school?