What's The Point

Hacker Alert! Hacker has placed a padlock on your door and you need to break out. Crack the combination and build number skills at the same time. This simple game can be played anywhere—at home, in the car, or waiting in line. No supplies needed.

This Activity Will Help Your Child

• Build number awareness
• Develop addition skills

Book Suggestions

• Five Creatures
  by Emily Jenkins

Supplies

• Paper (optional)
• Pencil (optional)

How Do I Do It?

1. At least two players are needed for this game. Player #1 takes on the role of Hacker—who decides the padlock code. Player #2 takes on the role of Matt, Jackie or Inez—who cracks the padlock code.
2. Set up the game with a rule: Hacker’s padlock has two numbers and these numbers must add up to the number 10.
3. Player #1 (Hacker) secretly selects two numbers that add up to 10 and either keeps them in his head or writes them down.
4. Player #2 tries to guess the numbers in as few tries as possible. Remember, a padlock combination must be in the exact order, so it is important for player #2 to suggest the inverse of any combination:
   
   
   Are the numbers 2 and 8?
   Are the numbers 8 and 2?
   
   
   
5. Continue until the combination is solved and you successfully break out. Then switch roles.

Take It Further

When your child tires of the adding to 10, try another target number. “Hacker’s padlock now has two numbers that add up to 8.”

Work on subtraction with another simple change to the game. “Hacker’s padlock has two numbers that—when subtracted—must equal 2.”