Matching Games for Teachers
Explore matching games for kids created by teachers to play in maths class, English rotations and more! Get students excited about learning with fun games designed to help them increase their attention to detail and classify objects.
This collection of printable and digital games was created by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team with kids (and teachers) in mind. It includes curriculum-aligned activities designed to promote active learning and primary student participation, helping them improve their ability to find similarities and differences in objects.
Haven't used a matching in your classroom and want to know more? Or maybe you just want some fresh ideas for your classroom. Either way, read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is a Matching Game?
Sometimes referred to as a memory game, matching games typically consist of a set of cards or tiles that are laid out face down. The objective of the game is to find pairs by turning over two cards at a time until all matches have been made.
This fun game concept has been used in classrooms for years, based on the concept of memory or concentration games, which have roots dating back to the 19th century.
Of course, the games have evolved over time! The traditional format has been transformed into interactive digital versions, and you'll find matching games right here on Teach Starter that students can play online on their tablets or classroom computer!
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Ice Cream Counting Game
Help students practise their knowledge of counting numbers 1-20 with this fun ice cream matching game.
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Telling Time Puzzles - Reading Clocks
Practise reading analogue clocks, digital clocks, and time in word form with a set of printable Telling Time to the Hour and Half Hour Clock Puzzles.
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Multiplication With Equal Groups Matching Activity
Reinforce how to relate multiplication and equal groups with this printable matching activity.
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Defining Homophones Matching Game
Help your students become familiar with the meanings and spellings of common homophones with this set of 36 differentiated matching cards.
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Counting 1-20 Matching Game for Foundation and Grade One
Use this matching game in your early years classroom to teach students to count quantities and match them to numbers (1-20).
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Morphology Match-Up
Consolidate your morphology lessons by ensuring students understand word parts terminology and the meanings of different word parts.
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Alphabet Letter Match
A fun match-up activity to consolidate your students' knowledge of uppercase and lowercase letters.
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Picture Cards with Price Tags and Coins (Australian Currency)
A variety of different objects with price tags and coin cards.
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A.M. and P.M. Matching Game
Identify what happens in the A.M. and P.M. times with a fun matching game.
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What Does the Clock Say? - Telling the Time Game
Solve the math riddles and read analogue clocks with a fun Time to 5 Minute Telling Time Game.
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Syllable Puzzles - Apple Matching Game
Practise segmenting, blending, and identifying types of syllables in words with a set of apple-themed puzzles.
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Matching Direct and Indirect Speech
Investigate the differences between direct and indirect speech with this match-up activity.
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Money Match-Up Game (Australian Currency)
A set of six cards to be matched up for each note and coin in Australian currency.
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Push and Pull Examples – Matching Game
Have students explore examples of push and pull forces with this matching game to use during your forces and motion science unit.
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Partitioning 3-Digit Numbers Matching Activity
Help children partition 3-digit numbers by identifying the place value of hundreds, tens, and ones with this matching activity.
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Fact Families Maths Group Activity
Use this hands-on addition and subtraction strategy activity in your next guided math group lesson!
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Think It or Say It? - Sorting Activity
Teach students about using a filter when speaking with others.
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Prime Factorisation Match-Up
Practise how to find the prime factorisation of a number with this match-up activity.
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Rhyme Time – Match-Up Activity
A set of 32 match-up cards for students to practise rhyming.
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Unit Fraction Puzzle Pop Match
‘Pop’ in a bit of extra practise with unit fractions using this fun set of Unit Fraction Puzzle Pops!
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Animals and Their Babies Memory Game
Play an animal game for kids to learn about animals and their babies.
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Number Line Match-Up Activity (Up to 120)
Match two-digit whole numbers on a number line with this set of 32 task cards.
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Fraction Models – Match-Up Activity
Practise matching fractions to their word form, shaded model and number line model with this match-up activity.
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Uppercase and Lowercase Matching
A set of four pages for practicing uppercase and lowercase letter recognition.
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Time Unit Conversion Match-Up Game
Convert increments of time, including seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months, with a printable Time Conversion matching activity.
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Time to the Hour and Half Hour Match-Up
Match cards with three different representations of time to practise reading clocks and time in their written form.
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3D Objects and Their Nets - Matching Game
Connect the names, models and nets of three-dimensional objects with this hands-on matching game.
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Australian Citizenship Values - Match-Up Activity
Learn key vocabulary terms related to Australia’s citizenship values with this set of hands-on match-up cards.
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Pictograph, Bar Graph, and Dot Plot Match-Up (Scaled Intervals)
Use data analysis skills to match tally charts and frequency tables with their corresponding bar graph, pictograph, or dot plot.
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How Does It End? – Final Sounds Match-Up Activity
Consolidate your students' understanding of end sounds with this set of 15 task cards.
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Maths Word Problem Match-Up Game - 0- 50 Division and Multiplication
Twenty word problem cards for division and multiplication using numbers 0-50.
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Building Compound Words - Puzzles
Practise building compound words with this set of 20 puzzles, each with three pieces—two smaller words and the compound word they form.