This even and odd sorting game helps first and second graders sort numbers into two groups by playing: sort twenty numbers into the even and odd bins, pop balloons, race cars or sprint through true and false sentences. Every question shows a number from 1 to 99 and asks whether it is even or odd, so children practice the last-digit rule until they can sort numbers at a glance. It is free, needs no sign-up, works on phones and tablets, and comes with a printable even and odd sorting mat.
Even and odd sorting game: see how it plays
The game below opens in Sort It mode and has three more ways to play. The printable sorting mat has two big boxes and twelve number cards to cut out, and the pictures show Sort It, Balloon Pop and Answer Race on this page.
How the even and odd sorting game works
- Sort It: twenty items, one at a time. Tap Even or Odd for each one, and see how many you get right. A wrong tap tells you where the item belongs.
- Balloon Pop: answers float up on balloons, and you pop the right one before it drifts off the top. Each balloon is a word, Even or Odd, so the skill is deciding fast and tapping the right word. The game speeds up as your score climbs, and three misses ends the round.
- Answer Race: every right answer moves your car forward, and you race three computer cars to the finish flag. The first to 15 wins, and wrong taps cost time, not places.
- True or False: sixty seconds on the clock. Decide whether each sentence, such as 2 = Even, is right or wrong. A streak of five or more scores double.
The rule for sorting even and odd numbers
Look at the last digit, the ones digit. If it is 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8, the number is even. If it is 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9, the number is odd. This works for every number, however big, because the tens, hundreds and thousands are all made of whole groups of ten, and ten is even. Only the ones digit decides whether there is a leftover. That means 1,000,001 is odd, and 48 is even because it ends in 8. Wikipedia’s parity article explains the idea mathematicians use for even and odd.
| Group | Ends in | Pairs up? | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Even | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 | Yes, with nothing left over | 14, 38, 52, 70, 96 and 58 |
| Odd | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 | No, one is left over | 27, 41, 69, 83, 35 and 77 |
Even odd sort: sorting numbers into two groups, and why it matters
Sorting is a core early math skill, because it asks children to notice a property and use it to put things into groups. Even and odd is a perfect first example: every whole number goes in exactly one of two bins, and the rule is simple. In Sort It mode the game shows twenty numbers one after another, so children get twenty chances to apply the rule. Try these extensions on paper with the printable mat:
- Sort by pairing: use counters. If every counter has a partner, the number is even.
- Sort by sharing: can the number be shared equally between two people? 14 can (7 each), and 15 cannot.
- Sort and sum: add the evens and the odds in each box. What do you notice about each total?
- Sort on the hundreds chart: color the evens one color and the odds another and look at the stripes. Our hundreds chart maker prints one ready to color.
Even and odd sorting mat: how to use it
The printable even and odd sorting mat has an Even box and an Odd box. Cut out the twelve number cards, sort them into the boxes, and then check each card with the last-digit rule. Play the even and odd sorting game afterwards to see how fast you can sort twenty numbers on screen.
Even and odd rules for adding
| Add | You get | Example |
|---|---|---|
| even + even | even | 6 + 8 = 14 |
| odd + odd | even | 7 + 9 = 16 |
| even + odd | odd | 6 + 9 = 15 |
Two odd numbers make an even number because each one has a leftover, and the two leftovers make a pair. These rules are a first taste of mathematical proof for second graders.
Is zero even or odd?
Zero is even, and in the even and odd sorting game it would go in the even bin. It ends in 0, it can be shared equally between two people (0 each), and it fits the pattern of evens and odds along the number line. Many children find this surprising, and it is a favorite question for class discussion. Wikipedia’s evenness of zero article tells the full story. The game only uses numbers from 1 to 99, so zero does not come up.
Even and odd word problems
- There are 13 children and they line up in pairs. Will anyone be without a partner? Answer: yes, 1 child, because 13 is odd.
- Mia has 18 stickers and shares them equally with Leo. How many does each get? Answer: 9.
- Is the house number 64 even or odd? Answer: even, because it ends in 4.
- Sort these numbers: 21, 36, 48, 55. Answer: even are 36 and 48; odd are 21 and 55.
Where even and odd fits at school
| Level | What children are expected to do |
|---|---|
| Grade 2 (US) | Determine whether a group of up to 20 objects is odd or even, by pairing or counting by 2s, and write an even number as a sum of two equal addends (2.OA.C.3) |
| Early primary (England) | Counting in 2s, which leads children to notice the even numbers |
The even and odd sorting game supports this standard. See the Common Core grade 2 operations and algebraic thinking standards. The even or odd game adds a quick-answer version, and our skip counting worksheets cover counting by 2s.
Even and odd sorting game: frequently asked questions
How do you sort even and odd numbers?
Look at the last digit. If it is 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8, put the number in the even group. Otherwise, it is odd.
What age is the even and odd sorting game for?
It suits children aged about 6 to 8, in first and second grade, as they learn about pairs and skip counting by 2s.
What numbers does the even and odd sorting game use?
Whole numbers from 1 to 99, so children use the last-digit rule on two-digit numbers.
How many items are in a round of Sort It?
Twenty. Your score is based on how many you get right and how quickly you finish.
Is the even and odd sorting game free, and do kids need an account?
Yes, it is free, and no account is needed. Best scores are saved only in the browser on this device.
Does the even and odd sorting game work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Every game is built for touch first and also works with a mouse on a computer.