Build Estimation Skills With This Bottle Cap Guessing Game

Bottle caps can be repurposed in so many ways! Along with art projects, games are another fun way to give your caps a second life. Elementary students can use bottle caps to build their estimation skills. Change up the size of the container to play this bottle cap game over and over again.

What You’ll Need

• 1 liter or larger clear plastic container
• 150-200 bottle caps

What to Do

1. Count out and record the number of bottle caps that you’ll want to use for the game. A number between 100 and 200 is usually a good amount.
2. Fill the container with the caps you have collected.
3. Pass the container around to students. On a slip of paper, have them write down how many caps they think are in the container.
4. Once they’ve all written down their guesses, go around the classroom and collect students’ answers.
5. Review the guesses out loud, and name the winner of the bottle cap game!
6. For some extra encouragement, offer a prize to the student whose guess comes
   closest to the actual number of caps, such as giving the student an extra bonus
   punch on their recycling punch cards.

Looking for more bottle cap ideas? Try these!

• Bottle Cap Mosaics: Arrange bottle caps into patterns and glue them in place to make colorful mosaics.
• Bottle Cap Animals: Let bottle caps serve as inspiration for adorable animals! Add some construction paper, paint, and wiggly eyes to make your own creature designs.
• Bottle Cap Locket: Wear some green jewelry when you turn a couple of caps into a sweet necklace.