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Tally Charts and Pictograms: A Data Park Detective Game

Tally Charts and Pictograms: A Data Park Detective Game

Learn to read and make tally charts and pictograms, then sort pond animals, build block diagrams and compare data with Pip the owl.

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What you'll learn

  • Make tally marks and close a gate at every fifth mark
  • Turn tallies into numbers in a simple table
  • Build a block diagram and read towers against the scale
  • Read a pictogram using its key, including half pictures
  • Sort groups from most to fewest
  • Find totals by adding and differences for 'how many more'

Chapter by chapter

  1. Tally charts: sorting and counting in fives Free to try

    Year 2 maths · 1 Year 2 maths · 2

  2. Simple tables: counting, sorting and totals

    Year 2 maths · 1 Year 2 maths · 2 Year 2 maths · 3

  3. Block diagrams: building and reading towers

    Year 2 maths · 1 Year 2 maths · 2

  4. Pictograms: reading and making them with a key

    Year 2 maths · 1 Year 2 maths · 2

  5. Totalling and comparing: altogether, how many more and fewer

    Year 2 maths · 2 Year 2 maths · 3

  6. Data Detective Challenge (10 questions)

What the chapters cover in the national curriculum in England:

  1. Year 2 maths: Interpret and construct simple pictograms, tally charts, block diagrams and tables
  2. Year 2 maths: Ask and answer simple questions by counting the number of objects in each category and sorting the categories by quantity
  3. Year 2 maths: Ask-and-answer questions about totalling and comparing categorical data

About this adventure

Tally Charts and Pictograms is an interactive maths game that teaches children aged 6–8 how to read and make tally charts, pictograms, block diagrams and simple tables. It follows the Year 2 statistics objectives in the national curriculum for England.

Guided by Pip the owl, children tap ducks to draw tally marks, drag pond animals into a tally chart, stack blocks for passing cars and add faces to pictograms. Along the way they learn that a tally gate means five, that a pictogram's key tells you what each picture is worth, and that half a picture is worth half as much.

Children then use the data to answer questions. They count each group, sort groups from most to fewest, add to find totals, and find the difference for 'how many more' questions. Short spoken instructions, sound effects and a final challenge give them plenty of practice.

Questions and answers

What is a tally chart?

A tally chart records how many things you count by drawing one mark for each. Every fifth mark is drawn across the other four to make a gate, so you can count the gates quickly in fives.

How do you read a pictogram with a key?

Read the key first to find out what one picture stands for, then count the pictures in each row using that value. If one picture means 2, three pictures mean 6 and half a picture means 1.

What is the difference between a block diagram and a pictogram?

A block diagram shows each counted thing as one block, stacked into towers that you read using the numbers up the side. A pictogram uses rows of pictures, and its key can make each picture stand for more than one thing.

What age is this tally charts and pictograms game for?

It is designed for children aged 6 to 8 and matches the Year 2 statistics objectives in the national curriculum for England. Older children who need a refresher on reading charts can use it too.

What does the game include and how long does it take?

It has five chapters, an optional warm-up on counting in 2s and 5s, and a 10-question Data Detective Challenge. Playing everything takes about 40 minutes, and children can start any chapter from the map.

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