These easy math games are a great way to help your child practice counting, addition and subtraction, and other elementary skills.
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This post was originally published on One Mama’s Daily Drama in 2015.
Whether you have a reluctant learner or a math lover, the trick to helping them learn about the subject is fun and easy games.
There are tons of online math games your kids can play, but if you’re looking for a screen-free way to practice elementary math skills, these kid-friendly ideas are tons of fun.
We created these games with help from our 8-year-old, but they can easily be adapted for younger or older kids.
Big kids can also use their math skills in these simple card games and dice games!
Math games
1. Roll the dice
What you need: a pair of dice
How to play: Roll the dice in your hand or a cup and drop them on the table. Multiply the two numbers together to practice multiplication tables. You can also do the same for addition or subtraction.
Variation: A regular six-sided die will only get you so far. Pick up other shapes like this jumbo polyhedral dice set.
2. Flip a card
What you need: a standard deck of playing cards, minus the joker
How to play: Shuffle and place the deck face down on the table. Flip over the top two cards and multiply them together. You can also use this for addition or subtraction. Be sure your child knows the value of the face cards.
Variation: Two kids can play together. Divide the deck in half and give one stack to each child. Each kid flips over a card and multiplies them together. The first person to say the right answer wins both cards. Whoever has the most cards at the end wins.
3. Build with LEGO
What you need: a basic LEGO brick set
How to play: Make stacks of bricks in two solid colors. Count how many bricks there are in each color to determine the fraction.
Variation: Add two stacks together to practice adding fractions.
4. Make a fortune teller
What you need: a pencil and paper
How to play: First, follow our step-by-step tutorial to fold an origami fortune teller. On the outer layer, write the numbers 1 through 8. For the next layer, write a multiplication problem in each of the 8 triangles. On the innermost layer, behind each problem, write the answer.
To play, pick a number and move the fortune that number of times. Answer one of the math problems and then check your answer by lifting the flap.
Variation: Play with a partner and challenge each other.
5. Shake the egg carton
What you need: an empty egg carton, a marker, and some plastic game chips or flat glass marbles
How to play: Write a number on the bottom of each egg cup, 1 through 12. Put two plastic chips in the carton, close the lid, and shake it. Open the lid and see where the chips fall. Multiply (or add or subtract) the two numbers.
Variation: Add a third plastic chip and use all three numbers.
Elementary math games are perfect for practicing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more. Each of these games can be adapted to practice the skills your child is working on now. Use these as a starting point to come up with your own creative games too.
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