Math games for kids at home

25 Fun Maths Games For Kids To Do At Home

Assistant Headteacher, KS2 leader and parent Emma Johnson shares the best fun maths games and maths activities for kids to play at home. 

All these educational games are suitable for Key Stage 2 (KS2) children and most  of them can be adapted for Key Stage 1 (KS1). 

This article is part of our series designed for teachers to inform their mathematical subject knowledge, and for parents to help support children with home learning. More free home learning resources are also available.

As well as providing some family fun, these maths games for kids have the added advantage of presenting learning opportunities in a way that means that children may not even realise they’re learning! 

They are also fun way to practise a wide range of KS1 and KS2 mathematical skills, such as counting, place value, times tables and much much more.

We all know how rushed life can be and we can sometimes feel guilty we aren’t spending enough time supporting our children with their learning at home.  

Now you can! Here you’ve got:

• maths games that can be played at any time of day – over breakfast, on the walk to school or to the park, driving to football etc.
• maths games that need no setting up time or resources (as well as a few that need a bit of preparation using items you’ll have at home.)
• simple, short maths games to play when you have a quick few minutes
• longer maths games which everyone in the family can enjoy together
• maths games for KS2 and KS1 ready to keep your primary school teachers happy

If you’re a teacher or you have a specific age group in mind you might also like to take a look at our collections of games specifically chosen for different key stages at school.

• Maths games KS1
• Maths games KS2
• Maths games KS3

So in short, if you’re looking for fun maths games, we’ve got you covered!

KS2 Maths Games and Activities Pack

A FREE downloadable games and activities pack, including 20 home learning maths activities for KS2 pupils to complete on their own or with a partner.

Know what you’re looking for? Jump in!

3 best

On rainy days, days off school or, during enforced periods of home schooling due to lockdowns, it can be hard to persuade children to practise their maths, but these activities should have your child enjoying maths at home in no time at all! 

This game is a simple at home version of the TV favourite and can be played with any number of players.

What you need to play:

• 4 ‘large number’ cards with the numbers 25, 50, 75 and 100 on them
• A set of cards with the digits 1-10 on them, with at least two cards for each number

How to play:

Step 1: Set out 4 large number cards (25, 50, 75 and 100) face down and mixed up.

Step 2: Do the same with the 1 – 10 cards, making sure you have at least 2 cards for each number.

Step 3: Players take it in turns to select one of the big number cards or one of the small number cards, until there are 6 cards laid out all together. 

Step 4: Someone who is playing the game needs to generate a 3-digit number. This can be by throwing a dice, or selecting cards from a pile of 0 to 9 cards. 

Step 5: Once the number has been generated, turn over the six cards and players have to try and get to that total using any of the six number cards and any of the four operations. 

Each card can only be used once and the winner is the first person to reach the total, or the player who is closest after a set length of time.

The game can be adapted for younger children, by choosing the numbers on the cards carefully and having them aiming to reach a 2-digit number, rather than a 3-digit number. 

This simple game is all about bringing together verbalisation and maths.  

What you need to play:

• Two willing participants
• Cards numbered 1-10 (these can be made from a sheet of paper)

How to play:

Step 1: The game starts with the two players facing each other. Each person selects a numbered card and sticks it on their forehead, so the other player can see. 

Step 2: The person leading the game gives a statement, such as what the sum of the two numbers is, the difference between the two or the product of the two etc….. 

Step 3: Each player has to work out what number is on their own card, based on what is written on the other person’s head and the rule given. 

Bingo is a perennially fun game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and this version puts a mathematical twist on this classic game, as a way to boost multiplication skills.

What you need to play:

• Paper to write numbers down on

How to play:

Step 1:  In this mathematical version of the game, all players write down 5 numbers, which are multiples of a given times table. For example: if they were doing the 5 times table, they might write 10, 35, 45, 50 and 60.

Step 2: A third person can lead the game and call out multiplication questions from the chosen times table, or they can be written on cards, jumbled up in a pile for players to take turns picking and reading out.

Step 3: If the player has an answer to the question on their bingo board, they can cross it out. First person to cross out all their numbers is the winner. 

One of the best ways to encourage a child to learn about anything is by making it fun, and that is exactly what these maths games are!

All children enjoy a scavenger hunt, so why not make one based around maths? 

What you need to play

• Some creativity
• A garden or home full of measurable objects!

How to play:

Step 1: Give children a grid with some pre-set weights and lengths on. It will then be a challenge for them to find something in the garden that is approximately 10cm long, or something in the house that weighs 300g (as an example). 

Step 2: Get your child to gather all of the items they think match the weights and lengths on the card, and check how well they have done with some kitchen scales and a tape measure!

This is another simple KS2 maths game that is loved by children in classrooms across the country! It’s also a good way to get in practice of 2d shapes and 3d shapes, which as parents we can sometimes avoid.

What you need to play:

• A series of cards/pieces of paper

How to play:

Step 1: Both players put a card on their head. It could have a number on it, a shape etc…. 

Step 2: The first player asks a question which can only be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. E.g. ‘Am I odd?’ ‘Am I under 20?’ ‘Do I have 4 sides?’ etc…. .

Step 3: They keep asking questions until the get the answer correct, or they run out of turns (you can set the number of turns they get at the beginning of the game). Then it is time for the other player to have a go.

Bang bang is a great game for practising quick recall facts. 

What you need to play:

• Two willing mathematicians!

How to play

Step 1: 2 players stand back to back, cowboy shootout style. 

Step 2: A question is called out, such as ‘what is 7 x 6?’ 

Step 3: The first player to turn, face their opponent, shout ‘bang bang’ and to give the answer wins the round.

Step 4: This is then repeated until a number of points, decided at the start of the game, is reached. That player is then the winner. 

Doing some hands on maths activities with your child is a great way to capture their full attention when you are doing maths at home, and these games have been created to do just that.

This game not only tests children’s verbalisation and problem solving skills, but it also brings an element of competition into doing maths at home, and we all know how much children love to ‘win’!

What you need to play:

• Cards with maths statements written on them
• Two players

How to play:

Step 1: The first person picks a card containing five statements. Each of the five statements provide a clue to the final answer, starting with a vague clue for the first statement, through to an easy clue for the fifth statement. 

Step 2: Player one picks a card and reads out the first statement. E.g. ‘This shape has four sides’. 

Step 3: Player two can choose to give an answer and score the maximum five points, if they are correct, but risk scoring zero if they are wrong. Alternatively, they can choose to hear the four point question. They keep on going until they get a question wrong, or they choose to pass to hear the next question until they get to the final one point question.  

This is a very simple game that will help your child practice their arithmetic skills, and it is a game they can play with a group of friends.

What you need to play:

• A pack of playing cards (The number cards only)

How to play:

Step 1: Each player picks 4 number cards at random from the pile. 

Step 2: They then need to find a way to manipulate the 4 digits using any of the 4 operations (+, -, x, ÷) so the end result is 24 For example, if they chose 4, 7, 8, 8, they could do (7 – (8÷8) x 4 = 24)

Step 3: If nobody is able to reach 24, you can make it closest wins! 

This is a tricky maths card game that will truly put your child’s (and maybe even your) maths skills and knowledge to the test. It’s a maths game for KS2 children really – you’re likely to end up in confusion if you suggest it to a KS1 child.

What you need to play:

• 5 sets of cards numbered 2-9

How to play: 

Step 1: The first player picks a card numbered from 2 – 9. 

Step 2: They then collect another 4 cards with the same number as the first, so they have 5 cards with the same number. 

Step 3: The aim of the game is to use one or more of the five cards to get an answer of each digit between one and ten. 

If for example, the player chose a 5. They would then need to use one or more of the cards to find the answer 1, 2, 3…… To make 1, they could do 5 ÷ 5, to make 2 they could do (5 ÷ 5) + (5 ÷ 5) etc…. 

Whether you realise it or not, the great outdoors and maths go hand in hand, and these outdoor maths games and activities should serve as inspiration about how you can help your child learn maths while outdoors!

Board games are a fun way to spend time with the family, but have you ever thought about actually becoming part of the board game? 

To help your child learn maths outside, you can easily make a life size board game and become the characters in the game.

What you need to play:

• Paper plates (or even just sheets of paper will do)
• A large dice (or a cube shaped box which can be made into a dice)
• A dose of creativity!

How to play: 

Step 1: Use paper plates as an easy way to make the board game squares, and if you don’t have access to a large dice, a cube shaped box can be made into one instead. 

Step 2: The board games you play can vary depending on the age of your child. With younger children, the plates can be numbered to encourage counting or learning their number bonds, whilst older kids could have times tables or other maths facts to answer as they go round the board. 

Everyone knows how to play hopscotch, but by introducing maths into the mix you can take this traditional playground game to the next level. 

What you need to play:

• Chalk

How to play: 

Step 1: Using chalk, draw out hopscotch squares on the ground and in each square, write either multiples of a number or multiplication facts.

Step 2: Each person then hop, skips and counts at the same time, which is a really good way of helping those multiplication tables stick. 

The other great thing about this game is this can be done with one person, or if friends are visiting everyone can join in and have a go. 

Time is one of those things many children find tricky, but this game will help your child tackle this topic.

What you need to play:

• Chalk

How to play:

Step 1: Try drawing a clock on the ground with chalk. 

Step 2: Then, get your child to use their body to make the hands of the clock. They could show just the hour or minute hands by lying straight, or they could use their body to make the hour and the minute hands, with their legs (the longer part) being the minute hand and their torso (the shorter part) the hour hand.  

More fun maths for kids

• 13 fun outdoor maths activities
• Summer holiday maths activities for kids
• 10 minute maths at home: number facts paper flip

Whilst some classroom resources may be a little hard to come by at home, most family homes have a dice or two lying around. With most board games coming prepackaged with a dice, dig them out of the cupboard and re-purpose them for these fun maths dice games.  

And if you can’t find one, make one – just draw out the 6 sides of a cube, stick them together, and you’re ready to go. Try to get your opposite sides adding up to 7 as on the real thing.

This is the perfect game to teach your child all about probability, and whilst it seems like it would be easy to win, your child will soon find out that this isn’t the case…

What you need to play: 

• Two dice
• A sheet of paper

How to play

Step 1: Write the word skunk and separate each letter into a different column on a sheet of paper. Each letter of the word ‘skunk’ represents a different round of the game. 

Step 2:  The first player rolls a pair of dice and works out the total of the two dice. The score is written in the S column. If they roll a one they score zero. 

Step 3: Once they have their first score under the letter ‘S’, they have to make the decision to either stop and take that score as their score for the game, or roll again and hope they score even more to add to the first round score. 

Step 4: If they roll a one in the second round, play stops and the player takes the score from the first round as their total for the game. The risk a player takes in moving on and throwing again, is if two ones are thrown, all the points for the game are wiped and the player scores zero. 

This game is similar to the skunk game, but there only needs to be one player and one dice. However, even with only one dice things will still get tense! 

What you need to play: 

• One die 
• A sheet of paper

How to play:

Step 1: Throw the die and the player records the number that they roll. As long as a one isn’t thrown, the player can roll again and add the number to their total. 

Step 2: After each throw, the player has to decide whether to throw again or keep the points they’ve scored. If a one is thrown at any point, the player loses all the points scored so far. 

Step 3: The first player to score 100 is the winner.

This game is a great way to test your child’s times tables skills, and it only takes two minutes to set up!

What you need to play: 

• Two dice
• A sheet of paper
• Counter or coins

How to play:

Step 1: Draw out a triangle made from squares, with four on the bottom up to one at the top.  

Step 2: Each player chooses 10 number from the products table (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25, 30, 36). This is simply all of the possible options you can get when multiplying the numbers between 1 and 6 together.

Step 3: Write one number in each of the ten triangles from the product table results above.

Step 4: The first player then rolls 2 dice and multiplies the two numbers together. If they have the product of the two numbers written on their tower, they can then cover it with a counter.

Step 5: The winner is the first player to cover all their numbers in the tower. 

Game extension idea

The game can include more challenging multiplication calculations by changing the numbers on the dice. 

If one has the numbers 1-6 and the second has the number 7-12, the numbers each player has to choose from are (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 40, 42, 44, 45, 48, 50, 54, 55, 60, 66 and 72) 

Alternatively, both dice marked with the numbers 7 – 12 would give the products 49, 56, 63, 64, 70, 72, 77, 80, 81, 84, 88, 90, 96, 99, 100, 108, 110, 120, 121, 132 and 144.  

Read more: The best times tables games for KS1 and KS2 to play at school or home.

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Along with dice, playing cards are one of the most versatile and underused maths resources that can be found in most family homes. Fortunately, these games are here to put an end to that!

Place value is a crucial skill for children to grasp during primary school, and this simple card game will help them to do that in visual and fun way. 

What you need to play:

• One place value grid (drawn onto a piece of paper)
• A deck of playing cards

How to play:

Step 1: Each player draws a place value grid, with an agreed number of places. E.g. Thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. 

Step 2: Using a deck of cards 2-10, Ace and picture cards, with 2-10 being worth their digit, Aces being worth 1 and picture cards being worth 0.

Step 3: Players take turns to draw a card from the pile, and each player chooses which column to record the number in. The winner is the person to have the biggest number recorded at the end of the game.

If you like this check out our other amazing place value games.

This simple game is perfect for car journeys or the 10 minutes before dinner, and it will get your children practising their maths skills in a fun and exciting way!

What you need to play:

• A deck of playing cards
• A sheet of paper

How to play:

Step 1: Shuffle a pack of cards and place face down. Each player takes one card and turns it over in front of them. 

Step 2: Record the number on the card (Ace is worth 1 and picture cards are worth 10). 

Step 3: Each player then takes a second card and adds the number to the first number, recording it on the paper. 

Step 4: Keep taking cards until the first person reaches 100. They are the winner.

Game extension idea

A variation on this game can be to start at 100 and keep subtracting until someone gets down to zero. 

For older children, instead of adding the cards together, they can be multiplied each time, with the winner being the first to reach 1000.

This is a fast paced maths card game for two or more players, where all eyes will be on the Jacks in the pack…

What you need to play:

• A deck of cards 

How to play:

Step 1: Other than the Jacks, remove all of the picture cards from a deck. Jacks are ‘wild cards’ and can be used at any time to represent any number from 1 – 10.

Step 2: The aim of the game is to reach the target number. To make the target number, shuffle the pack and turn over the top two cards. If either are a 10 or joker, put them to the bottom. The 2 cards turned over make the target number. For example, if you turn over the 5 of hearts then the 2 of diamonds, your target number is 52.

Step 3: Each player is dealt 5 cards, which are set out face up. Players then can add, subtract, multiply and divide to try to reach the target number. If the target number is reached using all 5 cards, 10 points is scored, if it is made using less than 5 cards, 8 points is scored.

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There is no need for fancy equipment when it comes to these maths game. A pen/pencil and a few sheets of paper are all you need to make maths fun at home!

This is a KS2 maths game that most people will be familiar with, but it just so happens to be fantastic practice for coordinates.

What you need to play:

• Some sheets of paper
• Pens or pencils

How to play:

Step 1: Each player draws out a grid with A – J along the bottom and 1 – 10 up the side.

Step 2: They then plot ships of various sizes on the grid by colouring in the squares:

–       One ship five squares long (the aircraft carrier)

–       One ship four squares long (the battleship)

–       Two ships three squares long (the cruiser and submarine)

–       One ship two squares long (the destroyer)

Step 3: The first player ‘shoots’ by calling out a grid reference, e. g. B3. If it hits an empty square, the other player shouts, ‘miss!’ whilst the first player draws a cross, but if it hits a square with a ship in it, they have to shout ‘hit’ and the other player draws a dot. Each player keeps track of their hits and misses on a separate grid.

Step 4: Once all the squares for a ship have been hit, that ship then ‘sinks’. The winner is the one to sink all the other person’s ships first.

This game does the impossible, and manages to make learning multiplication facts fun. 

What you need to play:

• Sheets of paper
• Counters or coins

How to play:

Step 1: Each player needs a set of coloured counters or different coins (2ps vs 10ps as an example). 

Step 2: Make a grid containing the answers to the times tables being worked on (you can choose which times table you want your child to tackle) and a set of cards with the multiplication questions.

Step 3: Each player takes it in turns to pick a card, work out the answer and cover the answer with their counter. The first player to cover four in a row is the winner.

This maths game is a classic, and the chances are high that some parents out there would have played this themselves when they were at school. 

Please note, this game can be played by drawing dots on a page, but it is easier to download square dot paper and print it out.

What you need to play: 

• A sheet of dotted paper
• A pen or pencil

How to play:

Step 1: The first player draws a line to join one of the dots to another of the dots, the next player then does the same. 

Step 2: This continues until one player manages to join the lines to make a box. They write their initial in the box and get to take another go. Once they are no longer able to complete a full box, it goes back to the other player.

Step 3: The winner is the person who has their initial in the most boxes at the end of the game.

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You can put all shouts of “Are we there yettttt…..” to bed with these four simple and fun maths games your children can play in the car. 

Perfect for those long drives to far flung summer holiday destinations, these maths games have been designed to be very simple so they don’t need quite as much detail as the other maths activities in this article!

Simple counting games are great for younger children, with lots of opportunities for counting things they see – lorries, red cares, blue signs etc… 

This could be made more challenging by changing how many points each is worth, so children could count up in twos or threes etc… 

This game can be easily adapted for any age.

Think of a number for the children to guess. Players have to ask questions that have a yes or no answer in order to identify the number. 

For younger children they could be given a range within which the number falls, they call out a number and are given ‘higher’ or ‘lower until they reach it.

A more challenging version of the game would be to give players a range of clues, e.g. If the number was 50, they could give the clues ‘It’s an even number’. ‘it’s divisible by 2, 5, 10 and 25’, ‘it’s equal to two quarters’. You could also require that the questions the children ask are of a similar nature eg ‘is the number divisible by 3?’ , ‘does the number end in a 7’ etc.

An alternative to guessing the number, in this game players have to try and guess the rule.

Players give a number whilst the person leading the game applies a mystery rule and tells the players what the new number is. 

For example: If the rule is multiply by 10, one player would give the number, e. g. 37 and they would be given the answer once the rule has been applied, so in this instance they would be given the answer of 370. 

This is a fun strategy game, played with two or more players, who take it in turns to count up from 1. 

Each player can call out one, two or three consecutive numbers, before it moves to the next player to carry on counting up. 

The player who ends up saying ‘21’ is out of the game. The game then continues, counting back up from 1 to 21, until there is only one person left. They are the winner.

Read more

• 10 ridiculously fun maths lessons for KS2
• 19 fun end of term maths activities
• 16 fun back to school maths activities

Maths games are all around us!

There are of course many more simple maths games which can be enjoyed at home, and they are only limited by your creativity. 

Hopefully these ideas will give you a starting point, but why not get really creative and create some games of your own! Or if you’re looking for more ways to engage children with maths, try Third Space Learning’s online maths lessons.

Online 1-to-1 maths lessons trusted by schools and teachers
Every week Third Space Learning’s maths specialist tutors support thousands of primary school children with weekly online 1-to-1 lessons and maths interventions. Since 2013 we’ve helped over 130,000 children become more confident, able mathematicians. Learn more or request a personalised quote to speak to us about your needs and how we can help.

Our online tuition for maths programme provides every child with their own professional one to one maths tutor

35 Active Math Games and Activities for Kids Who Love To Move

Tired of hearing groans when you announce it’s time for math? These active math games and activities will spice up your learning game. They get kids up and moving, using their whole bodies to learn facts and skills. Lots of these ideas can be adapted to suit a variety of math concepts, so choose a few to try out with your own math students.

1. Throw snowballs inside or out

Clip flash cards to plastic tubs, then challenge kids to throw the correct number of large white pom-poms (“snowballs”) in from a distance. If there’s snow on the ground, bundle up and take this one outside to use real snowballs!

Learn more: Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

2. Stack sticks to practice tally marks

Small sticks are perfect for practicing tally marks. Kids will have fun checking the ground under trees for twigs, then breaking them into pieces and creating tally piles.

Learn more: @amysam623

3. Fish for numbers

It’s so easy to make your own magnet fishing pole. Float some numbered foam fish with paper clips attached, then try to catch the numbers in the right order! (Don’t want to get wet? Just lay the fish on the ground instead.)

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Learn more: Buggy and Buddy/Fishing Math

4. Draw and measure shapes on the sidewalk

First, give kids some sidewalk chalk and let them draw a variety of shapes, as big or small as they like. Then, arm them with measuring tapes and have them practice taking measurements.

Learn more: @playexploregrow

5. Stomp and smash on a number line

Grab some paper bags and number them, then shake them out and lay them in a number line. Now, call out an addition or subtraction problem, like 3 + 2. Have a student stomp on the bag labeled three, then on the next two to arrive at an answer of five. (Feeling brave? Try this one with balloons!)

Learn more: Schooltime Snippets

6. Grow fact-family flowers

Pick up colorful fall leaves and write math facts on them. Gather them around a numbered rock to make pretty flowers.

Learn more: @discoverwildlearning

7. Toss beanbags to learn place value

Label bins with place values like ones, tens, and hundreds. Kids toss beanbags into the bins, then count them and see what number they’ve created.

Learn more: Saddle Up for Second Grade/Place Value Toss

8. Form paper-plate number bonds

Pass out numbered paper plates, then have students mix and mingle to see how many number bonds they can form.

Learn more: The Schroeder Page

9. Create a life-size number line

Number lines are wonderful for all sorts of math games and activities. Make one big enough for kids to stand and jump around on using sidewalk chalk (or painter’s tape indoors). You’ll use it over and over again.

Learn more: Childhood Beckons

10. Hit the target and graph

You can teach graphing in lots of ways, so why not make it active? Students throw balls onto a target, graphing and analyzing their throws as they go.

Learn more: Amy Lemons

11. Head out on a plot graph scavenger hunt

Create a map of your school, playground, or other area using graph paper (or even better, have kids help you do it). Then choose plot points for them to visit to find notes or small prizes. They’ll feel like real treasure hunters!

Learn more: Edventures With Kids

12. Roll the dice to count and move

Get practice with low-number counting and addition using action dice. Write activities like “jump,” “clap,” or “stomp” on a small wooden block, then roll it along with a pair of dice. Kids add them up (or subtract if you prefer) and complete the activity the number of times shown.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy/Math Dice

13. Whack a ball to subtract

You know your elementary math students are going to love this! Build your own whack-a-mole 10-frame with a shoebox and Ping-Pong balls. Then, have kids whack the balls to practice their subtraction facts. So fun!

Learn more: Planning Playtime

14. Make a splash with water balloons

You’re going to need to be willing to get a little wet for this one, but kids simply adore math games (or any games!) with water balloons. Fill and label balloons numbered 1 through 20 (or whatever numbers you’re working on). Draw the numbers in a big circle on the playground. Then, have a student choose a balloon, find the matching number, and head off to make a splash!

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

15.

Draw a giant clock face with hours and minutes on the playground with sidewalk chalk. Choose two students to be the hour and minute hands, then call out a time and send them out to become the clock. Add more complicated elements by having them add to or subtract from the initial time too. (“Now it’s 23 minutes later!”)

Learn more: Creative Family Fun/Sidewalk Chalk Clock

16. Measure your frog jumps

Have your students hop like frogs, leap like gazelles, or jump like kangaroos. Then, pull out the ruler or measuring tape so they can measure the distances they’ve covered.

Learn more: Coffee Cups and Crayons

17. Jump to math facts practice

Lay out a grid like the one shown that has the answers to whatever set of math flash cards you’re currently working with. (This teacher used masking tape; you could also do sidewalk chalk on the playground.) Two players face off, one on each side of the board. Show the flash card, and kids race to be the first to jump to the correct square with both feet inside the lines. Get all the rules at the link below.

Learn more: Teaching and Tapas

18. Run a flash-card race

Tape a series of flash cards to the floor and challenge kids to see who can correctly make their way from start to finish the fastest. They can call out the answers or write them down, but they have to get it right before they move on. Kids can race side by side or work independently to beat their own best time.

Learn more: There’s Just One Mommy

19. Catch a math beach ball

Beach balls are so much fun in the classroom. Scribble numbers all over one with a Sharpie, then toss it to a student. Wherever their thumbs land, they add (or subtract or multiply) those two numbers together before tossing the ball to the next student.

Learn more: Saddle Up for Second Grade/Beach Ball Math

20. Do a number dance

Kids who love “Dance Dance Revolution” will get into this one. Make a number mat for each student like the ones shown. Flash an equation with an answer between 10 and 99 on the screen. Kids figure out the answer and jump to put their left foot on the correct tens place, right foot on the ones. They’ll be dancing and spinning as they learn!

Learn more: Number Loving

21. Groove with angles

Teach kids about transversals and the angles they create with some fun dance moves! Get the details for “Dance Dance Transversal” at the link below.

Learn more: Communicating Mathematically

22. Add and subtract by stacking cups

We’re not sure why, but kids simply love stacking cups. Label yours with math problems and answers, then have kids build pyramids and towers galore!

Learn more: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

23. Measure the height of a tree (no ladder needed)

Kids will be amazed to learn they can measure the tallest tree while keeping their feet on the ground. The link below walks you through the steps with a free printable.

Learn more: From ABCs to ACTs

24. Count and learn on a nature walk

Take an outdoor stroll and practice basic math along the way. This works indoors too—walk the school hallways (quietly) and count doors, windows, posters, and more.

Learn more: Creative Family Fun/Math Walk

25. Hunt for shapes in the world around you

Looking for super-simple and fun active math games? Give students a sheet with shapes to find as you walk around the school or playground. Each time they find the shape, have them trace it on their worksheet and then make a mark to keep track of how many times they’ve seen it.

Learn more: Hands-On Teaching Ideas

26. Steal the balls with addition robbery

Kids compete to see whose basket of balls will add up to the highest amount. The trick? They don’t know at the beginning which balls are worth the most. Learn how to play at the link below.

Learn more: That After School Life

27. Puddle-jump from number to number

Lay out a series of construction paper puddles labeled with numbers. You can call out numbers and have kids jump to the correct one, or have them jump from one to the next in order forward or backward, or even try some skip counting.

Learn more: NurtureStore

28. Paint and hide number rocks

Painted rocks are always a big hit! Have your class help you make these, then hide them around the playground and send kids off to find and answer equations.

Learn more: The OT Toolbox

29. Skip-count along a hopscotch board

A hopscotch board can be used for a lot of fun and active math games. Try it for skip counting: Kids hop along counting by 2s, 5s, 10s, or whatever you’re currently working on. Learn more at the link below.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama/Skip-Counting Hopscotch

30. Aim and throw to practice math skills

Pick up a set of Sticky Darts and draw two dartboards side by side. You can label the rings with any numbers you like. Kids throw the darts and then add, subtract, multiply, or divide the numbers—your choice!

Learn more: Inspiration Labs

31.

Draw a winding path and fill the spaces with math equations. Kids roll the dice and move from space to space (have them jump, skip, or twirl to mix things up). If they get the answer right, they move to the new space. If not, their turn is over. Customizable math games like this can be used at any level.

Learn more: Look! We’re Learning!

32. Turn UNO into an active math game

Grab your UNO deck and get ready to move! Assign each color a movement (hop, touch toes, etc.). As kids draw the cards, everyone completes the movement the correct number of times. Skip and Reverse work as usual, but anyone who gets Draw Two has to draw two more cards and complete the actions on their own while others cheer them on. See more at the link below.

Learn more: Still Playing School

33. Bowl them over while learning math facts

Active math games using recycled materials are economical and good for the environment. Set up empty plastic bottles labeled 1 through 10, then roll the ball to see how many you can knock down. Add up the numbers of the knocked-over bottles to get your score.

Learn more: Learn With Play at Home

34. Compete to win at putt-putt math

Pick up a few dollar-store supplies and make your own putt-putt course. This can be a simple game where kids simply shoot for the highest (or lowest) number. But you can also drive up the complexity by putting equations on the cups that kids have to solve first to determine which is the best cup to aim for.

Learn more: My Catch a Star Classroom!

35. Give a classic game a math twist

Create active math games that give new life to existing resources. For example, add numbers to Twister! For more advanced players, instead of saying “Right hand 5,” try saying “Right hand 14 – 9” to make them think.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama/Twister Math

If you like these active math games and are looking for more ways to move in the classroom, try these 21 Kinesthetic Reading Activities for your most active learners.

Plus, sign up for our free newsletters to get all the best teaching tips and ideas!

9 useful math games for kids and their parents

If you have already downloaded the useful apps recommended by Alexander Markellov, a math teacher at Khoroshkola and the founder of the Mathematical Paths project, then it's time to take a closer look at simple math games. The great thing is that they will come in handy on a walk, in a traffic jam, and on a Saturday evening.

1. "Signals"

Age: 3–5 years old

Develops counting skills and the ability to concentrate.

This is a game for the little ones and it is very enjoyable because it is easy to play on the road or on the street. When you go hand in hand with a child, you simply press his palm, and he must count how many times you pressed. Then you can change.

2. “Then jump!”

Age: 6–10 years old

An especially good game when you are walking somewhere with your child and you need to entertain him. The game is more about attention, but it also tells something about the property of numbers. The rules are simple: even - clap your hands, divided by three - jump, and if there are 7 in the number - say "Ulyul". The more signs to track, the more difficult the game.

3. "Fly"

Age: 6–14 years old

Develops attention and spatial thinking.

To explain the game, we need a drawn 3 by 3 square. In the center of the square we need to put a dot, it will be a “trained fly”. You give the fly the commands "up", "down", "right", "left", it executes them.

After you have explained the rules, you need to ask the child to imagine a field and a fly on it. Now you will order her how many cells and in which direction to move. The child must imagine these movements. If the fly went out of the field, he must clap - this means that he caught it and this is his victory. And if you didn’t slam, then the fly flew away and you won. Change roles after each game.

Changing the difficulty level. You can make the field larger or even turn it into a three-dimensional one. For example, a 3x3x3 cube. You can also give a series of commands without pauses. For example, down - up - right - down.

4. "Danetki" with mathematical concepts

Age: 6–12 years old

Develops categorization of concepts.

You guess any mathematical concept. For example, "circle" or "number 10". And the child asks questions to which you can answer either “yes” or “no”. Here, of course, there are endless possibilities for the level of complexity.

5. Bulls and Cows

Age: 7–99 years old

Develops logical thinking

This is a number guessing game. The participants of the game think of four-digit numbers and write them down on their sheets. All the numbers that make up the guessed numbers must be different from 1 to 9. The task of the players is to determine the number of the opponent by asking questions in turn. To ask a question means to name some four-digit number, all the digits of which are different.

If the conceived and named numbers have a common figure in the same place, then this situation is called "Bull" (denoted by "B").

For example: the number 5739 is conceived, the enemy calls the number 1234. The number "3" in both the first and second numbers is in third place. In this case, the answer is "One bull" ("1B").

If the conceived and named numbers have the same digits, but they are in different places, then this situation is called "Cow" (indicated by "K").

For example: the number 5739 is conceived, the enemy calls the number 3456. The numbers "3" and "5" are the same, but are in different places. In this case, the answer is "Two
cows" ("2K").

Having heard the question, the player must carefully compare it with the planned number and correctly name the number of “bulls” and “cows”. The winner is the player who managed to guess the opponent's number in fewer questions. To avoid disputes, write down not only the opponent's answers, but also your answers to him in a separate column.

An example of a game where the player thought of the number 2534.

Changing the difficulty level: to make it easier, you can think of a three-digit number or use only numbers from 1 to 5.

6. Tic-tac-toe 5 by 5

Age: 7–12 years old

Develops logical and spatial thinking.

The playing field is a square 5 by 5 cells. Two are playing. The first puts a cross in any cell, the second puts a zero. The winner is the one who puts three in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Changing the difficulty level: there is 3D tic-tac-toe, and the field can also be infinitely large.

7. Guess the number

Age: 8–99 years old

Develops logical thinking.

I think almost everyone has played this game. You guess any number from 0 to 100 (the range can vary depending on age). The child must guess it in the least number of attempts. After each guess, you say whether your number is greater or less.

It is important that the child finds the most efficient way to guess by himself - it is not very difficult (break into equal ranges, i.e. 50, 25, 13, etc.). Therefore, when you switch roles, it is better to guess the number with the wrong strategy.

Difficulty change: You can agree that you have one or more opportunities to lie. The task immediately becomes much more difficult, as soon as you are allowed to write down answers and reason together.

8. "Black box"

Age: 8-99 years old

Develops logical thinking and helps to understand dependencies.

You think of some function. For example, x + 6. The child tells you a number, for example 5. You substitute his number into your function: 5 + 6 = 11, and tell him the answer is 11. Then the child says another number. For example, 9, you answer him what you did. In our case, it will be 9 + 6 = 15. The child must guess what you are doing with his number, that is, understand what function you have guessed. Then you can change.

Changing the difficulty level: you can think of very different functions, for example x ⋅ (x - 1), and if the child is older than 6-7th grade, then you can build a graph using these points and at the same time see the properties of the graphs of the function.

9. Signs of divisibility

Age: 9–13 years old

It's not really a game, but I used to love doing it as a kid. There are interesting signs of divisibility. For example, if the difference between the sum of digits in even places and the sum of digits in odd places is divisible by 11, then the number is divisible by 11. Or, in other words, if the alternating sum of digits is divisible by 11, then the number itself is divisible by 11. Or if the sum of the digits is divisible by 9, then the whole number is divisible by 9.

I looked for numbers on the street and checked what they were divisible by. For example, I liked checking if the car number is divisible by 11. I think it is possible to offer the child to explore the world around him in this way and see if he likes it or not. Such games are easy to invent yourself. While I was writing the text, one of my colleagues came up with a similar game.

Math games for children from 4 to 6 years old

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• For children from 4 to 6 years old
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Math games are designed for children from 4 to 6 years old to prepare a preschooler for the first mathematical knowledge and the ability to count. Here you will find interesting colorful games in which the child will need to find and count the specified number of objects or living beings. Children of this age really like to count, especially in a playful way.

Math games online - this is the best way to instill in your child a love of mathematics. Indeed, in the form of a game, children receive any knowledge more easily, freely and with interest. The game "Find the smallest number" is designed for children from 4 years old. You need to choose the smallest number out of five...

The math game "Find the biggest number" is designed for children aged 4 and over. In this game, the child must choose the largest number out of five. The circle with the largest number should be dragged onto the square with the question mark...

Educational online math game "Put it in the basket" is made for children from 4 years old. The game is based on the child's ability to distinguish between the taste and tactile properties of objects. For example, salty, bitter, sweet, sour, soft, hard. There are 10 tasks in the game...

New Year's game for kids "Examples up to 10" is a great opportunity to make a little fidget solve examples. It is necessary to choose only those stars in the starry New Year's sky, the numbers on which are the solution of the presented examples ...

The math game "Find the numbers" is one of the favorite games of all children. Here you must find all the letters hidden in the room. To do this, you are given a magnifying glass that will enlarge any corner of the room to which you direct it. But don't forget, you can't press the same number 2 times - you will lose all points!

The math game "Let's learn numbers from 1 to 10" is designed for children from 2 to 5 years old. Have a child sit next to you and ask him to solve these tasks. The game is more difficult because the numbers in the circles are arranged randomly, and not in order.

Educational online math game "Learn numbers from 1 to 10" is designed for children from 2 to 5 years old. Here the child will count the phones. Have a child sit next to you and ask him to solve these tasks.

The online math game "Learn numbers from 1 to 10", which is posted here, will require the child to be able to count up to 10. Here he must count the number of fruits. The game is intended for children from 2 to 5 years old.

Here is a mathematical game for 4-6 years old "Find the Numbers" - a lesson for training and developing memory.

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