Math Fun With Games

Playing games is fun! As we know, learning can be more fun using games, especially in Math. Math games are a way to enrich students’ learning of math concepts, as well as to increase speed in computation. Math games can be used in all areas of math teaching. Motivation is when children freely choose to participate and enjoy playing a game that helps them with learning. Games motivate children! This creates a positive attitude which is essential to learning and mastering a subject. Games provide opportunities for students to reduce the fear of failure and error in a carefree and fun environment.

Teaching math using games is a very concrete way to promote computing efficiency as well as higher order thinking. An area set aside in the classroom, as well as at home, for math games should be encouraged to promote continuous math learning and interest. Revisiting old games is a way to improve math skills throughout the year. Remember that practice is the key to success in math.

When teaching a new math concept, it is important to suggest a task (investigation) to students which will involve them in solving an everyday problem while introducing them to a new concept. One of my favorites in introducing fractions to a range of elementary students is by using food. For example, giving students a problem with a set number of people and asking them to use a specific amount of food. Pizza is the easiest. Let me give you an example. If I had two pizzas cut into 8 slices each, would I have enough to feed a family of 6 with an average of 2 slices for each person. Yes, of course, and there would be some left over. Having children draw their problems and illustrate their solutions using pictures and words (and numbers, of course) to explain their thinking. In a nutshell, math is thinking and we need to create a learning environment which is fun and allows children to think in a real-world situation.

After introducing a math topic using an investigation task, students should be exposed to many versions of this concept. In using the internet, students can watch math videos on MathPlayground.com, coolmath4kids.com, or visit various websites to play games specific to grade level and concepts. Many math games allow students to solve problems in a concept area with a timer or with specific rewards which encourages them to keep thinking and playing longer.

Students should also be encouraged to explore math games using dice, cards and board games which enrich their learning. The basic math facts of addition and multiplication can be improved using dice or playing cards. Combining a variety of math facts and problems can be mastered playing board games.

A culminating activity for learning a math concept can be creating your own math board game to keep at home and continue practicing. When everyone is done with their board games, students can have a culminating day of sharing each other’s games before bringing home to enjoy with their family. In my Create A Math Game course on yourschoolhouse.com I take students step-by-step through the process of making their own game after evaluating games they are used to playing.

It is important to encourage students to have a place at home to leave these fun games to practice at home with their family. In my class, students can choose to leave their games in math game center until next games are taught and then take home to keep on playing.

Throughout the school year, I will use this board game activity specifically to reinforce major concept areas like addition, subtraction and place value. At the end of the school year, I give students the opportunity to make some board games for the summer using all of our leftover craft supplies. This is an engaging activity for the last week of school when students are focused on summer fun. At the end of the year, if students go home with math games, as well as a list of sites we have used all year, they will be more apt to keep up their skills during the long break of summer from learning.

I am teaching an online course, Cool Math for Kids on yourschoolhouse.com: https://learnat.yourschoolhouse.com/author/course?courseid=elaine2

Check it out if you would like your child to learn new math games, both online and board games, and then create their own to use over and over again to master math concepts.

Math is fun so let’s make kids enjoy learning it. They will grow up with a grasp for math that will be at their fingertips and they will have fun gaining this knowledge.

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