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Learn about fun and simple math games for kids in school and at home.

I am a huge game nut! As a child I spent countless hours playing board games and card games with my family. At the time, I thought it was just a great way to pass the time. As soon as we declared we were "bored" my mom was ready with a new list of chores. Turns out that 3 hour game of Monopoly wasn't so bad after all!

Little did I know that while I was playing games, I was actually learning math skills (and problem solving skills) at the same time. That's why, as a teacher, I love using games in my classroom, especially during math time. It's a great way to practice math skills without realizing that you are learning.

So, what are some simple games for kids to play in the classroom (or at home) to reinforce math skills? Here are a few cheap and easy math games with cards and dice - complete with variations to practice additional skills.

Math Games with Playing Cards

The first several games can be played with a simple deck of playing cards.

Go Fish

Go Fish is the classic card matching game where you deal out 5-7 cards per player, then place the rest of the cards in a "lake" or "ocean." Players take turns asking for cards or being told to "go fish" until all the cards have been matched.

Math Skills Involved: The traditional Go Fish game uses a deck of cards, so kids can practice recognizing numbers to 10 with this math game.

Variations:

You can easily vary the rules of Go Fish to practice addition. For instance, players can match two numbers that add up to 10 (ex: 5 and 5, or 7 and 3) instead of matching pairs.

You can also make your own cards with index cards to practice larger numbers, letters, words, states & capitals, or anything that can be matched in a game format.

Memory

Memory is a classic matching game where several pairs of cards are placed face down on a table (in mixed up order). Players turn over two cards at a time, looking for matches. It is best to use only part of a deck of cards to keep the game manageable. You'll need to sort out pairs before playing.

Math Skills Involved: Besides working to strengthen short-term memory, players can practice number recognition as well.

Variations:

Make the game more (or less) challenging by using more (or fewer) cards. Twelve cards (6 pairs) is a good starting point for younger children.

Players find numbers that add up to 10, instead of finding matching pairs.

Make your own game with index cards. You can match math facts with answers, shapes, or numbers with number words.

War

War is another classic game - and it's easy to adapt it to create fun and simple math games for kids of any age (check out the variations below).

Players each have a deck of cards (or split a deck of cards evenly.) They stack their cards face down, then each player turns over one cards at a time. The player with the largest number gets both cards. If there is a tie, players each adds two more cards (one face down and one face up.) The player with the largest number on the new cards gets all 6 cards.

Math Skills Involved: This is a great game for comparing numbers.

Variations:

Turn over two cards at at time and add the numbers. Compare the sum (total) to decide who gets the cards.

Turn over two cards and create a subtraction (or multiplication) problem. The player with the larger answer gets the cards.

Turn over two cards and place them side by side to create a two-digit number (if you turn over 4 and 8, you could make 84). The player who created the largest number gets the cards.

Use dominoes instead of cards. Each player turns over a domino and counts the total number of dots. The player with the largest total gets both dominoes. Don't have dominoes? Check out this printable version of Domino War.

My store contains several other printable variations on the War game: Ten-Frame War (free), Subitizing War, and Coin War.

Guess The Number

Play this game like Headbanz. The first player chooses a playing card and holds it up to his or her forehead without looking at it. (For younger players, the number can be taped to their back instead.) Player 1 asks yes-no questions about the number, trying to figure out what it is. For example: Is it an even number? Is it more than 10? To make the game competitive, you can limit the number of questions or see how many numbers the player can identify in one minute.

Math Skills Involved: This math game goes beyond simple number recognition and really works on number sense skills. Kids can practice things like odd/even and greater than/less than with this game, based on the clues given or questions asked.

Variations:

Use two cards to form a two-digit number or create your own number cards using index cards.

Practice addition facts with three players. Two players place a card on their forehead and the third player offers clues, such as the sum (answer when adding) of the two numbers. So if the two cards are 4 and 7, the hint might be "They add up to 11."

Math Games with Dice

If you have some dice laying around your house, your kids can use those to for other fun math-related games .

Dice War

This is a new twist on the card game War. Instead of using playing cards, players roll two dice and add the dots. The player with the highest number gets a point.

Math Skills Involved: This game allow players to practice subitizing and addition at the same time. (Learn more about subitizing in this post.) If you use tally marks to keep track of the score, they can practice one more math skill while having fun!

Variations:

Use three dice to practice adding three numbers at a time.

Instead of adding the numbers on the dice, multiply them.

Farkle

This game is another family favorite. I remember when I was first big enough to sit at the table and play "dice" with the grown ups. I didn't fully understand the strategy at first, but it sure was fun shaking the dice. However, I quickly learned which dice were valuable and the grown ups coached me about when to roll and when to stop.

Farkle is a simple dice game. To play, you need six dice. Players roll the dice and collect 5s, 10s, and groups of matching dice to score points. Although you can get purchase the game with a fancy storage cup, you can also play it with six dice (from any game or collection.) This is one of those simple math games that kids of all ages love!

Math Skills Involved: This game builds a particular number sense skill called "subitizing." This is the ability to recognize how many are in a group without having to count. Players quickly learn the pattern that represents 5 on the dice.

You keep score on a sheet of paper. Older children can be given the task of score keeping, even for a short part of the game. Points are gained in increments of 50, so it's not overly complex.

Variations:

There are some variations in scoring fancier dice combinations. Otherwise it's a pretty straightforward game.
You will need to purchase the following games. However, they are typically inexpensive (less than $10) and are highly engaging for family members of all ages.
Games You Can Buy

Bingo

Bingo isn't just for grannies. This is one of those games kids and adults can play - while practicing math skills! The traditional Bingo game uses numbers from 1-75, with numbers arranged in columns under the letters B-I-N-G-O.

Math Skills Involved: Bingo is a fun way to practice number recognition to 75. (But several variations can practice other math skills, as well.)

Variations:

You can find commercial Bingo games that use numbers to 20, or that practice addition and subtraction facts instead.

You can play Bingo with a deck of cards (two players can share a deck, but you will also need a deck for the caller.) Lay out the cards in a 4X4 grid, face up. If you have the number called by the caller, turn in face down. You can decide if you want to play for a row of 4 or for black out (matching all cards.)

Create variations to practice number sense: Instead of just numbers, you can play with ten frames or tally marks.

Skipbo

Skipbo is a commercial card game where players build stacks of numbers from 1-12. The game also includes Wild cards (known as "Skipbo" cards) for added fun. This game has been a family favorite for my extended family for YEARS! In fact, it was one of my grandma's favorite games, when I was growing up.

Math Skills Involved: Players not only practice number recognition to 12, but they also practice sequencing the numbers to create the stacks.

Variations:

Sometimes you can find a kids' version called Skipbo Junior. The overall game is similar, but the rules for the player's hand are simplified, making it easier for younger children.
This last game is a little more expensive than the others (around $20). But it's an engaging way of turning flashcards into a game.
Sequence Numbers

This is one of those math games designed clearly for kids to practice addition and subtraction. The game includes cards with addition and subtraction facts and a board with numbers (the sums for the addition facts.) Players solve the addition and subtraction problems to claim spaces on the board. The goal is to claim 5 numbers in a row on the board.

Math Skills Involved: This game practices addition and subtraction facts with numbers up to 30.

Variations:

The game manufacturer has several other Sequence games available, but they aren't specific to math. The variations currently include the standard version, a Kids version (with animal pictures) and a dice version. They have also sold games from time to time that incorporate letters/sounds, scripture verses, and states/capitals.

As you find yourself hanging out at home (whether it's because of a rainy day, snow storm, or the pandemic), consider playing some of these simple math games with your children. They will be able to practice math skills without even realizing it! Plus, you will be creating fun family memories as you play.

All of these games also work well in a classroom setting. Kids can play in pairs or small groups. Just don't tell them they are practicing math while they play!

Products featured in this post:

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9 Simple But Fun Math Games for Kids - Primary Delight

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Learn about fun and simple math games for kids in school and at home. I am a huge game nut! As a child I spent countless hours playing board games and card games with my family. At the time, I thought it was just a great way to pass the time.

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Let me introduce you to your next awesome boredom buster. Drop Dead. Okay, the name is a little off-putting, I will give you that. But, look. My kids LOVE dice games. They play it over and over. It's quick, requires no strategy or special skills ( although it does sneak in some math practice) and any number of players can join.

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Grab a deck of cards and some dice to play this simple counting on card game. It’s an easy way to practice math after school.

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This simple and fun math game is a great way to help preschoolers (and older kids, too!) practice counting, addition, and other basic math skills while competing to win the "dice wars."

Disclaimer: This post is completely unsponsored; however, I have included affiliate links to the products mentioned. As always, feel free to shop around for the best deals. See my full disclosure here.

Little Man has been a big fan of playing games for over a year now. He goes through phases where he wants to play the same game over and over, until I have to hide it somewhere to save my sanity (just kidding, I would never do that...maybe).

Lately his obsession has been with alphabet go fish, which he got for Christmas. It's a great little game really, or at least it was the first 200 times we played it. But last week I just couldn't handle it anymore. So, I created a new game that I hoped he would like enough to give me a break from going fishing for a few days at least.

What I came up with was (thankfully) a huge success. Little Man not only loved it, but I realized that it was a great way for him to practice a lot of the math skills we've been focusing on recently.

It all started with the game Tenzi, which we got for Christmas last year. Little Man loves playing "the dice" game where each player has ten dice and tries to get all of them to be the same number before the other players can do so.
Side note: Tenzi is a great game! It's simple enough that a three-year-old can play, but entertaining for adults, too. There are a bunch of different ways to play to make it more or less complex for older or younger players. I highly recommend it.
Anywho, we play Tenzi pretty regularly, and sometimes when we're done with the official game, we'll just play around with the dice in different ways. Last week, I came up with the idea of playing "war" (you know the old card game), but with dice. I explained it like tug-of-war to Little Man, and we had a great time. We played it several times and have tweaked the rules a bit as we've gone along to make it extra fun.

We use our Tenzi dice to play, but you could steal dice out of other board games you have, or buy one of these big bags of dice that can be used for all sorts of games and activities.

Wanna learn to play? Read the directions below!

What we're learning:

number identification

counting

addition & subtraction

correlation between numbers and items being counted

greater than/less than

Materials needed:

2-4 dice (we use our Tenzi game)

10 small counters (we used pebbles, but you could use pennies, buttons, Goldfish crackers, etc.)

Directions:

1. Each player starts with 2 dice and 5 rocks (or other counters).

2. The objective of the game is to capture all of the other player's rocks.

3. On the count of three, both players roll their dice. Each player adds up the sum of his/her two dice, and whoever has a higher number gets to "steal" a rock from the other player.

4. Continue playing until one player has ALL 10 rocks. In our experience, it took 10-15 minutes for each game. If that's too long for your child's attention span, you can set a timer and declare the winner to be the person with the most rocks when it goes off.

Variations:

We decided that getting doubles trumps any other number, and you get to steal TWO rocks from the other player (This rule helps the game go faster, I think).

For younger kids, you can just use one die each and focus on number identification instead of addition. For older kids, try using three!

You could practice subtraction instead of addition skills. Subtract the smaller number from the bigger number, and the player with the larger difference gets to steal a rock from the other player.

If you play this game, let me know how it goes and whether you come up with any other fun variations. We're always looking for more ways to play!
Do you know any fun ways to play and learn with dice? Share them below!

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Dice Wars: A simple & fun math game for kids - The Many Little Joys

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This simple and fun math game is a great way to help preschoolers (and older kids, too!) practice counting, addition, and other basic math skills while competing to win the "dice wars." Disclaimer: This post is completely unsponsored; however, I have included affiliate links to the products mentioned.

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My daughter keeps mixing up her addition facts with her subtraction facts with her multiplication facts. As a fifth grader, she's responsible for all of it, including division. And her teacher this year is focused on speed along with accuracy.

My daughter has to be able to know 8 + 8 and then 8 x 8, within five seconds of each other.

Knowing math facts is important. But being able to switch between all the math properties is key to problem solving and critical thinking.

It's also key to solving complex math equations like long division. In one long division problem alone you have to divide, multiply and subtract several times to get to the solution.
Our students' brains have to be able to switch gears, and switch quickly.
Math dice games will help improve this math skill of being able to transition between adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

Timed test worksheets can get monotonous and boring. Spice things up with math dice games and kids will happily rise to the challenge.
*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.* *This is a guest post from Nicole at Coffee & Carpool.
Materials Needed for Math Dice Games:

Once a particular dice game level feels "easy" for the student, move them up a level or challenge them to continually improve their math facts and critical thinking skills.

If students need reminders of what math fact to focus on, after they roll you can give them verbal prompts. But the ultimate goal is to help kids feel comfortable and fluent with their math facts.

Levels 1-3: Adding and Subtracting Dice Games

Level 1: Add and Subtract up to 6

Use two regular 6-sided dice and roll them. Add them, then subtract them as fast as you can.

For example, with a roll of 5 and 3, my daughter would say "8, 2" then roll again.

Level 2: Add and Subtract up to 12

Using one 12-sided die and one 6-sided die, add and subtract the numbers as fast as you can.

With a roll of 10 and 3, my daughter would say, "13, 7"

Level 3: Add and Subtract with two numerals up to 12

Using two 12-sided dice, add and subtract the numbers as fast as you can.

For example, with a roll of 9 and 8, my daughter would say, "17, 1"

Levels 4-6: Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying and Dividing with Remainders Dice Games

Students who have learned multiplication and division can add these math fact skills into the game by starting here at Level 4.

Level 4: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide (when possible) up to 6

Use two regular dice and roll them. Add, subtract, multiply and divide as fast as you can.

With a roll of 5 and 3, my daughter would say, "8, 2, 15"

With a roll of 4 and 2, my daughter would say, "6, 2, 8, 2"

Level 4 Challenge: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide using remainders

With a roll of 5 and 3, my daughter would say, "8, 2, 15, 1 R2"

Level 5: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide (when possible) with one factor up to 12

Use one 12-sided die and one 6-sided die to add, subtract, multiply and divide (if possible) as fast as you can.

With a roll of 10 and 3, my daughter would say "13, 7, 30"

With a roll of 10 and 5, my daughter would say "15, 5, 50, 2"

Level 5 Challenge: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide using remainders with one factor up to 12

Use one 12-sided die and one 6-sided die to add, subtract, multiply and divide with a remainder as fast as you can.

With a roll of 10 and 3, my daughter would say "13, 7, 30, 3 R1"

Level 6: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide (when possible) with both factors up to 12

Use two 12-sided dice to add, subtract, multiply and divide (if possible) as fast as you can.

With a roll of 9 and 8, my daughter would say "17, 1, 72"

With a roll of 12 and 12 and my daughter would say "24, 0, 144, 1"

Level 6 Challenge: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide using remainders with both factors up to 12

Use two 12-sided dice to add, subtract, multiply and divide with remainders as fast as you can.

With a roll of 9 and 8, my daughter would say "17, 1, 72, 1 R1"

The faster they know their math facts, the faster they will be able to attack more complex math problems with both confidence and accuracy... which is the ultimate goal for every math student.

Hopefully these math dice games are a fun and helpful way to reach all your kids!
Nicole is a recovering elementary school teacher who uses every trick she knows from her teaching days to get her kids to love math. She writes about Mom Hacks, School Success Tips and Support for Parents on the Go at Coffee and Carpool. You can follow her on Facebook or on Pinterest.
More Easy Math Games to Increase Fact Fluency:

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Increase Fluency with Simple Math Dice Games Your Kids Will LOVE

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My daughter keeps mixing up her addition facts with her subtraction facts with her multiplication facts. As a fifth grader, she's responsible for all of it, including division. And her teacher this year is focused on speed along with accuracy.

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When your kids are learning basic addition skills, you look for all kinds of ways to make learning math fun. We've found math card games to be a great way to practice addition and have fun at the same time. Tens Go Fish is a mathematical version of the classic card game-you guessed it- Go Fish!

Tens Go Fish is very easy to learn, especially if your kids are already familiar with Go Fish. It is also perfect as a beginning math card game for kids who aren't used to having to perform calculations while they play games! After you read the basic instructions below be sure to try out the variations I've suggested, too! If you would like written instructions, fill out the form at the end of the post.

What You Need

One deck of cards. Remove all the face cards and the number 10 cards. You will be left with four cards each of numbers 1-9.

Two or more enthusiastic players!

How to Play Tens Go Fish

Deal each player five cards. Place the stack of remaining cards face down in the middle of the table. This is the "Go Fish" pile.

Before beginning game play look for pairs of cards in your hand with a sum of 10. Place all pairs with a sum of 10 face up on the table in front of you. Draw from the Go Fish pile to replace the cards so you still have five cards in your hand. For example if you have a hand with 2-2-3-8-7, place 2-8 and 3-7 on the table and draw four more cards.

To begin, as in traditional Go Fish, players take turns asking each other for their desired card. However, instead of seeking out pairs of the same card, players want pairs to make the sum of 10. For example, if I hold a 5, 3, 2, 4, 9, I might ask for a 5 so I can "make 10."

If a player gets the card he asked for, he puts the pair down on the table and picks a new card from the deck. If he does not get the card he asked for, the player must "Go Fish" and pick a new card from the deck. If the new card from the deck makes 10 with a card in the player's hand, he or she puts the pair of cards down, and gets another turn. If he still does not get the card he wanted, play passes to the next player.

If a player runs out of cards, he picks two new cards. A player's turn is over when he can no longer make 10.

The game is over when there are no more cards, or no more pairs can be made.

Variations

Once you and the kids have gotten the hang of how to play Tens Go Fish, you will enjoy changing things up a bit to keep the game interesting.

Add in four face cards, such as the four kings. Designate these four face cards as "wild cards," which when drawn can be any value the holder of the card decides to give it.

You can also add back in the number 10 cards. Players can place a single 10 card down instead of a pair.

For extra math practice, have players write down the equations of each pair combinations they make.
More fun math card games my kids love:
We LOVE this book:

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Kids can practice their addition and math skills with this fun and easy math game that is a variation on the "Go Fish" card game.

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Would you like 50 Free Math Games? - Join our Free Games 4 Learning Club
Did you know that with a simple deck of cards you have many, many different math games that you can use with students of varying abilities and ages?

Here are 5 of my favorite card games that will get kids thinking math and having fun while they do! The best part is that all you need to play is a deck of cards. Just remove the picture cards from the deck and use the aces as ones.

Pick Three

a game for 2 - 4 players

Spread the cards out in rows face down.

The players then take turn to turn over 3 cards. If the player can create an accurate number sentence with the numbers on the three cards, the player can keep the cards, e.g. with 2, 3 and 6 a player could make, '2 x 3 = 6'.

Players can make a +, -, x or ÷ number sentence. If a number sentence can't be made the cards are turned face down again.

Play continues until no cards remain or only a few cards remain and a number sentence can't be made with those cards. The winner is the player with the most cards.

Closest To ...

a game for 2 - 4 players

Select the number of digits to be in the numbers for this game, e.g. 2 digit numbers, 3 digit numbers, 4 or 5 digit numbers. Each player is deal that number of cards.

The aim of the game is to make a number as close as possible to 50 if making 2 digit numbers (or to 500 for 3 digit numbers, 5000 for 4 digit numbers or 50,000 for 5 digit numbers.)

The players arrange their cards to make a number as close as possible to 50 (or 500, 5000, or 50,000).

The player with the closest number wins the round and scores one point. The winner is the player who scores the most points.

Ten or Twenty

a game for 2-4 players

Each player is dealt 4 cards to hold in their hand. The remaining cards are placed face down in a pile in the center. The top card is turned over and placed beside the pile.

To play the game the players take it in turn to pick up the top card off the pile or the top card off the discard pile. If the player can make a set of 3 cards that total 10 or 20 in value, the set is put down face up in front of the player. The player finishes the turn by discarding a card face up on the discard pile. If the player has made a set of 3 on their turn they also pick up three more cards from the pile to restore their hand to 5 cards. The winner is the person who has made the most sets when all of the pile is gone.

Make a Prime

a game for 2-4 players

Spread the cards out in rows face down. Players take turns to turn over two cards and find the total. If the total is a prime number they can keep the cards. If it isn't a prime number, the cards are turned face down again.

Play continues until no cards remain or only a few cards remain and players are unable to make a prime number with the cards that are left.

Addition or Multiplication Odds

a game for 2 players

Addition Version - Shuffle the cards and place them face down in a pile in the center.

Players take turns to draw two cards from the center pile. The player adds the two numbers together. If the total is an odd number the player keeps the cards. If the total is an even number, the cards are placed face down in a discard pile.

When no cards remain in the original pile the discard pile is shuffled and placed in the center to become a new playing pile.

When this pile is used the game ends and the winner is the player who has collected the most cards.

Multiplication Version - This game is played in the same way but the numbers on the cards are multiplied together instead of being added together.

I hope you find these math card games!

Want more math games? Be sure to check out more math games posts at www.games4learning.com/category/math/

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These math card games give you fun math activities that only use a deck of cards. These include addition games, multiplication games, place value games and also a prime numbers game. They are fun, easy to learn and the require no prep at all.

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I am always on the lookout for quick and easy ways to practice math facts. Certainly we want to encourage and develop a deep, conceptual understanding of math concepts. And of course, we need to find ways to develop number sense, especially in the early years. But we also need to help kids become fluent in computation because this will give them confidence and set them up for less frustration in the upper grades. So today, I'm sharing another math card game that covers multiplication for kids, but can be adapted to practice any math skill.
*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*
Easy Game to Practice Multiplication for Kids:

Today's game is called Spiral, and it's perfect for third-fifth grade. (Though it can be adapted for younger kids if used for addition and subtraction).

Skills Focus:

Multiplication (or other operations if you'd prefer)

Materials Needed for Spiral: Math Card Game for Kids

How to Play Spiral:

Get a quick overview with this video ( but be sure to see variations below!):
The object of this game is to be the first to travel from start to finish.

Start with a complete deck of cards, as well as 1-2 dice and game pieces for each player. Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12 and King = 13.

For younger kids, you may want to have an index card with these values written down for their reference so they don't have to remember or try to figure it out.

To begin, build a spiral out of the entire deck of cards, as shown in the picture below. This will serve as your game board. You can use the same board for multiple games, or create a new board each time to change it up.

Each player then places their game piece at start (the center of the spiral).

To start, the first player rolls a die and moves that number of cards on the game board. They must then multiply the number on their die with the value of the card they landed on. If they solve it correctly, they stay there, otherwise they go back to their previous position.

Players then take turns rolling and moving around the game board.

If a player lands on a card with another player on it, they "bump" that player back to start.

If a player lands on a "double," meaning the number on their die and the value of their card is the same, they get to go again.
The first player to land exactly on the last card and correctly solve the multiplication problem wins!

Variations to the Game:

Because this creates such a unique game board that is different every time, there are countless possibilities. You can change the rules to practice all sorts of math concepts, depending on the age and ability of your kids.

For younger kids, you could change the operation to addition or subtraction (or even just practice number recognition by removing all face cards).

Or, if you'd like to focus on multiplying by 10, change the value of all face cards to equal ten.

To practice integer operations, make the black cards positive values and the red cards negative values, then add, subtract or multiply.

Purchase PDF Download | Purchase Print Book on Amazon

However you play, I hope your kids enjoy the challenge, and spend more time practicing their math facts! 🙂
Looking for more fun and engaging math card games? See this post with games sorted by topic: And if you need for fun ideas for multiplication for kids, check out these resources:
Plus, if you'd like to receive this entire series of games, including printable versions and a BONUS game, right in your inbox, click here to sign up! It's FREE!

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Spiral: Easy Way to Practice Multiplication for Kids

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I am always on the lookout for quick and easy ways to practice math facts. Certainly we want to encourage and develop a deep, conceptual understanding of math concepts. And of course, we need to find ways to develop number sense, especially in the early years.