Math
Games
PLAYING GAMES IN THE
K-2 CLASSROOM
CREATED BY MEGAN STEIN, 2013
“My kids play games all day!”
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FUN way to practice math concepts
Hands on
Opportunity for differentiation
Promotes critical thinking and strategizing
Self-directed exploration
Social skills
Speaking and listening about math
Opportunity for assessment
Build on concepts as games evolve
Games engage students in many ways but it is important to
understand that it is only through repeated experience of playing a
game that students begin to grasp some of the important ideas and
skills embodied in the game.
Compare (a.k.a. war)
Materials: Primary Number Cards (1-10)
Number of Players: 2 (can be played with 3)
How to Play:
 Entire deck is dealt and each player places their
cards in a pile facedown
 Players count to three and both flip over their top
card
 Player with the highest card says “me” and gets to
keep both cards
 Game is over when the deck runs out
Differentiation across the
grades
 Removing picture support from number cards
 Playing with numbers through 20
 Double Compare (players each flip over 2 cards-
player with highest total wins)
 Students record equations of their wins
 Students record using <, =, >
What is the
math in this
game?
What’s the math?
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Number sense
Comparing numbers
Developing language for comparing quantities
Fact fluency
Addition
Questions to ask your child while
playing:
• How do you know which number
is larger?
• What did you do to figure that
out?
Common Core State Standards
Kindergarten
K.CC.6 Identify whether the number of objects in
one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the
number of objects in another group, e.g., by using
matching and counting strategies.
K.CC.7 Compare two numbers between 1 and 10
presented as written numerals
K.OA.3 Decompose numbers less than or equal to
10 into pairs in more than one way, e.g., by using
objects or drawings, and record each decomposition
by a drawing or equation (e.g., 5 = 2 + 3 and 5 = 4 +
1).
K.OA.5 Fluently add and subtract within 5
1st Grade
2nd Grade
1.OA.3 Apply properties of operations as
strategies to add and subtract.
2.OA.2 Fluently add an subtract within 20 using
mental strategies.
1.OA.6 Add and subtract within 20,
demonstrating fluency for addition and
subtraction within 10.
2.NBT.4 Compare two three-digit numbers based
on meanings of the hundreds, tens, and ones
digits, using >, =, and < symbols to record the
results of comparisons
1.NBT.3 Compare two two digit numbers based
on meanings of the tens and ones digits,
recording the results of comparisons with the
symbols >, =, and <.
Tens Go Fish
Materials: Primary Number Cards 0-10 (four of each) without Wild Cards
Sheet of Paper
Number of Players: 2-4
How to Play:
The object of the game is to get two cards that total ten
 Each player is dealt 5 cards. Remaining cards are placed in the middle.
 Each player looks for pairs from his or her cards that make 10. Players put down
the pairs of cards that make 10, and they draw new cards to replace them from the
deck.
 Players take turns asking each other for a card that will make 10 with a card in their
own hands.
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If a player gets the card, he or she puts the pair down and picks a new card from the deck.
If a player does not get the card, 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 takes another card.
If a player runs out of cards, the player picks two new cards.
A player’s turn is over when no more pairs can be made that make 10.
 The game is over when there are no more cards.
 At the end of the game, players record their combinations of 10.
Differentiation across the
grades
 Removing picture support from number cards
 At the end of the game, record number sentences for
all pairs found
What is the
math in this
game?
What’s the math?
Questions to ask your child while
playing:
 Combinations of 10
 Fact fluency
 Solving a problem in which the total
• How did you decide/know what
number to ask for?
and one part are known
 Using numbers and standard notation (+ and =) to record.
Common Core State Standards
Kindergarten
K.OA.4 For any number from 1 to 9, find the
number that makes 10 when added to the given
number, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and
record the answer with a drawing or equation.
1st Grade
1.OA.6 Add and subtract within 20,
demonstrating fluency for addition and
subtraction within 10.
1.OA.8 Determine the unknown whole number
in addition or subtraction equation relating
three whole numbers.
2nd Grade
2.OA.2 Fluently add and subtract within 20
using mental strategies.
Plus 1 or 2 Bingo
Materials: Primary Number Cards (without Wild Cards)
two kinds of counters (20 per player)
gameboard
Number of Players: 2
How to Play:
 Player 1 turns over the top card in the deck.
 Player 1 adds 1 or 2 to that number and covers the sum on the gameboard with their counter.
 Player 2 turns over the top card.
 Player 2 adds 1 or 2 to that number, and covers the sum on the gameboard.
 Keep taking turns. If all of the possible sums are covered, take another card.
 The game is over when all of the numbers in one row are covered. The numbers can go
across, down, or diagonally.
More Ways to Play
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Play with the Wild Cards. A Wild Card can be any number
Play to ill more than one row
Play as a team. Try to fill the entire gameboard
Differentiation across the
grades
 Extend by playing Plus 9 or 10 Bingo
What is the
math in this
game?
What’s the math?
Questions to ask your child while
playing:
 Fact fluency
 Reasoning
 Strategizing
 Working with “friendly number”
• How did you decide to whether
to add 1 or 2? (is the child
strategizing?)
Common Core State Standards
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
1.OA.3 Apply properties of operations as
strategies to add or subtract
2.OA.2 Fluently add and subtract within 20
using mental strategies
1.OA.5 Relate counting to addition and
subtraction
2.NBT.5 Fluently add and subtract within 100
using strategies based on place value,
properties of operations, and/or the
relationship between addition and subtraction
1.OA.6 Add and subtract within 20,
demonstrating fluency for addition and
subtraction within 10
1.NBT.5 Given a two-digit number, mentally
find 10 more or 10 less than the number,
without having to count; explain the reasoning
used
Games you’re already playing that
support math concepts
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Checkers
Chess
Solitaire
UNO
Monopoly
Chutes & Ladders
Mancala
Dominoes
Puzzles
Memory/Concentration
I Spy
I Love Math (rock/paper/scissors)
Chopsticks
Websites/Apps
 TERC Investigations Games
http://investigations.terc.edu/families/doing_math/Games_index.cfm
 Math games suggested on PS 11 Website
http://ps11chelsea.org/math-links/
 Math Apps for the iPad
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Sushi Monster
Fizzy’s Lunch Lab Fresh Pick
Math vs. Zombies
Matchmatics
10monkeys
4 Dice
5 Dice
Marble Math
Todo K-2 Math
Math Champ
Game Resources
Compare
Directions
Double Compare
Directions
Tens Go Fish
Directions
Plus 1 or 2 Bingo
Plus 1 or 2 Directions
Plus 9 or 10 Directions
Primary number cards
Primary number cards
Teen number cards
Primary number cards
Plus 1 or 2 board
Plus 9 or 10 board
Note: You can also use any deck of cards and remove the face cards