Games Using a Deck of Cards:
Remove the face cards. (Ace = 1)
• “Concentration”: Place 20 cards facedown. The first player will turn
over two cards and add them together. The object is to find a sum
of 12 without going over. They may turn over additional cards as
needed. If they go over 12, they will turn the cards back over. If
they make 12, they keep the cards and take another turn. Add
more cards throughout the game. The winner is the player with the
most cards at the end.
• “Addition War”: Divide the deck between the players. Each player
puts down two cards and adds the cards to find the sum. The player
with the highest sum keeps all of the cards. Variation: Play for the
lowest sum.
• “Put It In Place”: The object is to create a higher 2-digit number
than your opponents. Divide the deck in half and place face down.
Each player takes a stack. Player A turns over two cards, and
forms a number. Player B also turns over two cards to form a
number. The player with the highest 2-digit number keeps all four
cards. Player with the most cards at the end wins!
• “The Whole Deal”: Shuffle the cards. Draw one card from the
deck. The number shown on that card becomes “the game number”.
Replace the game number card in the deck and lay all of the cards
face up on the playing surface. Players take turns finding pairs of
cards that generate numbers equal to the game number through
addition or subtraction. For example, if the game number is 7,
players might pair 2 and 5 (2+5=7), ace and 6 (1+6=7), 10 and
3 (10-3=7) and so on. Play until all possibilities have been found.
Choose a new number and play again!
• “Subtraction War”: Same as addition war, but the lowest card is
subtracted from the highest card.
• “Subtraction Shuffle”: You need paper and a pencil! Place the
cards face down between the players. Player A flips the two top
cards over and subtracts the lower number from the higher number.
Player A writes and solves the subtraction sentence. Player B
repeats, using a separate recording sheet. Continue playing until
you run out of cards. Then shuffle the cards and play again!
• “Addition Shuffle”: Same directions as Subtraction Shuffle, but with
addition. Challenge: Try flipping over three cards!
Games Using a Set of Flash Cards:
Addition or Subtraction
• “Beat the Clock” – Set a kitchen timer for one minute. How many
flashcards can you do before the timer rings? Challenge yourself
to beat your last score!
• “My pile, Your Pile” – If your child knows the fact, they keep the
card. If they do not know the answer, you keep the card. Work
through the cards and then count them to see who has the most
cards.
• “Go Fish” – Deal out seven cards for each player. The remaining
deck is placed facedown. Each player is looking to find pairs of
cards that have the same sum. Ex: 4+5 -- you will ask, “Do you
have a 9?” A matching sum might be 8+1. If the other player
does not have a matching sum, they will say, “Go Fish!”. You will
pick up another card from the deck.
• “Cross the River” – Place flashcards on the floor in a winding
manner. Each card represents a stepping stone in the river. Your
child must say the answer in order to step on/over the card and
cross the river!
• “Concentration” – Place 20 cards facedown. Each player turns
over 2 cards. The goal is to find matching sums. When a match is
found, the cards are picked up and the player has an additional
turn. If the sums do not match, turn the cards back over. Add
cards facedown to the table as needed.
• “Race to the Card!” – Place 10-12 cards throughout the room.
Call out a sum/difference for your child: “Find a fact that equals
12”. They will race to retrieve the matching card. Take turns! Your
child will love seeing you race to the card, too!
• “War” – Divide the deck between the players. Players will turn over
the cards and find the answer. The player with the largest sum or
difference will keep the cards. Work through the deck. The goal is
to have all of the cards at the end.
• “Easy-Hard” – You will need 100 pennies. Select 20 flashcards –
Divide the cards into two piles facedown: Easy and Hard. Give your
child 50 pennies. Ask your child if they would like an easy or hard
flashcard, also ask them how many points they would like to risk on
knowing the answer: Easy 1-5 and Hard 5-10. If they know the
answer, they will earn pennies, if they do not know the answer, they
lose pennies.
• “Flip High, Flip Low” – Divide the deck in half. Each player takes a
stack, keeping the cards face down. Player A calls “high” or “low”.
At the same time both players flip over a card. The player with the
highest sum/difference keeps both cards. The player with the most
cards at the end is the winner.
• “Rope Jump” – You need a jump rope for this one! Have your child
stand behind a rope. Hold a rope at a height your child should be
able to jump over. On the other side of the rope, spread out some
flash cards. Call out a sum/difference. Your child will need to jump
over the rope and bring back the correct flashcard. For other
rounds, hold the rope down low and have them crawl under the
rope.
• “Bean Bag Toss” – You need a beanbag, or rolled-up sock. Lay out
flashcards down on the floor. Have your child toss the beanbag
and identify the answer to the flashcard it lands on. Challenge
them to land on a given sum/difference.
• “Race Track” – Lay out the flashcards like a race track with a start
and finish line. Roll a dice and move a counter along the track. The
player must say the answer that they landed on. If the answer is
wrong, they must move back to the original position. You might want
to create some cards that say, “Roll again”, or “Crash! Go back to
the beginning”.
• “Tic Tac Toe” – Make 10 cards, 5 with X’s, and 5 with O’s. Place 9
flashcards facedown. The players take turns flipping over a card. If
they can name the sum/difference, they may place their X on the
card. The next player will be placing their O’s. The object is to have
3 in a row.
• “Basketball” – You need a hoop/box/trash can and a ball/rolled-up
sock. Show a flashcard to your child. If they answer correctly, then
they can have a shot at the basket. If they get the ball in the
basket, they earn 2 points. If they hit the basket, but it doesn’t go
in, they earn 1 point. The person who gets the most points is the
winner.
• “True or False” – Put a line of tape on the floor. Designate one
side “True” and the other side “False”. Hold up a flashcard and say
a possible answer. If your child thinks you called a true answer, they
jump on the true side, if not they jump on the false side. A correct
response earns a point.
• Musical Flashcards – Place some flashcards face-up in a circle.
Your child will walk around the circle as some music is playing.
When the music stops, call out an answer – Your child must race to
step on that card. Fun to play with other family members!
• “Spin the Bottle” – You need a bottle! Place some flashcards in a
circle around the bottle. Spin the bottle. Your child will answer the
card it lands on. Variation: If there are other family members to
play: Players sit around the bottle. Spin the bottle. If it lands on you,
then you must draw a flashcard and answer. If you answer correctly,
you may keep the card. The winner is whoever has the most cards.
Math Websites
• Pearson enVision Math for California/Math Games – These are
games that we play in the classroom. “Math Facts” is good choice!
The kids enjoy racing the clock!
• Houghton Mifflin Math (e-games grade 1)
• Sumdog – Math games on various levels and strands played in
arcade style. Very fun! I enjoyed “Alien Invasion”!
• KidsNumbers – A math resource designed by teachers. My favorite
game is “Sunny Bunny”!
• APlus Math – Online math games and flash cards.
• IXL.com – First Grade Math Practice
• Learning Games For Kids.com – Lots of fun, interactive games!
• Primarygames.com – Fun online games – The Princess Game is fun!
• SoftSchools.com – Games and worksheets
• JumpStart – May need a subscription
• Mathblaster.com – May need a subscription
• ToonUniversity.com – May need a subscription
• KidsClick – Link to more math games online plus Math Computer
games to purchase. “Arthur’s Math Games” looks good! ($14.95)
** Let us know if you have, or find a good resource! **