I love playing games in math. (I don't know if you have picked up on that or not...) I feel like kids learn more when they practice in a way that is meaningful and fun. And who doesn't love playing games? It provides quality time and allows conversation. So grab a deck of cards (they are 2 for $1 at the Dollar Store) and check out some of these games!
War to Compare Numbers (2 players): Divide the cards in half. Each person lays down a card. Whoever has the greatest cards gets to keep both cards. Keep playing until one player wins all the cards. (Consider Jack as 11, Queen as 12, King as 13 and Ace as 1.)
How Many More to 10? (2-4 players): Remove all the face cards from the deck except for Aces. These can be considered as 1. Each player should take 5 cards. One player puts a card. Other players try to put down cards that would make ten. If no one has a card, they have to draw from the deck until 10 can be made. Continue taking turns laying down a card. The first player out of cards wins!
Missing Addend (3 players): Divide the cards into two equal piles. Two players pick a card and stick it to their foreheads without looking. The third players tells the two players the sum of the two cards while the other players guess the missing factor. Switch roles for the whole deck. (Consider Jack is 11, Queen as 12, King as 13 and Ace as 1.)
Multiplication War (2 players): Divide the cards in half. Each person lays down two cards and multiplies the cards to find a product. The greatest product gets to keep both cards. Keep playing until one player wins all the cards. (Consider Jack as 11, Queen as 12, King as 0 and Ace as 1.)
Missing Factor (3 players): Divide the cards into two equal piles. Two players pick a card and stick it to their foreheads without looking. The third player tells the two players what the product of the two cards is while the other players guess the missing factor. Switch roles for the whole deck. (Consider Jack as 11, Queen as 12, King as 0 and Ace as 1.)
Fraction War (2 players): Divide the cards into two equal piles. Use a whiteboard to draw a line to show the 2 numbers as a fraction. Each player should set down 2 cards and make a fraction with the greater number as the denominator. The player with the greatest fraction gets to keep the two cards. Keep playing until one player collects the cards. (Consider Jack as 11, Queen as 12, King as 13 and Ace as 1.) For extra fun, grab the FREE student directions and work mat available in my Member's Area.
Simplest Form War (2 players): Divide the cards into two equal piles. Use a whiteboard to draw a line to show the 2 numbers as a fraction. Each player should set down 2 cards and make a fraction with the greater number as the numerator. Both players should place the fraction in simplest form which may requiring converting it to a mixed number. The player with the greatest fraction gets to keep the two cards. Keep playing until one player collects the cards. (Consider Jack as 11, Queen as 12, King as 13 and Ace as 1.) For extra fun, grab the FREE student directions and work mat by clicking below!
I hope you have fun with these games and enjoy using them! What other games do you like to play with cards? Leave me a comment with some ideas!
