- Thursday 02 December 2021
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Many students may struggle to find the fun in maths, especially those who find maths difficult (let’s be real, many of us do). That doesn’t mean maths can’t be fun though, right?
Of course it can! We just need to introduce maths games that get the whole class involved. Sound easy? That’s because it is.
We understand that maths can be daunting and challenging at the best of times. Changing students’ outlook on maths starts both at home and in the classroom, which is why we’ve pulled together some maths games we think will bring the whole class together in a fun and engaging way. These games for maths are tailored to suit students from Foundation to Year 6 and can be easily altered to suit the needs of your classroom.
Benefits of maths games in the classroom
There are endless benefits of introducing maths games into the classroom. Aside from helping students learn, they also encourage strategic thinking, problem-solving and fluency development. Maths games give students the opportunity to learn in an engaging way with their peers that creates an atmosphere for inclusive learning, regardless of a child’s abilities. Not only do maths games benefit the students, they also benefit the teachers! That’s right, maths games assist professional growth for educators, as creating game-based learning for students takes organisation and planning. Encouraging game-based learning allows teachers to take a step back and have an insight into the minds of their students—how they think and the way they approach problem-solving games, each tackling the challenge in their own, unique way.
The cool thing about introducing game-based learning into your school’s curriculum is that there are endless possibilities. Sure, we can learn the curriculum each year—and, let’s be real, we must—but that doesn’t mean that we can’t think outside the box when it comes to creating an atmosphere of fun for students, especially for subjects that can seem a little mundane at times.
We’ve pieced together a variety of mathematical games (including five-minute classroom games) which we think are extremely useful when teaching maths. Encouraging mathematical games in lower primary is super fun, but we must also take into consideration a child’s understanding of maths language and terminology as they begin to familiarise themselves with these concepts. It is important to understand that children are at different stages in their development and learning, especially at this age as learning difficulties surrounding maths may be present but not yet established.
Let’s kickstart with one for the younger kids: Addition and subtraction dice game
This game is fantastic for younger kids as it encourages them to practise their addition and subtraction skills. To play, simply roll the dice once to get the first number, then roll the dice again to get the second. The student must then add or subtract their two numbers. The great part about this game is that the highest number that can be added or subtracted will be 6, making it ideal for younger students. This game can be played individually, as a small group, or as a class, making it an excellent all-round activity. Why not try this game with your class and tag us at @ricpublications on Instagram—we’d love to see how you go!
Another great version of the game is to pre-assign your students with addition and subtraction problems to solve. The key is to put the number as it appears on the dice, rather than the numerical version to encourage them to interpret reading the numbers from the dice.
Guess the bears in the jar
Start by grabbing a big plastic jar and filling it with bears (to make it more difficult you can add a couple of other shapes to the mix). Students pass around the jar and write down on a piece of paper how many bears they think there are. Provide them with a little bit of guidance by giving them four possible answers and requesting they choose one after they spend one minute each trying to count (or guess) how many bears are in the jar.
The other shapes in the jar act to test a student’s problem-solving and competency skills, quizzing them to see if they are easily thrown by other objects in the jar. This task is simple and can be altered slightly to make it more difficult by adding a variety of shapes to the jar and requesting the students count only one variation.
Maths bingo
Maths bingo promotes problem-solving skills, encouraging students to use their addition and subtraction skills to win the game. The concept of this game is simple, but it requires the concentration and dedication of the students to crack the code and be the first one to shout ‘BINGO’!
In regular bingo, the numbers are called out and if you have the number, you cross it off on your card. Maths Bingo has a slight twist. Instead of just crossing off the number on the card, each student will receive several mathematical problems. To cross off the number, the student must first solve the problem to get the answer. If the answer is not on the card, the student moves on to the next question and begins solving the mathematical problem to reveal the answer (hopefully the correct answer is on the card!). The first student to cross off all the numbers on the card is the winner, but they must shout ‘BINGO’ to claim their win.
This activity is super versatile: simply change the corresponding mathematical problems according to the year group to make the activity suitable for students of all ages and capabilities.
Of course, not all games can be easily transferrable from year to year, and that’s exactly why we’ve created maths games resources for all year groups here at R.I.C. Publications. We understand that students in each academic year benefit from tailored work plans and games to suit their needs. Incorporating games on maths and supporting maths card games in everyday teaching is extremely beneficial to the growth and development of students’ problem-solving and interpretational skills in relation to mathematics.
Games on maths for older pupils!
We understand that maths can be difficult as pupils progress through school, especially in senior years. Our maths games posters are a great way to incorporate mathematical language, problem-solving, multiplication word problems, early algebra and money while keeping it fun. The posters are linked to the Australian Curriculum and include six games: Splash add, Add and take, Difference game, Multiple creepy-crawlies, Money in the bank and Money OH! Each game in this series is suitable for ages 5–12.
Maths games for all!
We’ll finish on a mathematical game suitable for students from Year 3 to Year 6 (the perfect all-rounder!). Dice activities was created by teachers in their classrooms over a period of 10 years to help students become more fluent with mathematical concepts. Dice activities are a great way to incorporate mathematical games into the classroom and are suitable for students of all abilities. Dice activities includes number patterns, counting strategies, reasoning and problem-solving and more. The activities in this resource help develop game strategy cooperative skills, whilst also being a great way to have fun in the classroom! These maths games are time-tested and are proven to engage children. The series gives children the opportunity to develop their skills in a wide variety of ways, making for great maths games in the classroom. We also understand how much mathematical games at home benefit children, so we’ve made Dice activities easily adaptable for use at home.
If you want a closer look of Dice activities, we have a sample pack which you can download at the link below.
Download your free Dice activities sample pack here!
Make sure to tag us on Instagram if you try any of these games, or if you have a maths game idea you would like to share with the teacher community—we’d love to see your creativity! Don’t worry if you’ve already tried all these games, we’ve got plenty to keep the whole class entertained. Check out our full range of games for maths here.