Math Games and Activities?

[sagira]

What are your top three math games and activities? I need games that are fun for both child and adult, and engaging. My ds is five and we need to shake things up a bit around here. I feel I need to add more fun.

Please help!

Thanks :)

[Aurelia]

The Right Start math games book is good.

[Tonia]

Here's a list of math games (http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg365m3k_18g624bqdd)that my dd and I have enjoyed. We used some of these quite a bit before we started using RightStart.

[sagira]

Great, thanks for the link! I actually have dice, made index cards with 1-20 but don't play anything yet. Now I know what to do with them :)

[Kuovonne]

Check out the book "Family Math".
I just got a copy and it has math activites for kids age 5 - 12.

[Jane in NC]

Peggy Kaye's book Games for Math is great!

Jane

[Lorna]

For fun for both yourself and a five year old:
Yahtzee! is a great dice game of chance. You all have an equal chance of winning and it teaches addition and multiplication.
For when they are a little older Monopoly is fun and teaches addition, subtraction, mulitplication and even simple percentages.
Ludo is also a classic and helps children grasp, and speed up, in number bonds (adding the two sixes)

[Jane in NC]

For fun for both yourself and a five year old:
Yahtzee! is a great dice game of chance. You all have an equal chance of winning and it teaches addition and multiplication.
For when they are a little older Monopoly is fun and teaches addition, subtraction, mulitplication and even simple percentages.
Ludo is also a classic and helps children grasp, and speed up, in number bonds (adding the two sixes)

Adding to Lorna's list of traditional board games: Payday. (Don't use the percent charts--have your students compute interest!)

[momof165]

We are using Right Start Math Games as well in our house. My son loves to play these games and it really helps him to learn his facts. We are working on the multiplication tables right now using Right Start Math games and it is really a fun way to learn those. :001_smile:

Sonja
__________________________________________________
Homeschoolung JUST ONE - ds 9

[mom2moon2]

RS math games.

[Amber in AUS]

We like to play shop with real money.

[jensway]

First take paper plates and on the back number them 1-9 , place them randomly on the floor blank side up. Start with 2 bean bags, you can increase number of bags as student level goes up. Use bean bags to toss and land on a plate. Have tosser turn over the plates and then do the math. It could be addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. This gets them up away from the table and adds a little movement. :001_smile:

[sagira]

I like the ideas, and I hope they help others too. I just requested Family Math through Interlibrary Loan, thanks. We may just have to play that paper plates game (using addition) next week!

[Mama2Three]

My DC LOVE Parcheesi! The game uses 2 dice... you can split up the dice to move 2 pieces or add them together and move one piece. They have learned their addition facts to 6+6 using this game, without any pressure from me. Now that they know their facts, I have them say the sum of the roll each time for extra practice (they don't mind but if they did I wouldn't push).

I'll also second Peggy Kaye's books. I love them all, some great "nuggets" in there!

[King Alfred Academy]

We love Right Start math games.

I just got an email saying their game kit is on sale right now.

[eve]

I agree, RightStart Math Games Book.

[apheartsong]

My kids like Sum Swamp and love Money Bags.

Allison
ds9, dd5, ds3

[Crimson Wife]

-RS Math Card Games book
-Equate using the Jr. tile set
-Chutes & Ladders having the child mentally add the numbers
-Sorry using 2 dice and then finding the card that matches the total on the dice
-Mille Bornes

[attachedto4]

Sum Swamp (http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Sum+Swamp+Addition+%26amp%3B+Subtraction+Game/015882/1227727532-739093) is well-loved here. Yahtzee too, though they need help totaling Yahtzee up but it's great practice. Family Math, Peggy Kaye's book, and The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas by Linda Dobson, are all packed with ideas for math games. (The Dobson book has all kinds of other games and acitivities too).

[kindermommy]

We have RS level B kit - and it looks like it comes with all the card decks for the games - but we don't have the manual for the games - does anyone know if we need it? I am assuming we cover the games in the curriculum and that's why the cards are included in the kit, but so far we haven't (although we are only on lesson 10 I think)...so I'm not sure....it's confusing!

[Homemama2]

Also recc. RS math games!

others:
Sum Swamp, Dino Math Tracks, Uno, Parcheesi, War (and Addition war) are all favorites. The first two you can get through Rainbow Resources.

[Spy Car]

Don't want to hijack, but Right Start game players are there some games that are especially good (or popular with your kids) for this age (5) or all they all good?

Bill

[attachedto4]

We have RS level B kit - and it looks like it comes with all the card decks for the games - but we don't have the manual for the games - does anyone know if we need it? I am assuming we cover the games in the curriculum and that's why the cards are included in the kit, but so far we haven't (although we are only on lesson 10 I think)...so I'm not sure....it's confusing!

I'd like to know this too, I agree that it's confusing!

[sagira]

Whoa, the recommendations for RightStart Math games are overwhelming! I have to at least check them out or see if someone is selling the package here on WTM's sale and swap board. Ds just told me he thought his workbook was boring. It's alright, he does it, but not enjoying it. Don't want to do it the wrong way.

I'm still looking at MOTL and seeing what other people have to say about it (waiting on a few bloggers too), but I think it's also risky to spend so much up front without knowing if it will work for you. It was easy to take the plunge with BFSU as it was inexpensive, but MOTL? Nope. At least not right now. Yes, in the long run. I can see that, even though I only have two children.

Thanks for the suggestions! You know, 40 bucks for RS Games isn't bad, especially considering that that could be two restaurant outings for our family -- at least!

[Kareni]

For the younger crowd, my husband (who tutors math) likes Math Dash (http://www.physlink.com/estore/cart/MathDashGame.cfm). For the older children, he likes Equate (http://www.home4schoolgear.com/eqmatgam.html). Equate is a real mind stretcher -- our family played it last New Year's Eve, and it really gives you a mental workout!

Regards,
Kareni

[Amber in AUS]

If your wanting to mix it up a bit without forking out a fortune you could look at one of the grade level Kumon workbooks. They are fun but not a game obviously. We are enjoying Kumon here.

[amsunshine]

My dc are 5.5 and 7. Our favorite "mathy" games right now are: Countdown, Parcheesi and Blink. Blink is a little more abstract, but still mathematical, and really fun! Countdown is really flexible as you can play it using just addition and subtraction at first, but when your kiddos get older, you can also play using multiplication and division.

[sagira]

I found this neat little website (http://www.mathwire.com/)with free math games you can use. I'm waiting for Family Math to come in from the library, and I borrowed Miquon's First Grade Diary, which has many ideas for games. I didn't know that. I'm getting excited about Miquon again (we'll be using this next year to supplement MCP, but it may be the other way around, who knows). I'm also going to buy Ludo (popular with our family when I was a kid). I think I'm well on my way now with making math for fun for ds and me. Thank you very much, everyone! This has been an interesting thread.

[djbartch]

First take paper plates and on the back number them 1-9 , place them randomly on the floor blank side up. Start with 2 bean bags, you can increase number of bags as student level goes up. Use bean bags to toss and land on a plate. Have tosser turn over the plates and then do the math. It could be addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. This gets them up away from the table and adds a little movement. :001_smile:

I love this idea! I will have to try it when we get back to addition. Right now we are working on money. I'm thinking I could do the same thing, only hide coins under the plates. Then he can count the money that he finds. Hmmm...

Because we are focusing on money (coins specifically) right now, we play a game we call Money Pockets... I drew out 4 pockets - about 4x4 on a piece of paper, and labeled them 1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, and 25 cent. Then we have die with only 1,2, & 3 on it (although I think I'm going to bump it up.. maybe 4, 5, & 6). Roll the dice, and then take that many pennies. Place in your 1 cent pocket. When the 1 cent pocket gets to 5 - exchange for a nickel. When that gets full, exchange for a dime.. etc. I play to a set number of a certain coin. I haven't figured out how to make quarters work well into it yet, but we are just diving into quarters this week.. so we will see.

HTH

[jubilee]

For the younger crowd, my husband (who tutors math) likes Math Dash (http://www.physlink.com/estore/cart/MathDashGame.cfm).
Regards,
Kareni


I have seen Math Dash @ Ross for a fraction of the suggested retail price. Another option if anyone is looking for this.

[mnllj7]

I am very excited about all the RightStart responses, I think this is the greatest math program out. And the games are great!!!!! over 300 in the book. God bless, nancyt. :grouphug:

[fractalgal]

I am very excited about all the RightStart responses, I think this is the greatest math program out. And the games are great!!!!! over 300 in the book. God bless, nancyt. :grouphug:

I just ordered these for fun for our game day. I'm glad to see many positive responses about the RS games.