This year I have scheduled us for a few hours of playing games together each Friday. It feels like my kids are growing up so fast and although I always intend to play games with them, life gets busy and I just don’t.
That’s why I decided to work some game time into our homeschool week. Board and card games can be so educational plus they are a great way for siblings and parents to bond.
Today I decided to round out a list of my favorite games to play with my kids for practicing math.
Uno
This card game is a favorite here because more than 4 kids can play it, plus even my 4-year old can understand the concept of matching up numbers and/or colors. The educational value for this game is biggest for preschool and kindergarten ages when they are learning to recognize and name numbers.
Buy the classic version here.
Math Path Monster
This game is best for kids age 5-8 who are working on addition and subtraction skills. It’s a cooperative game too which I find also helpful for this age-range as well because you either all win or lose together. Your goal is the beat the monsters by using addition or subtraction to get the best moves from the numbers you roll.
You can buy it here.
Racko
This game is very easy to learn and fun to play. Each player works to get their cards in order numerically. It’s a great way for kids to practice number sequences and estimating chance.
You can find Rack at Target.
Mall Madness
This was a favorite of mine as a girl. I still have my copy and although it’s missing a few pieces now, it’s not so much that we can’t continue to play it. My girls especially love to play this one with me. It’s a good way to practice money skills.
Unfortunately, you can’t purchase this game new anymore and the ones you can find on Ebay are expensive! Keep your eye out for this at yard sales and thrift stores.
Monopoly
Monopoly is a beloved classic that my kids love just as much as I did growing up. Addition, subtraction, financial skills, even multiplication and division are practiced when we are playing this game.
We have the Monopoply Jr version game along with a few other varieties (NFL, Wizard of Oz, Here & Now, Mega) and that helps to add variety.
We own and I love this 1980’s Edition because it’s the one I grew up playing.
Sum Swamp
We’ve had this game for a few years, and it’s great for kids to practice basic addition and subtraction. It’s simple and easy to learn. You can get it from Learning Resources.
Sorry
This game is great for practicing counting and number recognition – it’s a lot of fun too!
Here’s where you can get this retro version of Sorry.
Do you have any great games for practicing math that you’d add to this list?
