Math Table Games

Games are an effective way of teaching because games make learning fun. While students are focused on playing the game, their brains are incorporating the important information in the lesson. Online and offline math games give students practice and make math fun.

Online Multiplication Puzzle

The UK website wmnet.org has a well-thought out and clever online multiplication game. The game is played on a grid, and users choose their level of difficulty via grid size. By using the multiplication tables and deductive reasoning, players fill in correct numbers on the grid. This is a safe website to use in classrooms with Internet access.

Smath Board Game

Smath is a board game very similar to scrabble, only instead of building words players are challenged to build true math equations. The game is suitable for two to four players. As no Internet access is required, Smath is a low-cost and highly effective way of practicing math suitable for use in classrooms, after-school programs and homes.

Flash Cards

Flash cards are a fun way to learn math equations, especially multiplication tables. Students work in pairs showing each other flash cards, one at a time. Teachers, at their discretion, may include additional challenges, such as using a timer. Students are challenged to get through the math problems faster each time.

Dominoes

Dominoes are a useful tool for teaching math. Have students sit around a table and pull dominoes out of a hat. They must either add the two values, subtract the smaller from the larger or multiply the two together.

Playing Cards

A regular deck of playing cards make a great toy for math learning. First, remove the aces, kings, queens and jacks to play a game similar to War. Divide the deck between two players. One player chants, "One, two, three, flip!" They each flip one card over. For example, they flip a 7 and 2. The first one to call out, "7 + 2 = 9," gathers the two cards and they go again. This game works equally well with subtraction and multiplication.