Math games are a great way to help kids learn math. In this article, I discuss four reasons why math games are important for learning.
As a parent and mathematics teacher, I am an advocate for playing math games.
First, they can make learning fun and interesting.
Second, they can help kids develop important math skills that they will need in order to succeed in math.
Third, when kids play math games it can help them understand complex concepts more easily.
Finally, math games can help kids learn problem-solving skills.
What are math games?
Math games are games that focus on teaching kids math skills and concepts. They can be educational and entertaining at the same time.
There are many different kinds of math games available, from simple addition and subtraction games to more complex games that teach geometry and algebra.
There are a variety of free and paid math apps that include games too.
Why are math games important?
Math games are important for a few reasons.
First, they can make learning fun and interesting. This is especially important to engage students in a subject that some have created a dislike for.
Math games can help kids develop important skills they will need to succeed in math. Learning all the multiplication facts or timestables off by heart is assumed knowledge in high school. Math games and apps are a great way to memorize multiplication facts.
Math games can help kids understand complex concepts more easily. Some games are visual and some students are visual learners so these interactive games help them to understand abstract concepts such as balancing equations.
Math games can help kids learn problem-solving skills. Some games involve strategizing, trial and error, looking for a pattern or other problem solving skills which are essential skills for solving math problems.
Why kids learn better through games
- Games are motivating
Kids are often more motivated to play a game than to do a worksheet. When kids are motivated, they are more likely to persevere when they encounter a challenge and be more successful in the long run.
- Games provide immediate feedback
In a game, kids get immediate feedback on whether their answer is correct or not. This can help them to understand why their answer is correct or incorrect and make any necessary adjustments.
- Games are interactive
Games are a more interactive way of learning than traditional methods such as worksheets or lectures. This can help kids to better understand the concepts they are learning and retain the information for a longer period of time.
- Games can be adapted to different levels
Different kids will learn at different rates and have different levels of understanding. Games can be adapted to meet the needs of each individual child.
- Games are fun!
Last but not least, games are just plain fun! When kids are having fun, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to learn. And when kids are engaged and motivated, they are more likely to be successful in the long run.
My favorite math games for the classroom
There are a variety of math games available for the classroom or at home. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Math Bingo
I like to play measurement bingo to help students learn the area & volume formulae for different shapes and objects. Get the player’s cards and teacher’s cards I use for Measurement bingo here.
- Jeopardy
I love playing math games at the end of term. Jeopardy is a great game to revise past topics and practise math skills in a fun way. Divide the class into teams to encourage collaborative discussions to play this math game. Use my jeopardy questions and resources here.
- Buzz
Young kids love to play math games like buzz. My 6 year old daughter loves playing buzz in the bath, in the car and walking home from school. It’s a great game to learn skip counting & multiples. See how to play buzz here.
- Decimats
This is a game played in pairs with 2 dice. One die represents the numerator. The other the denominator of either tenths, hundredths or thousandths. It’s a great game for students to learn place value, how to convert a fraction to a decimal, how to add decimals and the relationships between tenths, hundredths and thousandths. The research paper can be found here.
- Directed number addition battle
Playing card games are a great to wrap up a numeracy support session with one student or a small group. This game is for middle school students learning how to add directed numbers. Let the red cards be negative and the black cards be positive. Split a deck of cards then players flip their top 2 cards. The highest sum wins all four cards. Download this in the Acing Math (One deck at a time) ebook.
Final thoughts on why math games are important for learning.
Playing Math games is important for a variety of reasons. They can make learning fun, help kids develop essential number skills, and provide immediate feedback.
Games are also motivating, interactive, and can be adapted to different levels. Ultimately, math games are important because they are a great way to learn mathematics.
