Math Games

On this page, you'll find a few of my favorite math games to play with kids. I like to categorize them as 'Win-Wins!' I haven't personally come up with these games, but what I think makes kids want to play them over and over again is that even though they might be working on skills they don't feel as strong in, anyone can win. So very often, the kids' true competitive sides come out, and their whole goal becomes beating me over and over again. And the win for me is that I genuinely enjoy playing them too! Ending my sessions with one of these games feels like a treat. They're especially helpful toward the end of a session, when the child has been working hard and is ready for some low-stakes fun. We often find ourselves laughing, and it's a great way to end on a high note.

So give them a try on a rainy afternoon, as part of your afternoon schedule 2-3 times a week, or as part of your nighttime routine! You only need 10-20 minutes dedicated to these games to make it worthwhile, and for the most part, they require very little materials, so you can pack them up and play anywhere. In our house, some days we pick one of these games to play together, and it helps connect us as a family, with everyone ending in a good mood.

Shut the Box

It took me a surprisingly long time to discover this game, which I find funny given that I was once a classroom teacher. Maybe it's because my students were a bit older by the time I started teaching. My husband and I actually stumbled upon it during a weekend away without our kids. We spotted another group playing it at a table nearby and were instantly drawn in. The moment we started playing, I realized what a wonderful tool this could be for helping kids build their addition facts. We ordered our own set from Amazon before we even left, and by the time we got home, we were ready to introduce it to our kids.

It's since become a staple in our house. In fact, it now doubles as the centerpiece on our living room table! It's turned into a real family favorite, and we've even started keeping a running list on the back of the board to track who's scored a "perfect" game.

There are several versions available, ranging from games that go up to 10 or up to 20, with options for different numbers of players. I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do!

Tiny Polka DOT

Tiny Polka Dot by Math For Love is much more than a deck of cards. It’s an incredibly versatile tool that helps children build strong number sense through play. Rather than simply memorizing math facts, kids learn to recognize quantities, compare numbers, make combinations, and develop flexible thinking about how numbers work.

I especially love that the games grow with your child, so the same set can be used from the preschool years through elementary school. Whether you're looking for a fun family game night activity or an engaging way to strengthen foundational math skills, Tiny Polka Dot is a great resource. It's playful, hands-on, and one of my favorite go-to games for "warming up our brains" together before diving into other math activities.

Connect 4

Players: 2

Objective: Be the first player to get 4 counters in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally)

Instructions:

Choose the multiplication fact family you want to practice.
Fill in the game board with the products for that fact family up to 12. I typically include each product twice, except for the product of 10, which I include four times.
Place the deck of cards face down.
Player 1 flips over a card and multiplies that number by the chosen fact family. For example, if Player 1 flips a 5 and you are practicing the 6s facts, the product would be 30. Player 1 would then place a counter on one of the squares labeled 30.
Continue taking turns until one player gets 4 counters in a row.

Note: You can make lots of adaptations to this game! You can practice addition or subtraction facts, use a smaller grid, or change it to Connect 3 or Connect 5. The possibilities are endless! Make it whatever you want it to be! I’ve made a few slight changes to the original game, too.

CAPTURE THE CELL

Players: 2

Objective: Be the player who claims the most cells by landing on each product twice.

Instructions:

Draw a large rectangle and divide it into 10 cells.
Choose the multiplication fact family you want to practice.
Write the products for that fact family from 1–10, with one product in each cell.
Place the deck of cards face down.
Player 1 flips over a card and multiplies that number by the chosen fact family. For example, if Player 1 flips a 5 and you are practicing the 2s facts, the product would be 10. Player 1 would then place a counter on top of the cell labeled 10.
Continue taking turns flipping cards and finding the products. Keep track of how many times each player lands on each product.
A player claims a cell once they have landed on that product 2 times. The player can then leave their counter on that cell to show that they have claimed it.
Continue playing until all of the cells have been claimed.
The player who claims the most cells wins!

Note: You can make lots of adaptations to this game! You can practice addition or subtraction facts, use fewer or more cells, or change the number of times a player needs to land on a product to claim it. Make it whatever works best for YOU!

Math Games

Shut the Box

Tiny Polka DOT

Think! Mathematics: [Math]odology Games

Connect 4

CAPTURE THE CELL

Ready to Connect?

Math Games

Shut the Box

Tiny Polka DOT

Think! Mathematics: [Math]odology Games

Connect 4

CAPTURE THE CELL

Ready to Connect?

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