I have many individual posts on this website about recommended math board and card games. However, many people have asked for a list of all the games in one place. Here it is! Click the game titles for more detailed posts and purchase links for each game.
Fun Math Games for Kids
Discover a collection of math games recommended by Stress Free Math For Kids, designed to make learning math exciting and enjoyable for elementary students, parents, and teachers alike.
Clumsy Thief and Clumsy Thief in the Candy Store
These fast paced addition card games have been a favorite of every child I have played with (2nd grade to middle school) because of the fun illustrations and the card stealing involved. The original practices double digit addition permutations of 100 (math speak for ways to make 100 such as 80 + 20 or 60 + 40) and the candy store version practices permutations of 20. There is also a junior version for permutations of 10, called Clumsy Thief Jr.
My Favorite Math Game: Prime Clime
If I had to choose only one numbers and operations game for grades 3 and up, this would be it. I used to use it for assessments of new tutoring students because I can learn so much about a child’s mathematical thinking from this game. However, it’s so fun that almost all of my students’ families bought it for home, and one reported playing together until midnight! I have a video of this one on my website.
Set Card Game
Whenever I ask math teachers their favorite math games, the two that always seem to come up are Prime Climb for numbers and operationsand Set for visual perception, critical thinking, and logic. The Set card game has won 35 different best game awards, including Mensa Select and Parents’ Choice, and the first time I played I could see why. Set also has a version for preschoolers called Set Jr.
Skyjo
Not only is Skyjo a favorite of my 3rd-8th grade students, many adults who have seen kids playing the game have now bought it for their own families! It’s that fun. I love so many things about it, but my favorite is the way it has them constantly practicing mental addition, including negative numbers! Although the box says 30 minutes, that includes multiple rounds. This is very quick to set up and play a quick round when we have a few extra minutes.
Sleeping Queens
Sleeping Queens, from Gamewright, is a strategy card game that also uses equivalent equations. The concept was invented by a child, and it’s a very fun game involving kings, queens, jesters, knights, dragons, sleeping potions and magic wands! I have had MANY tutoring students put this game on their Christmas lists. One little girl told me she played it every night before bed with her stuffed animals!
Using Suspend for Addition and Subtraction
This game is great for critical thinking and spatial reasoning, but a student had an idea where we could also practice addition and subtraction by assigning values to each colored rod.
SMATH
Kind of like Scrabble for math; use number and operation tiles to make connecting equations.
Go Nuts for Donuts
This game practices strategy and develops critical thinking skills in making predictions and deductions. You will also add and subtract points to get your score at the end.
Sumoko
Sumoku, by Blue Orange Games, is an excellent game for practicing both mental multiplication and addition while developing critical thinking skills and strategy.
Using Uno for Fact Practice
Everyone knows Uno, but I also use it as a fun way to practice facts. As we play the game, I just have the child multiply the number on the top card by the number on the card he played. The same idea would work with addition.
Quixx
Quixx is a “fast family dice game” from Gamewright. It is great for developing strategizing skills and probability concepts with some bonus addition practice. It’s kind of similar to Yahtzee in that you roll the dice and choose which place on your scorecard to mark. The game takes only about 15 minutes to play. It is fun whether you play with just 2 players or up to 5. Even better, it has a small portable box with a flip up lid. It has won multiple awards including Mensa Select, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, Parents’ Choice Silver Honor, and Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Products.
Mancala Strategy Game
Mancala is one of the oldest games in the world. It is a strategy game that requires critical thinking. To play strategically requires counting seeds and planning moves as well as anticipating your opponent’s moves. For young children it is a good game for developing counting and subitizing skills. I love modeling counting and multiplicative strategies as I count my seeds at the end.
Rummikub
Board Game Geek describes the game Rummikub as “mathematical skill meets pure luck.” According to Amazon, it is one of the world’s best-selling and most-played games with more than 50 million units sold. Rummikub is a great game for adults and children to play together.
Blokus
Blokus is a strategy math game for 2-4 players that develops and builds spatial reasoning skills. I also use it to explore the concepts of area and perimeter as well as symmetry. In addition, it introduces transformations including reflections, rotations, and translations. The pieces always remind adults of Tetris!
Money Bags
Money Bags is a board game from Learning Resources designed for kids to practice counting and exchanging coins. It is a relatively quick game to play, probably 10-15 minutes. The game is ideal for first/second graders (or older children struggling with money math.) Even younger children could play with some help/modification.
Sushi Go Card Game
Sushi Go is a fast paced strategy card game made by Gamewright. It is one of those great games that is equally fun for kids and adults. It has won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and also designated Parents’ Choice Recommended. Score points for making the most maki rolls or for collecting a full set of sashimi. Dip your favorite nigiri in wasabi to triple its value. The sushi illustrations are very well done and add a whimsical element to the game.
Granny Apples Dice Game
The game can be played by 2-6 players and game play takes about 15 minutes. The description on the box calls Granny Apples a quick counting apple dice game. It is a simple but fun addition/subtraction game to play with the added bonus of being a great introduction to basic fraction addition/subtraction (adding and subtracting wholes and halves.) It presents the fractional concepts in a hands on way so even young kids can understand.
Racko Card Game
Racko is a classic card game originally released in 1956 and still popular today. It is a strategy game that uses the math skill of comparing and ordering numbers. The game is easy to teach and learn, fun to play, and equally enjoyable with 2-4 players. It is a great family game enjoyable for both children and adults as well as a great addition to a classroom.
Over Under Estimating Game
Over Under was one of those simple games that surprised me in how much it benefited my kids. It is a very simple game of estimating. Players draw a card, ask a question of another player, and then guess whether the other’s player’s answer was too high, too low, or exactly right.
Shut the Box Addition Game
Shut the Box is a simple and classic dice game that is simple to learn, fun to play, and develops fluency with addition facts. It is one of my students’ favorites. Students of all ages enjoy it, from kindergarteners just learning to add to older students who can try different strategies in choosing which addition combinations to use.
Proof Card Game
Proof is a simple and effective card game for developing mathematical thinking. It builds mental math skills, number sense, and fluency. You can use it to practice multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, and square roots. It is very appropriate to challenge the thinking of gifted and talented students. However, it is also easily adaptable to younger children or lower skill levels.
Tiny Polka Dot Card Game
Tiny Polka Dots was created for younger children, and is my top recommended “must buy” for preschool- 2nd grade. However, there are many ways older kids can use these cards as well. In fact, I know of teachers who have used them all the way through pre algebra.
Absolute Zero Card Game
I recommend this game because there are not many available fun games for students to practice integer operations.
Race to the Treasure
This is a collaborative game for young children where pieces are rotated and positioned on a coordinate grid to make a path to a treasure. (The adult game Tsuro uses the same concept in a more advanced and competitive form.)
In addition, I have a post for games you can play with a deck of cards. Also don’t underestimate the value of classic games such as Battleship, Clue, Mastermind, Stratego, Monopoly, Connect Four, Yahtzee, Guess Who, domino games, checkers, and, of course, chess (check out Storytime Chess for a great way to teach preschoolers to play.) Read my post Classic Board Games To Develop Math Skills here.
Do you have suggestions I haven’t listed? Please let me know! I am always adding to my list.
