Looking for math games to play on Zoom (or Google Hangouts?) Here are some of my favorites for elementary and middle school students. For more on distance learning please see my posts Math Distance Learning and Virtual Math Field Trips
Traditional Games made “mathy”
- Bingo– My Free Bingo Cards is now offering an option where they will send free individualized virtual cards for up to 30 players. You can also give students a printable blank bingo card to fill out themselves. I have done this with both math vocabulary words (I called out the definitions) and with computation problems (for example I would call out 5* 5 and students would mark the 25.)
- 3D shape scavenger hunt– call out a shape and have students go find a real world example
- Hangman– Play Hangman with any math vocabulary words. Some teachers use a “Build a Snowman” or “Draw a flower” variation now to take the violent aspect away from Hangman.
- Math Simon Says-Simon Says is one of those classic games kids still love today as much as we did when we were young. Give it a math twist. Use physical movements you have taught for math vocabulary. For example say “Simon Says show a line” and kids hold out both arms with hands extended. ( My post Teaching Lines and Angles has specific examples) Or you could make it as simple as “Simon says hold up your fingers to show the answer to 3 times 3.”)
Fast No Prep Games
- Guess My Number– It’s easy, fast, develops number sense and questioning skills, and kids love it! All you do is choose a number. (I usually do 1-100 but have done both smaller and larger ranges depending on the age of the kids.) Then you let the kids take turns asking yes/no questions to determine the number. Whoever correctly guesses the number gets to choose the number for the next round. (You can use a laminated hundreds chart to cross off numbers, but I usually do it all verbally.)
- Stand Up Sit Down– This is a variation of Simon Says. If the leader gives an equation equalling the target number, students stand up. Any other number, they sit down. For example if target number is 10, students would stand for 5 * 2 or 3 +7.
- Thirteen – Choose someone to start. That person can say either one number, two numbers, or three numbers. So, the first person could say “1”, “1, 2”, or “1, 2, 3.” Depending on what the first person said, the second person can now say the next one, two, or three numbers. Play continues until someone says THIRTEEN. That person is out. Play continues until only one person remains.
- Count to Ten – Students must count to ten as a class. Talking (other than saying numbers) and hand signals are not allowed. Only one person may say each number. No person may say two numbers in a row. If at any time two or more people say the same number, the class must start over at 1.
(last two ideas from Math=Love)
Playing Live Digital Games Remotely
- Quizlet Live over Zoom (Follow the link for instructions)
- Gimkit Live- see The Gimkit Guide to Remote Learning
- Kahoot! The company is currently providing free access to Kahoot! Premium to any educational institution impacted by the coronavirus.
