The Rhythm of Math Games

The art of homeschooling math begins with the rhythm of puzzle play. It continues with games, which are social puzzles.

Games are fun, building a positive attitude toward math. They give students a refreshing break from textbook work and make kids willing to practice their math.

But more important than the fun, math games push children to think about what numbers mean and how they work. A good math game reinforces the idea that math is about reasoning, using the things you know to figure out what you need.

For more about homeschooling with math games, check out my post Gameschooling Math.

Play, Create, Repeat

Math gaming has a cyclic rhythm similar to puzzles:

1. Play a game for fun.

2. As the game becomes more familiar, play it for strategy. What moves increase your chances of winning?

3. Notice things about the game, patterns or relationships that appear repeatedly. Wonder about extensions of the game, or of your strategies.

4. Create a math game of your own by modifying the rules to see what happens.

5. Share your new game by playing it with friends.

This cycle usually runs for several days or longer, to give students plenty of time to enjoy the game before analysis ruins the fun of playing. Never rush those early stages.

If you’d like a printable activity guide to lead you through this cycle for the game of Nim, check out my digital book Creative Nim: Make Your Own Math & Logic Games.

Conclusion

The main thing is to play with our math.

Play refreshes our children’s relationship with math, building a foundation of joyful understanding that makes it much easier to learn new topics.

Math concepts are not isolated Truths handed down from on high. They are ideas that connect to each other to form a giant web of understanding.

We want our children to play with these ideas and put them together in creative ways as they explore and make sense of math. We want to cultivate rich thinking and connection-making in math. So, whatever math program you use, don’t let it push you into that traditional rhythm of your childhood classroom.

Play with puzzles, play with games, play with math art, play with patterns and ideas.

Explore the world of mathematics and discover how homeschooling math can be a family adventure of learning.

Did You Miss a Post?

Check out the earlier posts in this series:

• Homeschooling: The Rhythm of a Math Lesson
• Learning Math with Puzzles
• The Rhythm of Math Puzzles