Activities – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math

Math Game Monday: Blockout

Posted on May 23, 2022April 4, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

“Blockout” is free on this website for one week only. It’s an excerpt from 312 Things To Do with a Math Journal, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children.

And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.

In this game, players practice multiplication facts and use strategic planning as they build 2-D shapes to block their opponent.

Blockout

Math Concepts: multiplication, area, 2-D shapes.

Players: two players.

Equipment: square graph paper (lined or dotty).

Continue reading Math Game Monday: Blockout

Math Game Monday: Domino Fraction War

Posted on May 16, 2022April 4, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

“Domino Fraction War” is free on this website for one week only. It’s an excerpt from Multiplication & Fractions: Math Games for Tough Topics, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children.

And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.

This game offers upper-elementary and middle school students plenty of practice doing estimation and mental math with fractions.

Domino Fraction War

Math Concepts: proper fractions, comparing fractions.

Players: two or more.

Equipment: one set of double-six or double-nine dominoes.

Continue reading Math Game Monday: Domino Fraction War

Math Game Monday: Nine Cards

Posted on May 9, 2022May 21, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This game helps young children build mental math skills. And it’s fun for older kids or adults to play along!

“Nine Cards” is an excerpt from Counting & Number Bonds: Math Games for Early Learners, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Math War for Simultaneous Equations

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Just updated my blog post Math Game: War with Special Decks to add a game I missed the first time around:

Julie Morgan’s Simultaneous Equations War
Simultaneous Equations War Cards

Math War is the most worksheety of all the math games I play with kids. But you can add a level of choice by playing the Trumps version.

Math War Trumps: Instead of playing for the highest sum, as in Julie’s original game, have each player draw 3 cards. The player whose turn it is first names “X” or “Y” as trump, then all players lay down a card. Highest trump value wins the skirmish.

Variation: Let the player naming trump also decide whether the highest or lowest value will win.

For more great math games, visit My Best (Free) Math Games for All Ages.

CREDITS: “Red playing cards” photo by José Pablo Iglesias via Unsplash.com.

Math Game Monday: Hidden Hexagon

Posted on May 2, 2022May 21, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This game offers a fun twist on the old classic Battleship. Can you discover your opponent’s secret shape before they find yours?

“Hidden Hexagon” is an excerpt from Prealgebra & Geometry: Math Games for Middle School, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Math Game Monday: Dollar Derby

Posted on April 25, 2022May 21, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This simple counting game helps children grow comfortable with 2-digit numbers and learn the value of coins.

“Dollar Derby” is an excerpt from 70+ Things To Do with a Hundred Chart, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Math Game Monday: Ben Orlin’s Row Call

Posted on April 18, 2022April 29, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This game is simple to learn, allowing kids to focus on their strategic thinking. Then ask your students to invent their own tic-tac-toe variation.

“Ben Orlin’s Row Call” is an excerpt from 312 Things To Do with a Math Journal, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

The Math Game Monday posts will be available for one week only. If you missed this one, explore the Topic Tag links in the sidebar. There are more than forty free games scattered around the blog. Have fun playing math with your kids!

Math Game Monday: Cross-Twenties

Posted on April 11, 2022April 18, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This game gives young children practice adding numbers within twenty. And it’s great strategic fun for all ages!

“Cross-Twenties” is an excerpt from Addition & Subtraction: Math Games for Elementary Students, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Math Game Monday: Distributive Dice

Posted on April 4, 2022April 18, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This game helps children practice math facts and understand the area model of multiplication. And it’s great for building multi-step mental math skills.

“Distributive Dice” is an excerpt from Multiplication & Fractions: Math Games for Tough Topics, available as an ebook at my bookstore (Thank you for cutting out the middleman!) and in ebook or paperback through many online retailers. Read more about my playful math books here.

Playful Math Carnival #154: The Math Journaling Edition

Posted on March 29, 2022March 28, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Welcome to the 154th edition of the Playful Math Education Blog Carnival — a smorgasbord of delectable tidbits of mathy fun. It’s like a free online magazine devoted to learning, teaching, and playing around with math from preschool to high school.

Bookmark this post, so you can take your time browsing.

There’s so much playful math to enjoy!

By tradition, we start the carnival with a puzzle/activity in honor of our 154th edition. But if you’d rather jump straight to our featured blog posts, click here to see the Table of Contents.