Are you struggling to do #mathsathome?
Do you need to break the monotony of #homeschooling?
Do you have a couple of dice?
Yes? Here are some fun #mathsgames to play that only need a piece of paper and a couple of dice, (If you have one dice, just throw it twice!) plus a few counters (buttons, bottle tops or small stones will do just fine!)
These games have been collected over many years of helping children to have fun learning maths, and I take no personal credit for them.
Enjoy!
NOTE: Year groups are only given as guidance; if your child is finding the game too easy, move up to the next level, if they are finding it too hard, move down. We all learn at our own pace.
Ten nice things
Players: 2
Skill: recall of number facts within 10
Year group R-Y3
You will need a dice and ten ‘nice’ things (these can be any small objects – pens, bottle tops, seeds, beads, or a mixture of different things).
To begin with, the ten objects are placed between the two players.
Take turns to throw the dice and take that number of objects from the pile.
When there are no more in the ‘pool’, you will have to ‘steal’ from each other. So, for example, if there are two nice things left in the middle, and you throw 6, you have to take the two from the pool, plus four from your opponent.
The winner is the player who collects all the nice things.
Double trouble
Players: 2- 5
Skills: doubling small numbers
Year group: Y1-Y3
You will each need to write all the even numbers from 2-12 three times on paper. You will need a collection of counters and a dice between you.
Take turns to throw the dice, double the number and cover that number on your paper with a counter.
The first one to cover all their numbers is the winner.
Hit the target
Players: 2- 5
Year group: 2 digit numbers – Y2/3, 3 digit numbers Y3/4, 4 digit numbers Y4 +
Skill: place value
To begin, one of you needs to throw two, three or four dice to make a two, three or four digit number. This is the ‘target’ number. You need to write it where all the players can see it.
Next, everybody who is playing must draw two, three or four boxes on their paper.
Now you take it in turns to throw all the dice.
You can then arrange the dice in any order to make a number that is as close as possible to the target.
The player whose number is closest to the target number is the winner.
Highest or lowest
Players: 2- 5
Skill: place value
Year group: as above
Decide before the game whether you are going to try to make the highest or the lowest number.
Everybody who is playing needs to draw two, three or four squares on their paper.
Take turns to throws one dice once. Write the number in one of your boxes – you can choose which box.
Keep playing until everyone has filled all their boxes.
The player with the highest/lowest number wins.
One in the bin (Variation on Highest or lowest)
Players: 2- 5
Skill: place value
Year group: Y3 +
Everyone who is playing should draw three boxes on paper, labelled hundreds, tens and ones, plus one called ‘bin’
Take turns to throw one dice and decide where to put the number, hundreds, tens, or the bin (to be thrown away).
When everybody has filled all their boxes, compare your numbers. The player with the highest number each round gets a point.
Next rearrange the digits to make the biggest number that you could have made.
The player with the biggest number also gets a point.
Three in a row
Players: 2-3
Skill: number sense, place value
Year group: Y2/3 (Whole numbers) Y4-Y6 (Decimal numbers)
You will need two dice and a blank number line drawn on paper.
Each player throws two dice to generate a two digit number. They can arrange the digits either way, so 6 and 4 could be 64 or 46.
They write their number in the correct position on a blank number line. Each player either uses a different coloured pen or puts their initials next to their number.
The aim of the game is to get three numbers in a row on the number line without anyone else putting a number between them.
Variation
You could also use this game for practising ordering decimal numbers. Simply imagine a decimal point between the two numbers on the dice!
Dicey addition (adapted from NRICH activity found at: nrich.maths,org/11863
Players: 2- 5
Skills: place value, addition of two, three or four digit numbers
Year group: Y2-Y6
The aim of this game is to get a total that is closest to 100.
Each player draws an addition grid like the one below.
You will need one dice.
Take turns to throw the dice. Choose a box in which to write the number on the dice.
When everyone has filled all the boxes, each of you should add the two two-digit numbers you have made together. The player with the total closest to 100 is the winner.
Variation
You could draw three or four boxes and have a total of 1000 or 10 000.
First one to 30
Skills: place value, addition of numbers to 30
Year group: Y1-Y3
Players: 2
You will need three ten frames each (these can be made from egg boxes or just drawn on paper), thirty counters each (pebbles, bottle tops or seeds will do) and a place value chart each (see below). You will also need a dice, a set of 0-9 digit cards and some sheets of paper with ‘one group of ten’ written on.
Take turns to throw the dice, placing the correct number of objects in your first ten frame, which is in the ones column.
When a ten frame is full, it becomes one group of ten and is moved to the tens column. Another empty ten frame is then placed in the ones column, any remaining counters are put in it.
When you have moved a group of ten, you need to put a ‘one group of ten’ sheet on it, make the number with the digit cards and say what that number is. (See below)
The winner is the first one to collect three full ten frames. (30)
Dice wars
Players: 2- 5
Skills: Addition to 30/50/100 or subtraction within 30/50/100
Year group: Y3-6 (Y1 addition/subtraction within 30, Y2 addition/subtraction within 50))
You will need two dice and somewhere to write your scores.
Take turns to roll both dice and find the total. That is your score for that round.
The first one to 100 is the winner.
Variations
One dice could be used and the target could be smaller (30 or 50)
The game could be played using multiplication of the dice values.
The smaller value could be subtracted from the larger value.
Players could start with a score of 100 and subtract the total on the dice. The first one to 0 is the winner.
Shut the box
Players: 2-4
Year group: Y1-6
Skills: Addition facts within 10, rapid recall of number facts
You will need two dice, a set of 1-9 digit cards and somewhere to keep score.
The digit cards are placed in order in front of the player who is throwing the dice.
The player throws both dice and find the total. They can either turn over one card for the total or any combination of cards that makes the same total as the dice.
So, for example, if a player throws 2 and 5 (Total 7), the player can turn over 7, or 1 and 6, 2 and 5, 3 and 4.
The player throws the dice again and repeats the process until they cannot turn over any cards on that turn. (For example, if they throw 3 and 1 but 1,3 and 4 are already turned over.)
Their score is the total of the cards that are still face-up.
The cards are all turned face-up again and it is the next player’s turn.
The player with the lowest score after an agreed number of rounds is the winner.
However… if any player manages to turn over all the cards during their turn, they are declared the automatic winner – no other scores count!
Stop or keep going? (addition)
Players: 2- 5
Skills: addition to 100
Year group: Y2-Y6
You will need two dice and somewhere to keep score.
Take turns to throw both dice, find the total and write it down.
You need to decide whether to keep that score and pass the dice to the next player or to roll again, and again, and again and keep adding on to your score…BUT…
If a 1 is thrown, all the score from that players turn is lost and the player’s go finishes. Any score from previous turns is kept.
If a double 6 is thrown, the player’s whole score from the entire game is lost.
The first one to 100 wins.
Stop or keep going? (subtraction)
Skills: Subtraction within 100
As above, but start off with 100 and subtract the total on the dice each go.
Tug of War (adapted from NRICH activity found at: nrich.maths.org/5897/index)
Players: 2
Skills: addition and subtraction on a number line/positive and negative numbers
Year Group: Y5/6
You will need a ruler, one small counter (a seed or small pebble would do) and two dice.
One player is called ‘Plus’, the other is called ‘Minus’.
Place the seed or pebble on 15 on the ruler.
Take turns to throw both dice and find the total.
When it is their turn, ‘Plus’ moves the seed or pebble that number of places up the ruler towards 30, when it their turn, ‘Minus’ moves it down the ruler that number of places towards 0. The player who gets the seed or pebble to their end of the ruler is the winner.
Variations
Instead of adding the two dice, the smaller number could be subtracted from the larger number.
Instead of using a ruler, a number line with positive and negative numbers from -15 to 15 could be used, with the seed beginning at 0. The player to get the seed to their end of the number line is the winner.
Cover up
Players: 2- 5
Skills: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers within 25.
Year group: Y3-Y6
You will need ten counters each and somewhere to write your number grid.
You will need two dice between you.
Write any twelve numbers between 2 and 25 on your 3x4 grid.
Take turns to throw the two dice. You can add, subtract, multiply or divide the numbers on the dice to make a number on your grid.
If you can make a number on your grid, cover it with one of your 10 counters. If you cannot make a number, your counter goes in a ‘used’ container.
The winner is the player who has the most numbers on their grid covered after every player has had ten goes (and used all their counters).
Counter collection
Players: 2-4
Skills: multiplication (to 6 x 6)
Year group: Y4/5
You will need two dice each (4 dice for two players, 6 for three players etc)
You will need ten counters altogether.
All players throw their dice at the same time.
They multiply the numbers on their dice and announce the product.
The player with the largest product takes a counter.
The winner is the player with the most counters.
Remainders
Players: 2- 5
Skills: division (remainders)
Year group: Y3-Y6
Players will need a dice and a bag full of very small objects such as beads or seeds.
When it is their turn, players pick a handful of objects from the bag, then throw the dice.
They have to divide the number of objects by the number on the dice.
Any objects that are left over after they have been divided equally (the remainder) are counted and recorded as that player’s score.
The player with the highest score after an agreed number of rounds is the winner.
Fractions factions
Players: Up to 5
Skills: equivalent fractions, ordering of fractions
Players take turns to roll two dice. They use the scores to make a fraction; the smallest number goes on the top, the biggest in the bottom.
When all players have made their fraction, they compare them.
The winner is the player with the largest fraction.
Claim my square!
Players: 2
Skills: Multiplication, arrays, area, perimeter
Year group: Y4-Y6
You will need two dice, two different coloured pens/pencils and a sheet of squared paper between you.
Each of you needs to choose a colour.
Take turns to throw the dice, making a rectangular array on the squared using your colour.
Calculate the total number of squares you have claimed and write that in the rectangle you have made. For example, if you throw 3 and 5, you draw a rectangle 3 squares by 5 squares (15 squares).
The game ends when neither of you can find space on the paper to make your rectangle.
The winner is the player who has claimed the most squares.
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