Starting Math Game Routines
What’s Here
Whether you’re looking specifically for math games or just want a fun way for students to practice math facts, the ideas on this page will help you incorporate a math partner game time into even the most limited class schedule. You’ll see how to store and organize the games and introduce them to your class. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a link to the Math Games/Center Ideas page where you can find math game photos and printables.
How to Implement Math Games
What’s a math partner game?
This is an idea I’ve adapted from Math Tubs, which is a technique I picked up many years ago from a small locally-taught teacher workshop in Maryland called Games Galore. Essentially, Math Tubs are two-player games that reinforce math skills, especially basic fact practice and logical thinking. Typically, they are separate from center time because centers are independent activities while Math Tubs are multi-player games which encourage discussion and collaborative problem-solving. Because most teachers don’t have the storage space for tubs and keep them in smaller areas, I stopped referring to them as Math Tubs and adopted the term ‘math partner games’.
Why use math games?
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of kids coming to me and leaving me without knowing their math facts. Upper grade teachers complain that they can’t teach multiple digit multiplication and division because the kids don’t know their multiplication facts. Third grade teachers complain they can’t teach multiplication because the kids haven’t memorized addition and subtraction. Second grade teachers say the kids can’t add and subtract quickly because they didn’t get the foundation in first grade. First grade teachers say the kids came out of kindergarten barely reading numbers. And kindergarten teachers say that parents haven’t done enough at home to prepare their kids for school and make sure they’re ready to learn.
Let’s face it, most kids are not going to sit down and memorize math facts at home like we used to when we were in school. It’s got to be fun and relevant for them, and it has to be on a regular basis. So, I recommend spending 40-60 minutes per day on math concepts and problem solving and 5-15 minutes with the games to practice math facts. Once students are competent in basic operations, you can introduce other partner games for geometry, measurement, data analysis, and so on.
Additionally, math partner games are a great opportunity for the teacher to:
- take anecdotal notes;
- support students who are struggling (academically or socially, because you’ll have the time to help solve disputes and model social problem solving skills);
- challenge high-achievers who are easily bored;
- model logistical thinking and encourage discussion (connecting words and math is difficult for many students);
- assess children individually in a meaningful scenarios;
- provide regular math fact practice in a fun way kids will look forward to.
How do I find time for math games?
There are many ways to incorporate Math Tubs into your schedule. One year, I did them each Friday afternoon for about 25 minutes. In other years, students used them daily for 10-15 minutes. Many teachers have found that math tubs are a great way to break up long periods of direct instruction and guided practice. For several years, I taught standardized test prep practice and spiraling review practice with the kids for 20 minutes at the start of the math period, gave them 10 minutes for math tubs, and then launched into my math concept/skill lesson for the day. Having that ten minutes in the middle for a fun, hands-on partner game was the perfect way to clear students’ heads before instruction resumed.
How do I store and organize them?
The most durable and practical solution is plastic tubs (containers). These could be the small kind you find at the dollar store or larger like dishwashing tubs,, depending on the size of the materials that go inside. My first year using them, I simply had a milk crate full of plastic baggies. Inside each baggie was a 5×8 laminated index card with typed directions on it, and a few simple materials for playing the game. Later, I switched to a hanging shoe organizer because most of my games had small materials. The type of organizational system you choose should be based on the materials you have and the size/type of your math tubs. If you have lots of board games and larger materials, the shoe organizer won’t work (or could only be a part of your math tub area), but if you use only the games I have available to print on this site, you should be able to fit every inside small pockets with no problem.
How long do kids play the games?
Pairs of students work with one tub of math materials or one game per session until they’ve had a chance to use all of the materials/games. It’s best to do just one per day, and extend the time as long as possible (up to about 20 minutes). Students need lots of time to master the rules of the game so they can start really focusing on the math skills, determine patterns and strategies, and engage in higher-level thinking discussions.
How are kids paired up?
Math game partners are selected by the teacher and Students are generally paired homogeneously. This is important, because if you have heterogeneous pairs, the slower child will lose every game every time and get frustrated. We want all kids to enjoy playing the games, and that only happens if they all regularly experience success. It’s better to pair your low kids with other low kids during math partner games so they develop mastery—since your higher kids will be good to go, you can spend the majority of your time facilitating the game with your struggling kids. Having your highest-performing kids paried together will be extremely valuable for them because they can play quickly and enjoy being challenged in a way that they’re not during the average heterogeneous cooperative activity. In addition, do consider students’ personalities when pairing. I don’t like to pair kids who know each other too well because they’ll play around, but if they don’t like each other or are both very shy or competitive, there can be problems as well. Hand write or type up the pairs and display the list so students know who their partners are. Make changes as needed.
Are math games the same as math centers?
It depends on your definition. Most centers are independent activities, but increasingly as the educational pendulum swings once again, I’m noticing that centers have become more cooperative. If you’re looking for math centers that students complete in pairs or small groups, then the info on this page is perfect for you.
There IS one major difference between the partner game arrangement I describe here and what teachers usually think of in regard to centers. When your kids are in centers, typically they’re working on literacy tasks and you’re teaching a reading group. Since you’re teaching, it’s hard to tell whether the rest of the class is actually learning anything or have mastered the art of looking busy. During math partner games, you are not responsible for instruction, so you are free to facilitate and engage students in meaningful conversations about what they’re learning.
Can I use games I already have?
Yes! I have used lots of board games and pre-made materials that I had from my childhood or yard sales. This photo shows where I stored the math tub activities I was not currently using (in my Washington, D.C. third grade classroom). The green box holds games in plastic bags. The round plastic container (which used to hold kettle corn from the beach) contains miniature playing card sets from the dollar store that the students use to play whole class games of Battle. The Math Review box (which used to hold pasta in Wal-Mart- I took it and covered it in white paper) holds math bingo games and flashcards. Underneath are board games that were either designed to reinforce math skills, or contain altered rules I created to make them educational and appropriate for young children. (I also use Scrabble, Scrabble Junior, Go For Broke (no longer made), a version I made of Risk, and sometimes Monopoly. You can see Rack-O in the picture–that’s a cheap and wonderful game that provides number order/greater than/less than practice). On the bottom shelf is a big blue mat divided into squares- I’m not sure where it came from, but I use it as a Jeopardy board with clues written on sticky note. Random manipulatives are kept on the bottom, including dice, which are often used for whole class games, as well.
How do I introduce math games to my class?
Always play them as whole-class activities FIRST. Many Math Tub activities require only dice or playing cards, so if you get enough sets from the dollar store, you can have everyone play at once. This is a great way to introduce the games to the class and make sure they know how to play before beginning Math Tub rotations. All students should be familiar with the games BEFORE being allowed to play them independently during math tub time. This will probably take several weeks.
Introduce the games one at a time to your class. Model how to play using volunteers, then guide them through some practice plays. If you have enough sets to play whole-class, do that next. (Remember that each pair doesn’t need an entire deck of cards: you can split a deck between two pairs.) If you don’t have enough for everyone, then let some of your more, ahem, challenging students practice the game under your supervision while the rest of the class plays a game you do have the materials for. When you see a lot of kids making the same mistakes in play, stop the whole class and model again. For younger students I would spend two days modeling each game; older kids should be okay with one day of modeling and jump right into practice on the second day.
Play each game for a week as a class. After 5-6 weeks (when you have introduced 5 or 6 games), let the class practice playing different games at the same time. Be sure to have easy-to-understand written directions, and to tell students what they should do if they don’t know what to do next- should they raise their hands, figure it out with their partner, ask ‘three before me’, etc.? Once they are able to play a variety of games independently, you can begin rotating math tubs using your permanent partners and time frame. Introduce one more new game per week, perhaps a game that is relevant to the skill you are currently teaching, until the class knows how to play each game.
Click to view photos and free printable math games and centers on the Math Games/Center Ideas page!
Now What?
Visit the main Math page
Learn how to incorporate writing into math instruction on the Math Journals page
Check out more math games that can be used at school or home on the Math KITs page
Find more center materials on the Ideas for Free Centers page
Learn how to make Easy & Creative Centers
See how to arrange your materials and classroom on the Setting Up Centers and Stations page
