Math War: 6 Math Card Games for Kids

I've admitted this before but math doesn't come easily for the Lil Divas. They struggle with it. It is an area we really have to focus on and practice so that they keep up. 

With that in mind, this mama is always trying to come up with easy ways to keep them engaged and learning while having some fun. After all, if it's fun they actually want to do it more than once!

This is one of our favorite Math Card Games - Math War. 

It's easy to play, can be used to review different math concepts and all you need to play is a deck of cards. Do not use the face cards except for the Ace which = 1 and divide cards evenly amongst players. 

Here are the various ways we use our deck of cards to play Math War: 

Addition War - Each player turns over 1 card at a time and races to find the sum of the 2 cards drawn. The first person to correctly identify the sum keeps the cards in their "win" pile. Player with most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

Subtraction War - Each player turns over 1 card at a time and races to find the difference by subtracting the smallest number from the largest number drawn. First person to identify the correct difference keeps the cards in their "win" pile. Player with most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

Multiplication War - Each player turns over 1 card at a time and multiplies the 2 cards drawn. First person to identify the correct product keeps the cards in their "win" pile. Player with most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

Which is Greater? - Turn over 2 cards and identify the numbers. Player with the largest number drawn keeps the cards in their "win" pile. Player with most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

Greater Than or Less Than - Turn over 2 cards and compare the numbers. First player to identify the correct number comparison (i.e. 10 is greater than 3,   2 is less than 5) keeps the cards in their "win" pile. Player with most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

Make 10 - Each player turns over 2 cards at a time. Count/add the cards to see who came closest to 10. First person to come closest to 10 wins both card piles (if cards go over lowest number wins, i.e. 11 is closer than 10 than 15). Player with most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

What I love most about these games (besides the fact that the girls are practicing math and having so much fun playing they barely notice it's actually math review - gasp!) is that they can be played just about anywhere. Keep a deck of cards in the car or in your bag and the learning can take place anywhere you find yourself with a few minutes to play - the car, a restaurant, a waiting room, etc. 

This post is part of our Get Ready for K Through Play Series. 

This week we are focusing on the topic of Math Readiness. For more math games you can check out my post from last year Fostering Kindergarten Math Skills thru Play and these posts by my series co-hosts this week:

Kindergarten Active Math Games

(Coffee Cups and Crayons)

(Here Come the Girls)

Outdoor Math Activities for Kids

(Mamasmiles)

Bubbling Addition

(Mess for Less)

(Rainy Day Mum)

5 LEGO Math Activities

(The Pleasantest Thing)

(Toddler Approved)

For even more ideas feel free to peruse my Math Fun Pinterest Board and the Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board.

Have fun playing Math War!

Bern

Math Facts Leaf Matching Game

My girls are great readers but they struggle with math. It's something I really have to spend extra time on with them. After a long day at school followed by homework they are not too keen about putting in even more time working on math. How do I counteract that? Games! Yes, by now they know mom is trying to be sneaky and teach them math but they get sucked in anyway because they enjoy playing games, especially if it's also being done as some one-on-one time with me.

Today, I am going to share a simple Math Facts Matching Game that I used last year with the Oldest Diva and am using again this year with the Littlest Diva now that she's in First Grade. Having basic math facts memorized really helps with later problem solving, especially as they move towards double and triple digit numbers and of course multiplication and division.

Materials: 

Leaves Cut-Outs (I had some from our local Teacher Store but you can easily make any shape you like from card stock)

Wooden Clothespins

Permanent Marker

Prep:

Write targeted math facts on the leaf cut-outs. For this particular game we focused on doubles, doubles plus one and ten facts.

Write the answers to all the math fact problems on the clothespins.

How to Play:

Turn all leaves face down on the floor or table. We like to play on the floor for extra room. 

Child turns over one leaf at a time, reads the math fact problem and matches it by clipping on the clothespin with the correct answer.  

Child continues playing until all leaves and clothespins have been matched. 

They can play independently and you can "check" when they are done. I like to do it this way because if they are left with clothespins that don't match up towards the end, they know they did something wrong along the way and have to go back and check their work (extra practice!).

It's a very simple but fun way to practice math facts. I store it all in a ziplock bag. It takes up little room and we have gotten 2 years of practice from it from 2 girls!

Looking for other math game ideas? 

Check out some of our other related posts -

10 Fun & Hands-on Math Games for Kids

15+ Ways to Foster Math Skills Through Play

and be sure to stop by our Math Fun Pinterest Board!

It's chock full of fun math ideas from all around the web.

How do you practice math facts with your children or students? Please share by commenting below. I'm always looking for more interactive math ideas.

Have fun practicing those math facts!

Bern

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience. I do make a small commission on any items purchased from my links. Thank you for your support.

Fostering Kindergarten Math Skills Through Play {Get Ready for K Through Play}

Children grow so much in Kindergarten - physically, socially, emotionally and academically. Over the last few weeks I've shared tips and ideas to help foster a child's language, independence and social & emotional skills. This week our focus is on helping children develop their math skills through play.

Many children struggle with mathematical concepts. Making math hands-on and fun means that it is more meaningful for children and they will be more likely to develop positive attitudes towards math. Upon entering Kindergarten children should have a basic understanding of certain mathematical concepts including number recognition, counting including the ability to count on (that's a BIG one because it is the foundation for addition/problem solving), one-to-one correspondence, patterning, sorting, an understanding of size, colors and shapes.

Number Concepts -  Understanding basic number concepts are a big part of early kindergarten math. If you think about it counting is the foundation of problem solving and numeric operations like addition and subtraction. A big deal, I know and yet so many parents don't think about it this way. Teaching you child to count to 10 or 20 is great but it shouldn't end there. I am going to share a few tips to improve crucial number concepts for kindergarten and simple ways to do it at home with your kids.

Number Recognition - Your child should have a solid grasp of number recognition - 1-10 is a must but 1-20 is the ideal. There are so many fun ways to help your child with this. Here are a few of my favorites -

Water Balloon Number Target Practice -

Go Fishing for Numbers - 

Play Musical Numbers -

Go on a Number Hunt

One-to-One Correspondence - Having the ability to understand one-to-one correspondence is very important.  The best way to do this is to get hands-on and use fun manipulatives - toys, snack food, erasers, stickers, etc. Here a few fun items I have used both at home and in the classroom -

Counting Mats -

Candy Counting -

Muffin Tin Counting

Goldfish Counting -

Counting On - Mix up your counting and make it fun. Counting on is a concept that can be initially difficult for many children. Don't always start with the number 1. Start from different numbers and count on with your child. Encourage counting down or backwards too. These are going to be crucial counting skills to build during kindergarten so getting a head start will only benefit your child.

Patterning - The ability to recognize and make patterns is an integral part of kindergarten math. There are so many fun ways to get some practice in at home. Use anything you have handy - erasers, stickers, small toys or manipulatives, snack foods, seasonal items, etc. Using concrete items is ideal because it's easier for children to visualize patterns if they can touch them, see them and manipulate them first. This will set a solid foundation for pattering that will carry over into illustrations they will see in math texts and even standardized tests.

Goldfish Patterning -

Leaf Patterns

Sticker Patterning

Shape & Color Recognition - This sounds basic but you'd be surprised by how many children mix up their shapes and colors or even forget a few in the beginning of kindergarten. Why? It's something many parents focus on early on and then move on and do not revisit. When concepts are not reviewed they are easy to forget if they weren't fully mastered. So before your child starts school spend some time reviewing these basics and ensure they have them mastered. It can be easy and fun. Here are some ideas that will get your child moving, thinking and even creating with shapes and colors -

Go on a Color or Shape Hunt

Build, Stamp & Lace Shapes (and lots more ideas!)

Sorting - The ability to sort by size, shape, color, etc is another skill that kindergarteners spend a great deal of time on. Give your child a head start by setting up some simple sorting activities at home. Pull out some if their favorite toys and sort them by size or type of toy. Supply your child with stickers of animals and people and let him/her put them into the 2 categories.

Sort by Shape 

Gummy Bear Sorting (by Color) and Graphing 

I hope you find some of these activities useful as you prepare your child for kindergarten. My #1 tip - Remember to have FUN! If things get frustrating, take a break. We want to help our children develop a positive attitude towards math. We can't do that when they (or YOU!) are upset. Keep it light, keep it on their level, make it hands-on and playful and they will more often than not rise to the occasion.  

For more fun and hands-on math ideas check out all of our Math Fun and our Math Pinterest Board.

Thank you to My Cute Graphics for the use of the superhero kids graphic.

This post is part 4 of an 8 week series being hosted on 6 blogs to help kids Get Ready for K Through Play! In previous weeks we discussed -

Developing Kindergarten Language Skills

Top 5 Social Skills for Kindergarten Readiness

Independence Skills

For even more Math Skill Building ideas 

check out these awesome posts shared by my series co-hosts:

Snack Time Math Practice 

(by Coffee Cups and Crayons)

3 Playful Ways to Learn Math
(by Mama Smiles)

Post-It Math Games 

(by Mess for Less)

Pool Time Math Fun

 (by Toddler Approved)

Number Prints 
(by Rainy Day Mum)

and be sure to follow our Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board for lots of awesome Kindergarten Readiness resources, ideas and activities. 

Have fun getting ready for K!

Bern

Math Activities for Kids - The Sunday Showcase 5/12/13

The Sunday Showcase  
featuring..... 

Math Activities 
for Kids!

This week I have some awesome math activities
to share with you -

4 Ways to Teach Toddlers Shapes (Shining Like Sunshine)

Grocery Store Math (The Measured Mom)
Math Underwater (3 Dinosaurs)
Water Bead Math (Little Moments)

DIY Cube Puzzles (Stay at Home Educator)

What fun math related activities have you done lately?

Please share in the comments below.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

If you're looking for even more inspiration check out our

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Math Activities from 

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas:

This week I shared 10 AMAZING Math Games & Activities for kids

that are working on mastering/memorizing basic facts.

Even More Math ideas from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas -

Water Balloon Number Target Practice
Jump to 100
Fishing for Numbers
Monster Math
Hands-On Early Math Skills Activities
Clothes Pin Spider Leg Counting
Preschool Shape Recognition Activities
Planting a Numbers Garden
Musical Numbers Game

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<a href="http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/"><img border="0"src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprF8IjC0dTiFiH618BgolG0r9NI3Ge6zX_thLmfI72KoHLyurLJBIhKq6yP8y_KQsBWUR7Ur-T2OBIeiRFf1-QUbF_12X0M9-Iq1UfjYfkfYtHROSyFvTec9fvJfOc5oyiskZw8bGFkc/s1600/sundayshowcase.jpg" /></a>

The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FIVE blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

The Iowa Farmer's Wife
Train Up a Child

Each blog showcases their own features

 (from the previous week's linky) 

so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit 

some of the other links & our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  If you prefer not to be featured simply comment below or e-mail me to let us know.

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Now, it's your turn -

link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

10 Fun and Hands-on Math Games for Kids

One of the best ways for kids to learn basic math facts is by repetition. I remember learning my math facts the old fashioned way - flash cards. Ah, those flashcard drills are still very vivid in my mind but not for a good reason. I hated them! I found it boring and it turned me off of math. You may be surprised to know that I was not a math aficionado growing up. I only started enjoying math when I began teaching it. Why? I was determined to make it fun. I vowed not to rely solely on flash card drills for mastery. I wanted to get my students excited about math, a subject that far too many (like me) fear and dread.

This year has been all about memorizing those basic math facts for my first grader. It was a struggle for her.  Sadly, she takes after her mama.  So making it hands-on and fun was a MUST in our house or she would simply shut down on me. I was determined to help her and I wanted it to be FUN. I do not want her to grow up hating math, like I did.

Today, I am excited to share some AMAZING math games from some awesome bloggers around the web. These games are Lil Diva approved:

One of our "go to" math games is Add It Up (from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas) Mixing in some beach ball fun to practice math facts means lots of gross motor movement and fun.

This Make Ten Math Card Game (from What Do We Do All Day) was a new one to us this week & I am beyond pleased that Erica shared it with me because it was an instant hit for my 1st Grade Diva! I love that it practices both addition and subtraction (sometimes at the same time) and really gets kids thinking mathematically. It's a definite must try if you have kids working on mastering those basic facts.

One more awesome math card game from What Do We Do All Day - Tens Go Fish. This is such a fun way to practice what addends make 10. he kids will have those math facts mastered in no time.

This Math Tunnel Game (from Mummy, Mummy, MUM!) is FUN! It's great for kids of all ages which makes it great for family game time. The Littles can work on number recognition, big kids can practice math facts and older kids can even work on multiplication. So many uses, so little time.....

 Here's a really fun Snap +1 Card Game (from Pauline of Lessons Learnt Journal via Kids Activities Blog). This is great for practicing "counting on" from any given number which is crucial to have mastered when learning how to add and subtract.

Subtraction is difficult for many children to master. Here's a fun Subtraction Card Game (from Learning Ideas Grads K-8)

Here's another one we enjoyed from Learning Ideas Grads K-8 an Addition Concentration Game that practices doubles. 

Another fun way to practice those math facts & sneak in some fine motor practice using clothes pins - Clip in the Blanks (from Allie of No Time for Flashcards). We do this all the time with our math facts. There's something about clipping those clothes pins that keeps it interesting and fun.

Take math practice outside with this fun Gross Motor Addition Game (from Train Up a Child).

If you want to use flashcards, do it in a fun way. Trust me, drilling card after card gets boring fast. Try this Math Fact Passport Activity (from Megan of Coffee Cups and Crayons). It's interactive and fun.

These activities and games are not only fun but they will surely have your child mastering their math facts in no time at all. 

For additional math ideas follow my Math Fun Pinterest Board - lots of amazing ideas pinned in one neat, tidy place for you!

Have fun playing & learning together!

Bern