How To Make Math Board Games That Kids Will Love

If you’ve ever thought about making math fun for your kids, you might have wondered how to make math board games. In our opinion, board games are arguably some of the best math games for kids because they’re unbelievably fun – so much so that kids will likely forget they’re learning while they play!

But how do you make your own board game? Luckily, it doesn’t have to be super complicated. In this guide, we’ll give you some instructions and tips for fun math games that you can make yourself at home. And why limit yourself to board games? While we love them, they’re just one option – other great math games for kids exist out there too! So don’t worry – we have some awesome suggestions for other games as well. Let’s get started!

How to make math board games
Essentially, you have two options here: either you can create your own math game online or you can focus on turning some common household games into math games.

So many fantastic resources exist online – for example, avanti.org.uk have a free printable board game planner, which lays out clear guidelines for creating a fun board game of your own design. The great thing about this planner is that it’s also simple enough to be completed with or by your child themselves. If you (and your child) are the creative type, why not take a shot at using your imagination and seeing what you end up with?

If you want to create your own math game project but don’t have the resources at hand, there are also some great options for boardgame-making kits, which can be purchased online at a reasonable price: check out teacherspayteachers for some ideas. Of course, you don’t need to buy something like this to make math games for your kids, but it’s good to be aware of the options out there.

So, now that we’ve covered the online resources available, let’s answer the real question: How do you make a math game yourself?

1. Board game race
This is perhaps the most simple but effective way to teach kids math at home – as well as chance! The basic rules are:

• Draw out your board. This is the fun part for the artistic among us. Simply choose your surface and draw numerous boxes, making clear the direction from start to finish.
  But wait – who said this has to be a board game in the traditional sense? You can play this game either on a piece of blank paper, on the sidewalk (using chalk), or on a whiteboard – the sky’s the limit! Once your board has been drawn and decorated (let your talents show!), it’s time for the next step.
• Collect your players and assign everyone a unique counter or playing piece. You can use random household items for this if you want, like old corks and trinkets, or playing pieces from other games. If playing outside on the sidewalk, you might need something larger in size, like different shoes.
• Take turns rolling the dice. Use one or two dice depending on your child’s age and ability. The aim of the game is to be the first player to reach the finish line.

Make sure you let your child count out their moves themselves, as this is the part that helps with their math! Also, you can teach them about the concept of chance, if that’s something they’re ready for.

2. Bingo
Bingo is another of our favorite math games for kids. You can easily make bingo cards for kids of all ages – simply adjust the difficulty of the numbers depending on your kid’s age and ability. Then, take turns calling out the numbers, and getting your child to cross off the numbers that they hear.

Because of this game’s simplicity, it’s an especially good choice for younger children, who are still getting accustomed to how numbers are written.

3. Uno
How do you turn Uno into a math game? There’s no need to do anything – Uno is a math game at its core! After all, the rules of Uno revolve around the recognition of numbers and colors (as we all know from the dreaded “Draw 4” card).

Of course, you can add additional steps to your Uno game if you want to enhance the mathematical aspect of it, such as asking your kids to add up certain cards at different stages. But, overall, Uno is a great math game as it provides a fun and exciting way to get your child accustomed to recognizing numbers.

4. Snakes and Ladders
Snakes and Ladders makes for a great math game. Either make your own board or use one that you have lying around at home – most households have a Snakes and Ladders game! Designing and making one yourself can be super fun, as it allows you to personalize the game as you wish. As opposed to a board game race, the goal is not only to reach the end of the board but to avoid as many of those pesky snakes on the way. If your child grows bored (pardon the pun!) of the simplicity of a board game race, Snakes and Ladders may be a more exciting option.

There you have it: how to make math board games for your kids. As you can see, making a math board game doesn’t need to be difficult, and there’s a huge range of options and resources out there. Have fun!

 

Featured image by Chris Liverani on Unsplash