Top 5 Maths Games for Elementary School Students

Mathematics is the study of numbers and logic. It helps to quantify and explain abstract ideas with the help of logic. One of the most revolutionary physicists of all time, Albert Einstein says, “Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas”.

Though mathematics is an important subject when it comes to its application in other sciences such as physics and chemistry, we have to admit that young kids do find it difficult or feel it is boring (due to a lack of understanding). Boredom is the primary reason that leads to challenges associated with learning maths in kids.

So how can parents, teachers and trainers turn these challenges into achievements? The solution is simple - make learning fun, interesting and generate passion for the subject. Games and interactive sessions are the best ways to make learning fun. They help to remember concepts and memorise patterns. Games have a way of making kids quick and sharp.

Let’s look at some fun games that can help kids learn maths while enjoying the process of learning.

Step Or Swirl

This is a simple game to learn basic multiplication and addition with the help of movements and dance. The aim of the Step or Swirl is to get the children engaged while learning. This helps to learn the basic and complicated things in a fun environment. You can play this game in a classroom full of students or at home or with friends. All you need is a pen and paper. Music is optional.

This game will not only help the kids to learn maths but also help them socialise and learn together.

How To Play:

• Write the numbers 1-9 on a card

• Use the different colour cards to make symbols of multiplication and addition (for example, if you write numbers in white colour, make symbols in any orange colour

• Put all the numbers together in a bowl or a box and symbols in another bowl

• Ask 2 students to take two cards for numbers

• Now, perform addition and multiplication between two numbers as the symbol suggests and ask the two students who picked numbers to enact the result in movement

• For example, if the numbers are 9 and 3 and the symbol is of addition, the student will enact the result 12. One child has to make one move and the other kid has to make two moves, it makes 12 together.

• It could be any movement, like taking a swirl, or moving left or right

• Music will add some rhythm and interest in the game

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MA-BINGO!

MA-BINGO or maths bingo is an interesting game to learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in a competitive environment. It will help kids to develop speed while solving the question. Teachers or parents can keep the prize for the fastest kids to help them try harder at performing their best.

How To Play:

• Draw a bingo sheet on a piece of paper

• Add answers to the questions in the sheet

• Make sure you have sheets for every student and answers are scattered throughout

• Write down the questions in another sheet

• For example, questions could be anything like 9+8, 7x7, 66/11 or 66-13 and answers will be mentioned in the bingo sheet

• The one who will conduct the MA-BINGO will read out the questions at set intervals and the participating students will have to strike the answer out

• The one who strikes off the fastest will win the game

Prime Climb

Prime climb is a board game that children will love. It is a hybrid of Snakes & Ladders and Ludo. It helps children learn addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and prime numbers in a fun and competitive way.

How To Play

• Basically Prime Climb is a race on a board between 2 to 4 payers

• Each player has to move their two pieces to the centre of the board known as 101 by rolling dice

• Unlike other games where the player has to move by adding the values of dice, in Prime Climb, the player can choose to add, subtract, multiply or divide the numbers on the dice to move back and forth

• If one player lands on the same position as the other player, he/she can ask them to ‘bump, meaning, move back to the starting position

• If you land on a prime number, you get the bonus card benefit

• Game is easily available online for purchase

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Khan Academy Kids (App)

Khan Academy for Kids is an award-winning app that promotes learning maths and other important skills with the help of games and stories. It is for the age group 2-7. This is a free app and you can download it on your phone/iPad and start quickly. Not only maths, but kids can also learn reading, writing, phonics and other skills on Khan Academy Kids App. It is an interactive app that tries to set a story around kids making it an interesting and enjoyable experience for learning.

How To Start:

• Install ‘Khan Academy Kids’ app (141 MB size, it would hardly take a minute or two)

• Allow app permissions

• Signup with your email and verify from your email id

• Add the player name, age and select your avatar (there are whopping 36 options to choose from)

• There’s a really soft background music playing while you use the app, there’s an option on the right side to switch it off

• You can begin playing right way by pressing the play button on screen or click on the ‘Library’ option on the top left and choose ‘Math’

• You will be presented with different options depending on your age and grade. You can change the grade.

Prodigy Math: Kids Game (App)

Prodigy Math is an app-based game available for phones and tablets (Android and iPhone) that helps children learn maths skills with the help of interactive quests, epic battles and exotic pets. More than 50 million students and over a million teachers use this game. Success in this game depends on answering the questions correctly. Prodigy Math app promotes game-based learning and is free to download (there are some in-app purchases, but most of the information is free).

How To Start:

• Download the app from the app store (12.9 MB, hardly takes a minute or two to download)

• Sign up with your email address. Choose between student/teacher or parent

• As a student, you get two game modes: Home or School. Choose ‘Home’

• Select Math after that. Select your country, and class and built your character by using various style options offered to you

• Choose your world from the six options: Astrallum, Beachfront, Frozone, Coalshrike, Fireplace and Archnia

• You’re ready to start

The games mentioned above are a mix of movement, board, and online games. Online games are single-player games whereas board and movement games are two or multiplayer games. We hope that your learning experience becomes interesting and joyful and Maths is a subject your kid learns to love!