Are you looking for great games to help your upper elementary students keep their math skills sharp? Maybe you just need some awesome games for indoor recess that also reinforce a math lesson! Here are 7 board games that will help practice some of those mathematical skills. These are great for grades 3, 4, and 5!
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1. Monopoly
Ah, Monopoly, is a classic game that has caused many family arguments. Monopoly allows students to practice their math skills in a few ways. The first way is to help them with financial literacy. Monopoly is all about money! Students will have to be able to manage their money, collect from other players, budget what properties they can afford, and always collect the $200 when they pass go! Want an extra challenge for them? Make sure your student is the banker to get the
most benefit mathematically!
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3xjcwze
2. Pay Day
This is another great game to practice financial literacy skills. Students will get a job, have outstanding bills, and even take out loans! It not only gives students practice with money and making change, but also they must practice percentages when they take out a loan. Just like in real life, a loan comes with a 20% interest rate! As I stated before, make the student who might want the extra math practice the banker!
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3ytaP2q
3. Yahtzee
Yahtzee is a great game for students with multiple skill levels or a family with multiple-aged students. Yahtzee is great for teaching basic math skills like subitizing (looking at dice and knowing what number it is showing), but also can be used to teach more difficult skills like finding the probability of rolling a full house. Adding the dice together is also a great way to practice addition fluency in a fun way.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3ylBttG
4. Scrabble
While many people might not automatically think of Scrabble as a “math game”, it is actually wonderful for students to practice basic addition, multiplication, and estimation skills! In the entire game of Scrabble, you are trying to get the highest amount of points possible. That means that you are constantly adding letters together in your head and multiplying them when you hit those strategic “double letter” or “double word” spaces. You continue to do that over and over again to find the highest possible point word! Does anyone want an extra challenge? Have a student be the scorekeeper. They will have to practice their standard addition algorithm to see who is in the lead!
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3AupFr9
5. The Game of Life
Just like the games mentioned above, this is a great game to practice financial literacy and some basic addition/subtraction fluency. The point of the game is to be the wealthiest player at the end of the board, so it helps teach students about earnings, living expenses, and debt. Students love this game because of the unexpected things that can happen! The latest version allows students to acquire pets, which was always a crowd-pleaser in my 4th-grade classroom!
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3hGn4BE
6. Blokus
Blokus is a great game to help students practice area and perimeter. Basically, it is a board game version of Tetris where they try to fit all their pieces onto the board. It gives students a chance to think about area as squares, as well as why certain pieces might fit better even if they occupy the same amount of space.
Find it here:https://amzn.to/3AsSF2q
What are your favorite games to practice math? Did I miss any that you love for your classroom or to play with your family? Games are a great way to practice math while having a fun time!
