Math Board Games Your Kids Will Love (But Won't Realize They're Practicing Math)

My child’s not a fan of math. Drives me crazy. Our battles when it came time to practice were frustrating for both of us. I thought there has to be a better way. What about math board games?? While homemade flash cards and doing math problems are an important tool for getting young kids more familiar with math, keeping it fun (and not frustrating) is also critical. Some offline, old-fashioned ways to test those math skills in a less in-your-face way can be a great tool.

Edit: After further discussion with the kiddos, I got a request to add a few more games to the list. We didn’t want to stop at unlucky #13, so check out the bottom of the post for a few more kid-driven suggestions. Are we missing any more?? Please let us know!

Why math board games can be a great learning tool

Feel free to jump down to our featured list below if you’re in a hurry. Otherwise, I’d like to first review why math board games are so helpful. What do we mean exactly by math board games??

We’re talking old school, pull the box off the shelf, everyone gather round kind of games. This might turn out to be a radical departure for the kiddos who are steeped in technology. No joke – one of my kids thought it was a requirement to have an iPhone with a calculator to play Monopoly. They’re cute aren’t they? 🙂

Nevertheless, similar to our other experiments, the best way to learn is by doing and getting those hands wet. Below, some of the reasons why we think board games can be a great option for working on those math and logic skills — both critical in STEM fields.

Math board games: Keep it fun

It’s pretty simple. Associating math with something that is boring, “unfun” and a big old pain sets kids up to hold a negative view on math and reinforces it. While you don’t have to make every day a party, finding activities that are fun, get them excited and still help them practice are perfect! Get kids into a positive mindset about math, and you’ll instantly be starting at a better place. Keeping it fun by playing a math game (versus doing practice problems or testing) also keeps the environment a little more easy going. Using board games offers a lower pressure situation for kids to practice (unless you have some pretty fierce Monopoly battles, which I totally understand).

Math board games: Make it applied

How many times have you worked with your kids on some basic math facts, and things are going well, then the word problems pop up. Putting those facts into practice can be daunting. Don’t get me wrong! Doing math problems on a tablet or a sheet of paper are important. Kids have to be fluent in the basics before moving ahead to more complicated topics. If the foundation is weak, that leads to frustration down the road. However, math in the real world isn’t always presented as a detailed, one-step problem. Some math problems require deeper examination, thought and logic. That is EXACTLY what math-focused board games can teach kids. Using our monopoly example, learning about spending money and making change, etc. – these are all great concepts to put into practice. Also relevant, putting it into practice helps kids interested in learning programming skills.

Math board games: Learn together, grow together

Growing up, we spent a lot of time outdoors and at a family cabin that had no TV. Since this was obviously pre-cell phone days, games were a great way to pass the time. While learning together doesn’t necessarily mean your kids will get better at math, play time together creates great memories and laughs. Who doesn’t like that?!

It goes beyond building memories too – having fun, racking up some math games wins also builds up confidence. If your child currently avoids math, not really a fan of it, think about it from their perspective and that they may simply avoid math because they lack confidence. Anything you can do to promote a happier, pleasant environment the better.

Math board games: Use multisensory approaches

We caught a great post on Understood.org describing multisensory techniques in teaching math. What does that mean? Go beyond seeing what they see on a screen to learn math. Use other senses (e.g. touch, sight, hear) to learn. Writing on paper makes it a bit easier to recall facts versus doing problems on the screen. Singing songs about math, coming up with funny sayings, counting coins – these are all ways that multisensory approaches help kids learn. So, if you can pair a fun board game with math practice, you might just be doing more good than you realize!

Our Favorite Math Board Games

Hopefully we’ve convinced you taking a fun approach to math is the way to go… using math board games just makes sense. So…without further ado, let’s run through the list of our favorite math board games! We describe ~~eleven~~ fifteen different games in terms of how they’re played, the specific math skills emphasized and why we like the game.

You’ll note the list spans a range of ages – some for younger kids, others better suited for older kids. While we also include some card games, I think you’ll see the math/strategy rationale for including them in the list.

Zingo 1-2-3 Number Bingo

At the top of the list (#1) comes from ThinkFun – Zingo 1-2-3 Number Bingo. I’m a BIG fan of the ThinkFun game line. Simply put, they make easy to grasp educational toys for kids that are just really fun. Focusing on the bingo version here, this game aims at a younger crowd (preschool-1st/2nd grade-ish). If you’re unfamiliar with the hallmark red Zingo card slider (see the picture), the kids use it to slide out tiles/yellow cards with numbers.

Zingo! From ThinkFun
Age group: For ages 4+
How the game works: Players have a bingo card and draw tiles from the red Zingo box. Two types of cards — counting, addition — offer multiple challenges.
Math skills addressed: counting, simple addition, number sense, word recognition, fine motor skills
Why we like it: The kids really enjoy this one and so do I! The kids ASK to play Zingo (not the other way around) and we take that as a great sign! They love the racing/competition against each other, the red slider and the tiles. This isn’t to say that we don’t have some heated matches. However, another great benefit of playing Zingo! We added a few “non-math” skills to the list of math skills being addressed, but this clearly shows Zingo brings a lot to the game table. Games move quick, keeping kids on their toes. The multiple levels of cards also helps include players of different ages/skills. One way we’ve adapted our Zingo game is by building out additional cards. For example, if you have someone working on subtraction, create new math problems on your own sheets. The Zingo tiles go up to 12, so you can also do some small scale multiplication problems. When the kids ask you to play your 231st Zingo game with them… trust me! You won’t be rolling your eyes.

Mancala

Mancala makes the list at #2 and while it is hundreds of years old many people seem less familiar with this one. Our view – worth a look! Check out this great post from The Spruce Crafts site with a little more history on the game.

Age group: 5+
How the game works: Mancala is a two-player game – the goal is to get the most stones in your tray at the end of the game (see the video below). Players start with the same number of stones in “cups” on a board. Going counter-clockwise, the goal is to move the stones by picking up all the stones in a single cup and depositing one stone in each of the cups to the right. Players take turns moving the stones around the board, but stones that land in the end “cups” remain in place. The board in the picture at the right is similar to one we got. Mancala boards range in cost and quality. Keep in mind a basic one is just fine. Nothing special is needed.
Math skills addressed: Counting, strategy, fine motor skill, simple addition
Why we like it: This is another classic, and feels like one that gets overlooked. Our Mancala board uses little glass stones that the kids love (aka “jewels”). It feels like a “special” game to them because of the pieces. The fine motor skills piece of Mancala (grabbing, placing stones) is great for younger kids who need some work on building that muscle memory. This is a simple game to grasp… but also one that can incorporate more strategy. The strategy piece can be better picked up by older kids. However, Mancala introduces them to good counting and addition opportunities.

Monopoly

File this under an oldie but goodie! Any stroll through a toy store, Walmart or Target reveals about 300 versions of the game. While purists will long for the traditional thimble and horsey, some of the newer Monopoly versions improve the relevance to kids.

Age group: depends on the version
How the game works: Again, depends a little on the Monopoly version (and your personal “house” rules) but concepts/goals remain the same. Players take turns moving around the board, purchasing properties. At the end, the player with the most money wins.
Math skills addressed: money, adding/subtracting, counting, strategy
Why we like it: While Monopoly overall targets older kids, this classic math board game covers a lot of ground and can keep kids engaged. Not included in the skills section, but also like that it introduces kids to winning/losing and achievements/setbacks. An important life lesson! One variation we impose to keep the kids focused – time limits. By giving a set finish time, kids make different moves and strategize differently.

Edit: As I cruised through the aisles of Walmart one Saturday night, I stumbled across a Fortnite Monopoly game. While I’m not necessarily a Fortnite fan, this one may/may not be a draw for some of your kiddos.

Cribbage

Rainy days at the cabin, $0.01 a point matches, lots of laughter – that’s what I remember most about playing cribbage as a kid. Also burned into my brain is how to add to 15 really well! 🙂 Part math board game, part card game – cribbage makes our list at #4.

Age group: kids that understand basic addition (1st/2nd grade) and up
How the game works: Cribbage uses a standard deck of cards and a pegboard to keep track of scoring. For each round, players are dealt a hand of six cards. To begin, two cards are selected to be put into a “crib”. Players score points from the cards in their hands and in the crib. The game continues until one player makes it around the board. Like I said – part board, part card but overall one of the great math board games!
Math skills addressed: basic numerical operations (adding, counting by fives, combinatorial math), number recognition, strategy
Why we like it: Putting our own rosy memories aside, we think this is a great game for kids to play and work on building those math skills. Cribbage combines multiple math skills at once, and players can work on strategy too — which pair should I keep? Should I put this in the crib? What if I hold on to that card? The fund and competition in cribbage games make it one of the best math board games in our view. With our own kiddos, this game has been a great tool. And of course, a fun way to keep the tradition going.

Sequence Numbers

Sequence takes our #5 spot in the math board games list. While we focused our review here on the numbers version of Sequence, it’s worth taking a look at the original version of Sequence as well. Like many of the other games, one of the neat things you can do is make your own cards to expand the reach/study focus area. Kids need to work on multiplication tables? Make some new cards that will fit. Mixed operations? Sure! Go for it!

Age group: 7+
How the game works: The goal of the game is to get a SEQUENCE (five in a row). To get chips on the board, kids need to answer math questions on cards.
Math skills addressed: strategy, number operations (addition/subtraction), pattern matching
Why we like it: Sequence is another one of those games that makes the kids think about strategy, patterns and tackle a few different math areas at once. Also a bonus, the game accommodates either a few players or bigger teams. Lastly, Sequence helps kids reinforce those math facts. Since we’re working on building math skills that’s probably a big one!

Uno

Who among us hasn’t gotten down to just that one last card, yelled Uno!, only to have your brother or sister hit you with the dreaded wild card… Your uno dreams go down in flames. Ok – maybe a little too dramatic. 🙂 However, I do love watching the kids not only get excited but build some critical math skills.

Age group: 5+
How the game works: Kids are dealt a hand of cards – players try to discard by matching to the face card that’s up. Matches are made by color or number. Beware, certain wild cards/special cards in the deck can skip players turns, change colors or have opponents pick up extra cards.
Math skills addressed: pattern recognition, counting, strategy
Why we like it: First, it’s easy to grasp. With a little help, we’ve had kids as young as 5 playing the game. While older kids delve more into strategic nuances, it’s great for teaching younger kids as well.

Connect Four

There’s no school like the old school and that’s where Connect Four comes in. At #7 on the math board games list, we felt obligated to include this one for the younger kiddos.

Age group: 5+
How the game works: Drop the colored checkers in the grid. Players taking turns trying to align a run of four discs of the same color, which can go in multiple directions (diagonal, horizontal or vertical).
Math skills addressed: counting, color matching, strategy
Why we like it: This is one the kids like pulling out once in awhile with heated matches among our younger kiddos. Perhaps overlooked this is really a fantastic way to teach kids critical math skills.

Yahtzee!

To be honest, the #8 spot almost didn’t go to Yahtzee. It wasn’t until a trip to Dave and Buster’s with the kiddos reminded me of this oldie but goodie. After scoring 1000s of D&B points on one of the kiddos game cards, they HAD to know how I did it – what is that game?? Yahtzee of course. I got lucky with full house and Yahtzee rolls.

Age group: 6+
How the game works: Players take turns rolling the dice and try to get points by matching various combinations. Highest points wins the game.
Math skills addressed: counting, strategy, fine motor skills, numerical operations, pattern matching
Why we like it: This one will test multiple math skills which is perfect. The pattern recognition aspects of the game, along with the strategy really help kids get those logic wheels turning. Should I play the three of a kind? Or maybe I should try to get a full house? Yahtzee definitely fits in to a good rainy day afternoon math practice session.

Sumoku

Rounding out the #9 spot – sumoku. Never heard of sumoku? Not seeing how it fits as a math game for kids? Think crossword meets sudoku. Sumoku puzzles use number tiles to create math patterns. While we fill in more details below on the game itself, we think this one is worth a look if you are trying to mix it up. A picture is worth a 1000 words, so this video should also help explain how Sumoku is played.

Age group: 9+
How the game works: Sumoku from Blue Orange Games offers five variations.
Math skills addressed: number operations, patterns, strategy
Why we like it: One, it’s a different game. Second, I love that this game makes kids really flex those math muscles. Finally, we like the flexibility of sumoku – numerous variations get incorporated in the game list giving kids some more options as they play together or solo.

Reversi/Othello

For our #10 selection, you might say — huh? This one is far less mainstream, but a great strategy game for kids to tackle that helps them sharpen those observational skills that are oh so critical for STEM activities.

Age group: 8+
How the game works: The game starts with four discs on the board two black, two white. Players attempt to get the most colored discs on the board. To add discs to the game, players have to “sandwich” or flank discs of the other color in between. For example, if my discs are black, I have to add a black disc to the board where there is a white disc in between. When I do this, the white disc in between is flipped and becomes black. The game goes back and forth between players until the board is full or there are no more moves.
Math skills addressed: counting, logic, strategy, combinations
Why we like it: Reversi reminds us of checkers to an extent. It’s easy to learn. Although, the strategy can get more complicated as kids advance. Games move fast, which is also a plus. Lastly, this is definitely a game that offers a different framework for kids.

Qwirkle

Last but not least, we finish with Qwirkle which is just fun to say. Qwirkle makes the list because it’s easy to grasp for a broad range of students, allowing hands-on active learning. However, it’s also there because it’s fun.

Age group: 6+
How the game works: Every player gets six tiles and the goal is to combine the tiles into a line of six. Players get points for finishing the lines.
Math skills addressed: pattern, matching, strategy, counting
Why we like it: Qwirkle fits in well for a family activity or group of kids. This kind of reminds us of uno, but in tile/square format.

BONUS: Extra Kid-Recommended Math Board Games

After further review, the kiddos told me great job… BUT, you missed a few. While the spirit of this post was really not to find the most fun board games, but rather board games that help teach math skills, the kiddos said I’m too strict on my definitions. Since I DEFINITELY want to encourage having fun, they asked for a few more to be added and had to put them on the list. Consider this a bonus! We started at eleven math board games but we always try to overdeliver at Stemium!

The Game of Life — or just Life

This could have easily made the cut given its similarities to Monopoly. So, hat tip to the kiddos for sharing this one! If you’re not familiar with Life, the game starts off as you’re ready to go to school or enter the workforce. Beyond picking a job, you might get married, have kids, and end up in a mansion. You never know how life might end up! The updated version is definitely… updated. If you’ve played it in the past, some aspects of the game will be different. I’m personally more of a Monopoly fan, but this might be along the lines of a cat vs. dog argument with no winners (unless, you’re a dog person then you totally win).

Age group: 8+
How the game works: The players use a spinner to advance their car along a life path. As you go, you collect paydays, pay bills, work and retire. The object of the game is to finish first with the most money.
Math skills addressed: counting, money, strategy
Why we the kids like it: Beyond the spinner, the kids love the different career choices, which is encouraging. Counting and keeping track of money also another plus. The kids enjoy playing this with friends so definitely a good group game (little less fun with just two players).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Monopoly

I won’t do a full in-depth assessment here, since Monopoly is already on the list. However, in the interest of keeping the kiddos happy, I was asked to explicitly break this one out. As we mentioned, Monopoly “flavors” have really broadened out. TMNT… Fortnite… Basically, if you have a kid that has a specific interest, try searching for that plus Monopoly and you’ll be in luck.

Chess

Who knew math board games could be so controversial?! Admittedly, omitting chess was probably a big flub on my part as pointed out by one of my kids. This is definitely one of the most classic strategy games known to man. The board we have shown here is very similar to the one we currently use at home. Again, chess is truly a game where a high end board isn’t necessary. If a nicer one draws in the kiddos, that’s certainly a plus.

Age group: 6+ (this will obviously be very child-dependent)
How the game works: Each player starts with a range of 16 different pieces – one player is white, the other black. The goal of the game is to move the pieces (each piece has specific types of moves) to capture the other player’s king (checkmate). Chess.com has a great overview here for more details and to get started.
Math skills addressed: Can chess make your child better at math? There’s actually a mix of opinions out there like this paper that showed no difference in math skills for chess and non-chess players. So what skills are addressed? Well, definitely logic and problem solving. Working through potential solutions is very similar to designing algorithms and coding. Also pattern recognition and spotting different setups.
Why we the kids like it: Our kids are a bit split on chess. The ones that have a longer attention span enjoy it more which isn’t surprising. Kids that enjoy strategy, problem solving games will likely enjoy chess.

Qwixx

Last but not least, there’s also Qwixx. This one is somewhat similar to Yahtzee! in that it’s a dice game. Players try to get different combinations on their scorecards. The trick is that the dice rolls are community rolls — meaning it’s more interactive than Yahtzee (and can be a bit more complicated). The video below is great for walking through how it all works and suggest you favorite that one for future reference so when you come back to Qwixx you can easily refresh.

Age group: 8+ (ours were younger but pretty solid on addition skills at the time)
How the game works: Players take turns rolling the dice and try to come up with different combinations to cross off on their score cards. As combinations fill up, certain colors become “locked”. The goal is to finish with the highest score (see the video below for a great visual walk through of the game).
Math skills addressed: adding, strategy, patterns, logic
Why we the kids like it: This is a fast paced one, but a fun one. If you like Yahtzee, you will like Qwixx. One suggestion we borrowed from others — the dry erase cards can get messed up the more you play with them. We saw others laminating a few of the paper cards. Additional packs of paper cards can be purchased, so just know you have a few routes to go if you run into the same problem.

Conclusion: Math board games are the way to go (to sneak in math practice)

Each kid learns in different ways. This is the only one true lesson I’ve learned in parenthood thus far. 🙂 So, if you are looking for an alternative approach to a) get your kids interested in math and b) getting them to enjoy practicing math, then we highly recommend finding a game-based approach to broaden out what they’re doing right now.

Our own child? The one who wasn’t a math fan? Well, things have gotten better. The games have helped ease some of the pressure off. Concentrating on multisensory approaches and really drilling into fundamentals also boosted confidence. As that’s grown, the math fears lessened.

Today is a great time in terms of finding different educational games for kids. With the rise of STEM popularity, options continue to expand. Our list covers ~~eleven~~ fifteen math board games, but there’s easily another fifteen that could be added. Tell us what we are missing or if you’re a die-hard cribbage/monopoly/Zingo fan let us know how it’s helped your kids build math confidence!

STEMMomma

STEMomma is a mother & former scientist/educator. She loves to find creative, fun ways to help engage kids in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). When she’s not busy in meetings or carpooling kids, she loves spending time with the family and dreaming up new experiments or games they can try in the backyard.

Math Board Games Your Kids Will Love (But Won’t Realize They’re Practicing Math)