Math war games are definitely a family favorite. From matching activity for the youngest learners to multiplication activities for the oldest, these games are both fun and educational. But if you are bored playing with plain cards, we are here to help! Today, discover 4 awesome math war games and colorful, totally free cards to download and print at home. The download link is at the bottom. Let’s get started!
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Supplementary materials for learning and reviewing math:
- Classic wooden counting beads
- Legos
- Learn the money board game
- Colorful cubes (a better alternative for very young students than legos)
- Balancing monkey game
Math War Game 1: Memory Match
This activity is best for youngest learners. Print out two sets of cards on nice stock paper and laminate them. Next, shuffle each deck. Turn the cards blank side up and sort them into rows, keeping the decks separated. Uncover a card from the first deck, then try to guess where the matching card from the second deck is located. If you didn’t guess correctly, turn both cards back over to the blank side and try to remember their locations. Proceed to the next card, and if you guess correctly leave both of the correct cards turned over. With very young learners, you might want to start with just a few cards and build up as they grow.
Here is a helpful youtube video that explains how to play memory match.
Math War Game 2: Learn The Numbers
After your little one has mastered the Memory Match Game, its time to learn the numbers. This game works great if you cards with small objects, such as Legos. Take out the card with the number 1 written on it. Find one lego and place it next to the card. Next, take out the card with number 2 written on it. Find 2 legos and place them next to the card. Finally, ask your little one if they can do the same – explaining that the symbol “1” stands for two things. The symbol “2” stands for two things. Keep going until your student has mastered numbers up to 20.
This game also works great with wooden counting beads.
Math War Game 3: Practice Addition
Print out and laminate one deck of cards for each student. Ask the students to sit in a circle. The first student takes out any random card and places it in front of them, number side up. The next student takes out any random card and places it next to the first. Students add up the two numbers on the cards in their head, and the first student to get the correct number wins both cards and ads them to his or her pile. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
Math Game 4: Practice Multiplication
Print out and laminate one deck from 0 to 10 for each student. Students sit in a circle, and the first student takes out a random card. They place it on a table, number side up. The next student takes out a random card and places it next to the first card. The first student to say the correct sum gets to keep both cards.
Math Game 5 (Bonus): Match By Shape
This game only works with my free matching cards. Ask your students to find matches by shape but not by color. Many shapes repeat twice, and it will be a challenge for many younger students to find matching shapes. To make the game more challenging, use two or more decks.
