Many of you have asked for for suggestion for games you can play with your child at home. The following list of games are some of our favorites.
Math Games
Totality
This is an absolutely fun game for two players. This game is designed as part of the NRICH project at University of Cambridge. You can view the details here.
Consecutive Numbers
This is another game that you can play with your child. Simply write down 4 consecutive numbers and than add, subtract, multiply, divide with those numbers until you have exhausted all possibilities. This game has been designed as part of NRICH project at University of Cambridge. You can view the details here.
Math Match Card Game
We love this game. This is a great game to play at home with your child. You can download the printabale game cards and rules here.
You can also buy a Math Match Card Game commercially. We like Scholastic Math Card Game,
Dice Games
This is a simpler version of Math Match Card Game you can easily play at home. Simply roll two dice and add, subtract or multiply the numbers depending on your kids level. You can make it more fun by adding a third dice.
Math Jeopardy
We love Math Jeopardy. It is best played in groups, and some tutors like to play it once in a while. It can be tuned to the level of your child. Our implementation is a Java program. We are working on making it available online. However, there are many free Math Jeopardy games on the internet.
Math Bingo
We play this game in the last class of the session. It has been a universal hit with kids. You can play this game at home. We find it most effective to play in a large group. Please search internet for ‘Math Bingo’.
Non-Math Games
Following are some other non-math games, that our tutors play upon their discretion and time.
We usually do not recommend any prizes for winning to avoid making it competitive. We suggest things like Hi Fives, Shouting Hurray, etc. If you do want to give prizes, keep it fun, silly or both. At the end make sure you share the prizes with all. For example, if you give them candy, at the end give it all the kids.
Guess the Penny
This is a game for motivating kids to complete their work. For every completed math page (or two), the tutor hides a penny in one hand while the student guesses which hand holds it. If guessed correctly, tutor gives the student a high five! The penny can also be replaced with other object such as eraser, etc.
Hangman
Write down # of letters in a word (for example “Brick” would be written as _ _ _ _ _) and have kids guess the letters in a word. For every incorrect letter, add a part of the man or hanging apparatus. If the man is complete, then the kids have lost (can get as detailed with the man as wanted). If the kids complete the word before the man is complete, then they win! Time to play: 5-10 minutes
Guess the Fingers Behind the back
Tutor use their hands to hold a number, then stand against a wall (so the kids cannot see what the number is). Let the children guess one by one what the number is. Winning kid gets a choice of High-Five, Fist Bump, or Double Fist Bump! Time to play: 5-10 minutes
Find who was chosen
All kids must have their eyes closed and heads on the table (to ensure no cheating). Tutor then chooses a student at random by either tapping their back or head (be as silent as possible here). Then when the tutor is finished, sit back in your seat and allow the children to look up. The child who is tapped should not tell the other students they were tapped. Only the tutor and child knows that they were touched. Then have all of the students guess the person tapped. If the students guess the wrong person, at the very end, they lose, however, if the students expel the correct person, the tutor loses. Ending reveals the child that was tapped. Time to play: 5-10 minutes
I spy
Tutor chooses a word (preferably an object within the room) and has the kids, one by one, guess what that word could be. Time to play: 5-10 minutes
Choose a song
Tutor thinks of a song and has the kids guess what it could be. Use songs that young children have likely heard of. The kids must guess the song. Hints given at tutor’s discretion. Time to play: 5-10 minutes
2 Truths, 1 Lie
Tutor gives two pieces of information that are true and one piece of information that is false. The students must guess which fact is false. If the students guess correctly, they win! Time to play: 5-10 Minutes
Wordle
Tutor displays the daily NYT wordle to the students. Students are permitted to guess 5 letter words that may fit the puzzle. As letters light up, students must try to figure out the word of the day. Tutor may assist students as some words are a bit more difficult for younger children. Students all decide on the starting word and the second word, but after the 2nd word, any student must try to accurately guess the word as a free for all. Time to play: 5-7 minutes
Headbands
Students tape a notecard to each of their heads. The students go in a circle trying to ask a question about what the word on their head is. The other students must give confirming yeses and nos. Go around in a circle with one question per student. The first one to answer correctly will win a prize. Time to play: 10-15 minutes
Chess.com Daily Puzzle
There is a daily chess puzzle on chess.com. If your students know how to play chess and how the pieces move, this will be a fun challenge to see how to mate the king. Time to play: Depends on skill level
Pictionary
The tutor thinks of a word and then has to draw an associating picture that can help the students answer what the word is. Whoever guesses correctly will win the prize. Or have a tournament with whoever guesses the most will win the prize. Time to play: 5-15 minutes