The word “math” can make many kids groan. They do not have the motivation to do yet another math worksheet or take another timed quiz. But what is one word every kid loves? Games! Whether you want to help solidify number knowledge or review some skills you have recently taught, one simple deck of cards can be used to play the 30 math card games provided below to get your students engaged in and excited about math!
1. 21 Card Game
Adults may recognize this game by its name Blackjack. But whatever you want to call it, it is a great way for kids to practice their addition and critical thinking skills at the same time as they try to get as close to 21 without going over.
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2. Eleven
In this game, you always have nine cards in play. You try to make pairs that equal 11. Once you make a pair, remove those two cards and replace them with two more from your deck. Kids will become addition wizards in no time with this game!
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3. Builder’s Paradise
Builder’s Paradise is a competitive game that focuses on the math skills of counting and sequencing. Starting with a row of 7s in the middle, players take turns placing cards in sequential order–if you have an 8 in your hand, you would place it above the 7, and so on and so forth. The person to get rid of all of their cards first wins.
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4. Close Call
Another game that practices addition skills, this game would be best suited for 2nd grade or 3rd grade students, though you could alter it so that it would work for younger or older children. In groups of two, students are given 6 cards each. The goal is to pick four cards that when added together come as close to 100 as possible without going over.
Learn More: Math Geek Mama
5. Addition to 100
If you are looking for simple math card games that practice addition skills, look no further! Begin with a deck of cards stacked in the middle. Each player draws a card and adds it to their total. The first person to get to exactly 100 wins (or whoever is closest). Just don’t go over 100!
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6. Pyramid
In this game, players try to find pairs of cards that add up to 10. Only the cards that are not covered by other cards are in play, so to begin, only the bottom 6 cards are in play. This is a great solo or partner game.
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7. Once Through the Deck
This card game is great for practicing multiplication and addition, but it could be used to practice division and subtraction–which are a little more difficult. This game allows you to focus on one math fact. For example, in the video, she focuses on the number 6, and every time she flips a card over, she multiplies it by 6. Get through the deck as fast as you can!
Learn More: Laura Vaccaro
8. Plus One, Minus One
This is a very simple math game. As players flip cards, they either add one or subtract one number from the number on the card. Every equation they get correct, they get to keep that card. Add a twist and for every red card they minus one, and for every black card they add one!
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9. Fan Tan
Deal out all of the cards in the deck. The player with the 7 of diamonds lays down their card first. Then the next person plays a card off of that or plays another 7. If a player cannot make a move, they must pass their turn. Whoever gets rid of all of their cards first, wins!
Learn More: Denise Gaskins
10. Gain and Loss
In this game, every player starts with 15 points. Each player flips a card over and either adds or subtracts it to their total. If the card is black, they add the value. If it is red, they subtract. The player with the highest score after 20 rounds, wins! You can practice a variety of skills with this game by having students multiply or divide instead of adding and subtracting.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
11. War
The great thing about War is that you can practice many skills by playing countless games using different rules! Need to practice addition? Play addition War! Multiplication? Multiplication War! The possibilities are endless! The attached link gives you directions on how to play all of the different variations.
Learn More: Denise Gaskins
12. Counting On
In addition to a deck of cards, you will also need a die for this game. This is a great one to add to your simple games folder. One player rolls the die and flips over a card. If the card was a 7 and the number on the die was a 6, they start counting from 7 until they have reached the number 6 numbers higher.
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13. Thirty One
This is a two-player game that uses the cards ace through six in a deck. Line the cards up as shown above. The first person picks a card, says its value, and flips it over. The next person picks a card, adds its value to the last card, and flips it over. Play continues until someone is either able to add up to 31 exactly or forces the next player to go over.
Learn More: Denise Gaskins
14. Turnover
This is the ideal game to practice multiplication skills! Start with two equal piles of cards. Flip one card over in each pile and multiply them together. It’s that simple! This is a great early finisher activity that students can do on their own, too.
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15. Make Ten
Give each player five cards. With those five cards, they have to make as many equations as they can that add up to ten. Play continues until all cards from the deck have been used, and the player that was able to use the most cards to make equations wins!
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16. Total of Ten
Yet another game that focuses on making sums of 10 is this fun single-player game. Lay out 20 cards and try to make sums of ten with the cards shown. Remove as many cards as you can!
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17. Hit Me
This addition and subtraction game is a fun, engaging one in which players try to get as close to the number zero by the end of the game as possible. They are given one card (face down) and can say “hit me” up to seven times to get more cards. Black numbers are added to their totals and red cards are subtracted.
Learn More: Denise Gaskins
18. Make a Buck
Want to get a little more decimal practice in with your 5th grade students (or extra practice with grades 6 or 7)? Play this fun game where cards are assigned cent values!
Learn More: Math Geek Mama
19. Triple Digit Dare
The premise of this game is simple: make the largest three-digit number you can based on the three cards you are dealt. The winner is the person who is able to collect the most cards by making the largest numbers.
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20. Card Bingo
This is a great game for kids to practice number recognition. As their numbers are called, they flip them over. The first person to have all of their cards flipped over wins.
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21. Prime Number Challenge
Recently covered prime numbers and want to review? Use this fun card game to test students’ knowledge!
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22. I Spy
This is a game that can be adapted easily for different age groups. Young kids? “I spy an 8” would be appropriate. Older? “I spy two cards that multiplied together equal 40.”
Learn More: Susan Jones Teaching
23. My Closest Neighbor
Looking for a way to practice fractions? Play this game! In it, students try to make fractions using two cards that are as close to the target number given as possible.
Learn More: Denise Gaskins
24. Twenty-Four
This is a game for older students. Given four cards, they use the order of operations to get a sum that is as close to 24 as possible!
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25. Spiral
A great way to practice multiplication facts is with the game Spiral. Students roll dice to move their game pieces around the spiral card pile, and whatever number they land on, they must multiply by the number they rolled on the dice.
Learn More: Math Geek Mama
26. Rounding to Ten
Practice the skill of rounding with this easy game. Each student is given two cards and whoever’s sum rounds close to ten wins!
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27. Target Number
Similar to game 24, students use the order of operations and five cards laid face up to get as close to the target number as possible.
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28. Race to Pi
Looking for a game to play on Pi Day? Play this game where students race to make the number Pi by using all of the cards in their hands!
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29. Mind Reader
The attached resource has TONS of games to play with your students! On pages 27-28 you will find different ways to play Mind Reader (using addition or multiplication). Students will have to work together to figure out the cards they are holding.
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30. Beat the Teacher
Practice play values using this fun game where students try to beat the teacher by having the highest number at the end of the game!
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