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Habits and wellbeing

Math Games at Home: 13 Screen-Free Games for Ages 5–10

Screen-free math games for kids aged 5–10 with cards, dice, coins and the kitchen, sorted by age, plus what research says about board games.

  • Ages 5–10
  • K–4th grade
  • 11 min read

Quick answer

The best math games at home use things you already have: a deck of cards, two dice, coins, a kitchen scale or a board game with numbered squares. Choose games in which your child says numbers aloud, counts on and compares amounts. In US studies, preschoolers from low-income families improved their number skills after just four 15-minute sessions of a simple 1–10 number board game.

Key takeaways

  • Board games with numbered squares in a straight line, such as Chutes and Ladders, help children learn how big numbers are compared with each other.
  • Have your child say each number aloud and count on from their square (“6, 7, 8”), not from 1. That is where the learning happens.
  • Cards, dice, coins and the kitchen cover every skill from counting to times tables. Keep games short and stop while they’re still fun.
  • Games are a great extra, not a replacement for school: they help most when they add number play a child would not otherwise get.

Do math games really help? What the research says

Yes, and the best evidence is for simple number board games. Psychologists Robert Siegler and Geetha Ramani used a simple game called The Great Race: ten squares in a row, numbered 1 to 10. US preschoolers from low-income families moved a token 1 or 2 squares at a time and said each number as they went (“5, 6”). After four 15-minute sessions, the gap in number estimation between them and peers from better-off families disappeared. Children who played the same game with colored squares did not improve.

  • The gains were broad and lasted. About an hour of play in total improved comparing numbers, placing numbers on a number line, counting and recognizing numerals, and the gains were still there 9 weeks later (Ramani and Siegler, 2008).
  • A straight line beats a circle. The same game on a circular board did less for children’s sense of how big numbers are (Siegler and Ramani, 2009).
  • Counting on matters. Kindergartners who counted on from their square (“5, 6, 7”) on a 0–100 board learned considerably more than those who counted “1, 2, 3” as they moved (Laski and Siegler, 2014).
  • Home play goes with number knowledge. Preschoolers who had played more number board games at home tended to know more about numbers (Ramani and Siegler, 2008).

Teacher guidance agrees. England’s Education Endowment Foundation says board games with “linearly arranged, consecutively numbered, and equal-sized spaces” may be particularly helpful because children practice counting on, and gives Snakes and Ladders as an example. A 2013 US Department of Education practice guide also recommends games for practicing math skills, while rating that evidence as minimal.

Tip Keep expectations realistic

Games are not magic. In a 2024 UK trial with 4- and 5-year-olds already in school, eight sessions of a game in which children put number cards in order on a line added nothing beyond normal classroom teaching. Treat games as a fun extra that adds number play, not a replacement for school.

How do I get the most out of a math game?

  1. Say the numbers. Read every number aloud as you move, count or turn a card. In the studies above, naming numbers rather than colors made the difference.
  2. Count on, not from 1. If your token is on 6 and you roll a 3, say “7, 8, 9”.
  3. Ask one question per turn, not ten. “How many more to get to 20?” is plenty.
  4. Let your child be the banker or scorekeeper. Handing out coins and adding up points is real math with a purpose.
  5. Start easy, then step up. Begin with one die and small numbers; add a second die or bigger numbers when it gets easy.
  6. Stop while it’s fun. Ten minutes your child wants to repeat beats forty minutes they put up with.

Tip Start tonight

Draw ten squares in a row, number them 1 to 10 and grab two buttons and a coin: heads, move 1; tails, move 2. That is a home version of The Great Race, ready in two minutes.

Math games for ages 5–6 (kindergarten)

At this age, games should build counting, recognizing small amounts at a glance and comparing numbers up to 10, then 20. For more on bigger and smaller, see comparing numbers.

The Great Race (homemade number board)

Ages
4–6
Time
10 min
You need
Paper, a pen, two buttons, one coin
  1. Draw 10 equal squares in a straight row, number them 1 to 10 from left to right, and add a Start square.
  2. Take turns flipping the coin: heads, move 1 square; tails, move 2. Say each number you pass: “5, 6.”
  3. First to 10 wins a point. Play best of three, then try a board from 1 to 20.

Snakes and Ladders, the learning way

Ages
5–7
Time
15 min
You need
A Snakes and Ladders (Chutes and Ladders) board, one die
  1. Before moving, ask “Where will you land?” Your child counts on from their square, then moves to check.
  2. Say the number of every square you land on.
  3. Older children: on a snake or ladder, work out how far you moved. From 4 up to 14 is 10 squares.

How Many Are Hiding?

Ages
4–6
Time
5 min
You need
5 to 10 small objects (buttons, pasta, coins) and a cup
  1. Count out a set together, for example 7 buttons.
  2. Your child closes their eyes while you hide some under the cup.
  3. They count what is left and work out how many are hiding: “4 are left, so 3 are hiding.”
  4. Swap roles. Keep the same total for a few rounds so the number bonds sink in.

Card War: Who Has More?

Ages
5–7
Time
10 min
You need
A deck of cards with the picture cards removed (ace = 1)
  1. Deal all the cards face down between two players.
  2. Both turn over a card. The bigger number wins both cards, and your child says why: “8 is more than 5.”
  3. Same number? Say “equal” and turn over another card each.
  4. Harder: turn over two cards each and add them. The bigger total wins.

Math games for ages 6–8 (1st–2nd grade)

Now games can practice number bonds, adding and subtracting within 20, place value and money. For the strategies behind them, see our guide to mental math.

Make 10 Go Fish

Ages
6–7
Time
10 min
You need
A deck of cards, ace to 10 (picture cards removed)
  1. Deal 5 cards each and spread the rest face down as the pond.
  2. Put down any pair that makes 10, such as 3 and 7. A 10 can go down on its own.
  3. On your turn, ask for the card you need: “Do you have a 4?” for your 6. If not, “Go fish”: take a card from the pond.
  4. When the cards run out, the player with the most pairs wins.

Shut the Box (paper version)

Ages
6–9
Time
15 min
You need
Paper, a pen, two dice
  1. Write the numbers 1 to 9 in a row.
  2. Roll both dice and add them. Cross out numbers that make that total: for 8, cross out 8, or 5 and 3, or 6 and 2, or 1, 3 and 4.
  3. Keep rolling until you cannot make the total with the numbers left.
  4. Add up the numbers you could not cross out. Lowest score wins, so think before you cross out.

Coin Shop

Ages
6–8
Time
15 min
You need
Toys or snacks, sticky notes, a handful of real coins
  1. Price each item on a sticky note: 5¢ to 50¢ for younger children, up to $1 later.
  2. Your child is the shopkeeper. Buy two things and ask, “How much is that altogether?”
  3. Pay with more than the total so they work out the change: “It’s 35¢, here’s 50¢.” That’s 15¢ change.
  4. Swap roles: you run the shop and your child pays with exact coins.

Kitchen Scale Guess

Ages
6–9
Time
10 min
You need
A kitchen scale and 4–5 household items
  1. Pick up two items. Which is heavier? Your child guesses by feel, then checks on the scale.
  2. Guess the weight of one item in grams or ounces, then weigh it. Whose guess was closer?
  3. Line up all the items from lightest to heaviest and read the numbers aloud.

License Plate Sums

Ages
6–9
Time
10 min
You need
Nothing but the plates you pass (passengers play, the driver listens)
  1. Pick a plate and add up its digits: 4, 7 and 2 make 13.
  2. Look for pairs that make 10 first: with 3, 8 and 7, do 3 + 7 = 10, then add 8 to make 18.
  3. Highest total in the next minute wins, or hunt for a plate whose digits make exactly 20.

Math games for ages 8–10 (3rd–4th grade)

Older children are ready for multiplication, bigger numbers, estimating and planning ahead. Pair these with our times tables guide.

Multiplication War

Ages
8–10
Time
10 min
You need
A deck of cards with the picture cards removed (ace = 1)
  1. Each player turns over two cards and multiplies them: 6 and 7 make 42.
  2. The bigger product wins all four cards.
  3. Stuck on a fact? Build it from one you know: 6 × 7 = 6 × 6 + 6 = 42.

Target Number

Ages
8–10
Time
10 min
You need
Cards from ace to 10, paper and a pencil
  1. Turn over two cards to make a target: a 2 and a 4 make 24.
  2. Turn over four more cards, for example 6, 5, 3 and 2.
  3. Everyone uses each card once, with any of +, −, × and ÷, to get as close to the target as they can.
  4. Explain your working out loud: 6 × 5 = 30, 3 × 2 = 6, 30 − 6 = 24. Closest wins the round.

Grocery Store Estimate

Ages
8–10
Time
10 min
You need
Your next grocery trip
  1. Your child keeps a running total by rounding each price to the nearest dollar: $2.89 is about $3.
  2. Before checkout, everyone says their estimate of the total.
  3. Compare with the receipt. The closest estimate picks the music on the way home.

Recipe Doubler

Ages
8–10
Time
20 min
You need
A simple recipe, measuring cups and spoons
  1. Pick a recipe, such as pancakes, and decide to make double or half.
  2. Your child rewrites the amounts: 1½ cups of flour doubled is 3 cups; 2 eggs halved is 1 egg.
  3. Measure together and ask: “How many half cups make 1½ cups?” (3).

Which game practices which skill?

Pick a game by the skill your child is working on
SkillGames
Counting and number senseThe Great Race, Snakes and Ladders
Number bonds to 10How Many Are Hiding?, Make 10 Go Fish
Comparing numbersCard War
Adding and subtractingShut the Box, License Plate Sums, Coin Shop
Money and changeCoin Shop
MultiplicationMultiplication War
All four operationsTarget Number
Estimating and roundingGrocery Store Estimate, Kitchen Scale Guess
Measuring and fractionsKitchen Scale Guess, Recipe Doubler

Games work best alongside everyday math talk, such as counting stairs or comparing prices; see how to teach math at home.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

  • Correcting every move. Fix: let small slips go and ask one good question per turn.
  • Always letting your child win. Fix: play fair most of the time. Dice and card games give young children a real chance of winning anyway.
  • Playing too long. Fix: build in a natural end, such as “first to 10” or “until the cards run out”.
  • Choosing games that are too hard. Fix: if your child gets frustrated, go back to smaller numbers or one die.
  • Turning the game into a worksheet. Fix: if you ask more questions than your child plays, stop asking.

Frequently asked questions

What are good math games for 5-year-olds?

Games with numbers up to 10: a homemade 1–10 race board, Snakes and Ladders, How Many Are Hiding? and Card War. Have your child say each number aloud as they play.

Do board games really improve math skills?

Studies with preschoolers found that number board games with squares in a straight line improved counting, numeral recognition, comparing numbers and number line estimation, and the gains lasted at least 9 weeks. They are an extra to school, not a replacement.

How long should we play math games?

Ten to fifteen minutes is enough for most children aged 5 to 10. In the best-known board game studies, preschoolers played in sessions of about 15 minutes.

What math games can we play in the car?

Try license plate sums, counting in 2s, 5s or 10s together, or “I’m thinking of a number” with yes-or-no clues such as “Is it bigger than 50?”. None of them need any equipment.

My child gets upset when they lose. What can I do?

Choose games with lots of luck, keep rounds short, and sometimes play as a team against an imaginary player. Show calm losing yourself: say “Oh well, next time” and start another round.

Sources

Written by the Matobur team at Edict Digital and checked against these sources:

  1. Playing linear numerical board games promotes low-income children's numerical development (Siegler & Ramani, 2008) (opens in a new tab)Developmental Science, via PubMed
  2. Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income children's numerical knowledge through playing number board games (Ramani & Siegler, 2008) (opens in a new tab)Child Development, via PubMed
  3. Playing linear number board games, but not circular ones, improves low-income preschoolers' numerical understanding (Siegler & Ramani, 2009) (opens in a new tab)Journal of Educational Psychology, via ERIC (IES)
  4. Learning from number board games: you learn what you encode (Laski & Siegler, 2014) (opens in a new tab)Developmental Psychology, via PubMed
  5. No evidence that playing a linear number board game improves numerical skills beyond teaching as usual: a randomized controlled trial in 4- to 5-year-old primary school children (James-Brabham, Jay & Sella, 2024) (opens in a new tab)Journal of Educational Psychology, via ERIC (IES)
  6. Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1: guidance report (2020) (opens in a new tab)Education Endowment Foundation, via the Digital Education Resource Archive (UCL)
  7. Teaching Math to Young Children: practice guide (Frye et al., 2013) (opens in a new tab)What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education