Playing Addition Top-it

This game is for 2 to 4 players. The game is played with a deck of number cards.

Directions
  1. Shuffle the deck and place it number-side down.
  2. Each player turns over 2 cards and calls out the sum of the numbers. Players should check each other’s sums.
  3. The player with the largest sum wins the round and takes all of the cards.
  4. In case of a tie for the largest sum, each tied player turns over 2 more cards and calls out the sum of the numbers. The player with the largest sum takes all of the cards from both plays.
  5. The game ends when not enough cards are left for each player to have another turn.
  6. The player with the most cards wins.

Playing Animal Weight Top-it

This game is for two players. To begin, players combine their decks of Animal Cards (from EDM), mix them and place them in a stack on a table, weight-side down.

Directions
  1. Player A turns over the two top cards from the stack. Player B turns over the next card from the top of the stack.
  2. Player A finds the total weight of the animals on his or her two cards and decides whether these two animals together weigh more or less than Player B’s animal.
  3. If they weigh more, Player A scores the difference between his or her total and Player B’s card. If they weigh less, Player B scores the difference between his or her card and Player A’s total. In case of a tie, neither player scores.
  4. Players then trade roles.
  5. The game is over when all cards from the stack have been played.

Playing the Attribute Train Game

This game can be played in a small group. It uses Attribute blocks and asks children to tell how the attributes of one block differ from the attributes of another block.

Directions
  1. The blocks are placed in the center of the playing surface.
  2. The first player takes a block and puts it down to start a train.
  3. The second player chooses a block that is different in only one way – in shape, size or color from the first block. The second player adds that block to the train.
  4. Players continue taking turns until no more blocks can be played.

Playing Base-10 Exchange

This game can be played in pairs or small groups. You will need base ten blocks (cubes and longs) and a die.

Directions
  1. Players take turns collecting base-10 blocks according to the roll of the die. See below for how many blocks correspond to each dice roll.
  2. Whenever possible, they exchange 10 cubes for 1 long.
  3. The first player to get 10 longs wins.

If you roll: / Then take:
1 / 1 long
2 / 2 longs
3 / 3 cubes
4 / 4 cubes
5 / 5 cubes
6 / 6 cubes

Playing Beat the Calculator

Divide children into two groups. Children in one group, the “Calculators” use their calculators to find the sum for a fact given by the “Caller”. They hold up the calculator showing the answer as they call it out.

Children in the other group, the “Brains”, do the problem in their heads, without a calculator, and say the answer as soon as they have it.

For beginners, an adult should be the “Caller”. Emphasize +0, +1, doubles facts and facts with sums of 10, but also include a few “hard” facts so that children with calculators also win. The eventual goal is to beat the calculator on all of the addition facts. Discuss that some problems can be solved more easily and quickly in one’s head than with a calculator.

Variation: Include problems that add 10 to single-digit numbers, or use subtraction as well as addition facts.

Playing Before and After

This game is for 2 players. Each partnership needs a deck of cards numbered 1-10 (4 of each card).

Directions
  1. Shuffle the cards.
  2. Deal 6 cards to each player.
  3. Put 2 cards number-side up on the table.
  4. Put the rest of the cards number-side down in a pile.
  5. Take turns. When it is your turn:
  • Look for any number in your hand that comes just before or just after one of the face up numbers. Put it on top of the number. Play as many cards as you can.
  • Take as many cards as you need from the deck so that you have 6 cards again.
  • If you can’t play any cards when it is your turn, take 2 cards from the deck. Place them number-side up on top of the two cards on the table. Try to play cards from your hand again. If you still can’t play, your turn is over.
  1. The game is over when:
  2. All cards have been taken from the deck.
  3. No one can play any more cards.
7. The player holding fewer cards wins.

Playing Coin Dice

This game is for 2 players. Each player needs their own bag of assorted coins (pennies, nickels, dimes). Two dice are also needed. To avoid hassles, children should not mix their coins with their partner’s coins!

Directions
  1. Partners take turns rolling two dice and picking up as many pennies as the total number on the two dice.
  2. Each player makes exchanges at the end of his or her turn – 5 pennies for 1 nickel, 2 nickels for 1 dime, or 10 pennies for 1 dime.
  3. To pick up the last coins, the total number on the two dice must match the total value on the remaining coins.

Variation 1:Play with only pennies and nickels – this version is known as the Penny-Nickel Exchange Game.

Variation 2:Add quarters to the mix – known as the Penny-Nickel-Dime-Quarter Exchange Game.

Variation 3: Roll 2 dice and try to be the first player to get 100 cents and trade in all your coins for a play dollar bill – this version is known as the One-Dollar Exchange Game.

Playing the Difference Game

For this game, partners will need their own set of pennies and a deck of number cards (1-10). To make things easier, have each child keep their bank of pennies separate from their partner’s.

Directions
  1. Put the deck of number cards number-side down.
  2. In each round, each player takes one card from the top of the deck and takes out the same number of pennies from their bank as the number shown on the card.
  3. Both players then find out how many more pennies one player has than the other.
  4. The player with more pennies keeps the extra pennies. The rest go back in the bank.
  5. The game is over when there are not enough pennies left in either partner’s bank to play another round.
  6. The player with the more pennies wins the game.

Playing the Digit Game

Partners play the Digit Game with a set of number cards (0-9).

Directions
  1. The deck is shuffled and placed number-side down between the partners.
  2. Each player draws two cards from the deck and uses them to make the larger 2-digit number
  3. The player with the larger number takes all four cards.
  4. The game is over when all the cards have been used.
  5. The player with the most cards wins.

Playing Make My Design

In this game, partners will need pattern blocks and a folder.

Children will name and describe geometric figures and the spatial relationships give directions about the locations of geometric figures in a design. As children describe how to make their designs, encourage them to emphasize the proximity, position and direction of the pattern blocks using such terms as below, above, up, down, left of, right of and so on.

Directions
  1. The first player chooses 6 pattern blocks. The second player gathers the same 6 blocks.
  2. Players sit face-to-face with a folder between them, so that one cannot see the other’s blocks.
  3. The first player creates a design with the blocks.
  4. Using only words, the first player tells the second player how to “Make My Design”. The second player can ask questions about the instructions.
  5. Players remove the folder and look at the two designs. Players discuss how closely the designs match.
  6. Players change roles and play again.

Playing the Number Grid Game

For this game, players need their laminated number grids, a die to roll and a game marker for each player. It can be played with two or more players.

Directions
  1. Players put their markers at 0 on the number grid.
  2. Take turns. When it is your turn:
  3. Roll the die.
  4. Use the table below to see how many spaces to move your marker.
  5. Move your marker that many spaces.
  6. Continue playing. The winner is the first player to land on 110 with an exact role.

Roll / Spaces to Move
1 / 1 or 10
2 / 2 or 20
3 / 3
4 / 4
5 / 5
6 / 6

Playing Penny Plate

This game is played in partners with a paper plate and a specified number of pennies appropriate to the proficiency level of the players (most partnerships begin with 10 pennies).

Directions
  1. Players take turns. Player A turns the plate upside down, hides some of the pennies under the plate and places the rest of the pennies on top of the plate.
  2. Player B counts the pennies on top of the plate and guesses how many are hidden underneath. If the guess is correct, Player B gets the point.
  3. Players trade rolls and keep a tally of their points on scratch paper or their whiteboard slates. The player who has more points at the end of five rounds wins.

Variation: Players work together to guess how many pennies are under a plate. If their joint guess is correct, they get a team point. The team plays 10 rounds. Their goal is to improve the team score after each round.

Playing the 3, 2, 1 Game

This game is for 2 players. The object of this game is to be the first player to reach exactly 0 by subtracting 1, 2 or 3 from a given number. Children will have to play several times before they start noticing patterns that will help them form winning strategies.

Directions
  1. Children decide on a starting number and write it at the top of their whiteboard slates or scratch paper.
  2. Player A subtracts either 1, 2 or 3 from the starting number and writes the answer underneath.
  3. Player B subtracts either 1, 2 or 3 from Player A’s answer.
  4. Children continue to take turns until somebody reaches exactly 0, winning the game.
  5. Children can play the game again using a different starting number.

Variations: Play using a calculator or counters to keep track of numbers.

Playing Top-It

This game is for two players using Number Cards (0-15).

Directions
  1. Each student puts their own cards in a pile in front of them, number-side facing down.
  2. Each player takes a card from the top of their pile, turns it over and says the number on the card.
  3. The player who has the larger number takes both cards.
  4. If the two cards show the top number, each player takes another card from the top of the pile. The player with the larger number then takes all of the cards facing up.
  5. The game is over when all of the cards have been taken. Children should estimate who has more cards before they begin counting them to determine the winner. The player with more cards wins.

Variation 1: Another way to determine who wins at the end of the game is to flip a penny.

HEADS: The player with the more cards wins.

TAILS: The player with fewer cards wins.

You can discuss the probability of penny flips with children by asking them if penny flipping gives each player the same chance of winning.

Variation 2: Limit or extend the range of numbers children use. For example, begin with the 0-10 cards and increase the range of numbers as children are ready.