Friday Favorites: multiplication games
This week one of my sweet followers asked me for my recommendation on the best multiplication games to help with learning times tables. How have I never shared that here on the blog?? If there is ONE thing we have been working at for what seems like YEARS…it is our multiplication tables. I know there are kids out there who just focus on some flashcards for a few weeks and BOOM know those facts for life. THAT IS NOT MY KID!! Well…technically that is ONE of my kids. Emmy had zero problems learning her times tables. I don’t even remember her asking for any help and I we RARELY practiced at home. And now I have her correct Ethan’s multiplication tests because she knows them better and faster than me…true story. Ethan, however, is NOT that kid. He NEEDS extra practice. And then MORE extra practice. And then we practice some more…every…single…day!! Whichever boat you fall into, here are our current FAVORITE multiplication games.
Splat is a simple card game, but MUCH better than plain flashcards. It goes by quick and doesn’t take much extra time and zero effort. You are basically trying to quickly match math facts with the answers. I have heard of people using fly swatters to SPLAT the card instead of just flipping it. We have not tried that yet…but ANYTHING to make math more fun is worth it!!
ZOOM is similar to Splat…imagine UNO meets multiplication flashcards. It is a quick fun game that can be pulled out and played any time. The best part is that it is still a fun game…AND you get to practice math at the same time.
Who doesn’t like BINGO!?!? Nobody I wanna be friends with…haha. I like this one because it works for multiplication, and then later division. Our goal is to SEE the facts AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE. This is a much better solution for us then a bunch of math worksheets every day. The boards and chips are flimsy, so keep in mind you are getting what you paid for. I have thought about lamination…but honestly I am just hoping to be done with times tables SOME DAY!!
Multiply Divide and Conquer is a new multiplication game for us. BUT let’s just say there are mathematicians, magic crystals, goo, and castles involved. Again, this one is great because you can build on it, and eventually add in division. The best part is that it is a real game, with multiplication practice built in. Instead of JUST being math practice that happens to be game-ish.
We have not tried SAY CHEESE or PET ME, but I have heard great things about them as well. If we are still needing more multiplication practice next month, these two are next on my wish list.
These puzzles are actually made for younger kids, but I got this FACT 2 puzzle for Ethan specifially because it is for 6’s,7’s, 8’s, and 9’s. My favorite part is that you have to physically pick up the pieces and match them to the correct multiplication problem…perfect for those tactile learners. It is also nice to have something that Ethan can do solo while I throw in some laundry or make lunch.
Hot Dots have been a fun learning at our activity for years, so we had to try Hot Dots Multiplication too. You use the “magic” pen to click on the right answers and hear a CORRECT noise or an INCORRECT noise. I would have to say that these would probably be better for younger kids who are just STARTING on multiplication. Ethan is 9 and gets bored with this VERY quickly. BUT as an alternative to practicing flashcards together, this is a great ON YOUR OWN activity. He can just pull them out, flip through his cards, and NOT need anyone available to quiz him.
Tecnically, this is a book and NOT a game, but it is still such a fun resource. This lift the flap book is full of fun puzzles and activities to help practice multiplication and division. And it has tips and tricks for memorizing the math facts that make learning more fun. I use this book during homeschool time when I need some NON mom lead learning time. I can just send Ethan off to practice on his own while I fill the dishwasher or just take a KID break.
And while we are talking about books, this activity book is BEAUTIFUL. Instead of boring workbook pages, these activities are engaging and fun AND adorable. And my favorite part is that there is an area to put a sticker on the bottom of the page when complete/correted…and it comes WITH the stickers to use…perfect for rewarding my little buddy.
We have not tried this Times Tables Practice Pad yet, but the pictures look much cuter than normal workbooks. AND the activities are more GAME like instead of workbook like. There are number wheels and multiplication machine activities that look pretty fun.
And one more that we have not tried, but that is on our future list, the 10 Days to Multiplication mastery. These WRAP UPs are always a fun tactile way for kiddos to learn math facts. This book uses the wrap up combined with additional activities to cement those times tables.
And one more bonus game idea…Monster Sock Factory. This is one we have not tried, but that has GREAT reviews on Amazon. You are basically taking orders for socks…and have to use multiplication to fill the orders correctly. I am planning to grab some learning games for Ethan’s Easter basket, and if we are STILL working on multiplication facts in a few months, this one is already on my wish list.
I hope that helps!! TRUST ME…we know the times tables struggle first hand…but playing a few multiplication games each day can REALLY make a difference. If you are looking for more fun games to play, you can head HERE for a list of ALL of our favorite games or HERE for our favorite NEW games!! Good luck and happy game night!! JESS
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