While some students take to math like a fish to water, others aren’t as enamored by the idea of wrangling numbers, especially during their early years.
Luckily there are lots of games out there designed to transform mundane math concepts into exciting interactive experiences, so here are a few examples that are great for the classroom as well as for entertainment during downtime.
1. Poddle Weigh In
Available on the PBS Kids site, Poddle Weigh In combines several mathematical ideas into one straightforward experience.
The aim is to balance the titular kooky characters on a scale, selecting from a variety of weights that are each labeled with a number to achieve equilibrium.
It starts simple, and gradually becomes more challenging as progress is made. At the end, kids should be up to speed with addition, subtraction, and of course the more nebulous aspects of weight such as the fact that the apparent size of an object is not always a good indicator of its mass.
This browser-based game runs smoothly on all modern devices, and works just as well with a mouse and keyboard as it does with touchscreen interactions.
2. Space Jaunt Rounding
This high-octane game does a great job of introducing the idea of rounding numbers up or down, all wrapped up in an outerspace race against other players. It’s a clear example of how gaming is good for you.
Students can control a flying saucer, and face off against up to three others, whether they’re computer-controlled or being piloted by actual humans in the same classroom or elsewhere in the world.
This Math Playground game is all about quick-thinking and fast reflexes, and it won’t take long for newcomers to know more about rounding than their peers who have yet to play.
3. Sandy Desert Math
Encountered on the ABCMouse site, Sandy Desert Math is another excellent option for teachers looking to empower their students to learn essential math skills without finding this to be an uphill struggle.
As the title suggests, this game is set against the arid backdrop of a desert oasis, complete with a couple of camels, some sand dunes and a smattering of palm trees.
The main action focuses on taking a combination of numbers and slotting them into a pre-set calculation to make an answer that works based on the mathematical symbols which are present.
It looks great, performs well, and offers a wide variety of sum-based puzzles that are suitable for younger children who are still just finding their feet in the world of math.
4. Tug Team Sailboats Subtraction
Encountered over on Hooda Math, this game is geared towards second graders and tackles the initially thorny issue of subtraction, all with fun tug boats helping to ease their understanding.
This is a two player versus game, which like Space Jaunt Rounding can be played solo against the computer or with a friend.
Each player gets a subtraction-based math question to answer, typically using single digits, and the faster they can click on the right selection out of a multiple choice array, the more wind will be blown into their sails to push them in the right direction and pull their opponent closer to defeat.
Simple graphics, fluid gameplay and a sense of urgency help to make this a surprisingly compelling experience, in spite of its unfussy design.
5. Cave Run – Division
A blend of a classic endless runner-style platform game and a math-imbued edutainment product, this division-oriented edition of Cave Run is found on multiplication.com and aims to prepare kids for what this more complex concept involves.
The bulk of the game involves helping an intrepid explorer to navigate a pitfall-strewn cave system, collecting coins and leaping over gaps. The math comes in the form of division questions asked throughout, with correct answers boosting the score and letting the player continue.
The Last Word
These fun math games are just a small sample of the literally thousands of options out there on the aforementioned educational platforms, so introduce them to your students, see how they fare with them, and go from there to get them enthused with learning once again.