D.I.Y. Maths games

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We all like to peruse the education catalogues and look at the bright, colourful and inventive games on offer – but then, often, the reality of budgets crashes in and luxuries get put on the back burner. With these simple activities, which I’ve found a wonderful stimulus for group thinking and decision-making, your children can now become your own greatest resource!

Introduction

Ask the children to tell you about their favourite board games. Invite one or two volunteers to briefl y describe how the games are played. What is it about the games that they enjoy? Try and have some examples of games that the children can look at. Discuss the typical components of a game (board, playing pieces, cards, dice, spinner). Then think about how different games are played. Which games have a track that you have to travel along? (Ludo, Snakes and Ladders.) Which games have a board where players need to get from one side to the other? (Chess, Draughts, Halma.) Talk about different ways to win such as getting to 100, getting to the ‘home’ square, taking other people’s pieces, getting four counters in a row and so on.

Next, ask the children to tell you about their favourite card games. Look at some packs of cards and talk about what you have to do. Which games use a pack of cards with numbers on? Which ones use shapes? Which ones use pictures? Consider the different ways that you can win at cards (collecting a suit or family, getting rid of all your cards, and so on).

Explain that you are going to be making your own games. Encourage the children to consider what the fi rst step might be in making a game (deciding the rules, how to win). Then divide the class into small groups (or pairs) to work on their games. What follows are two possible ways of approaching this, with Y1 and Y2 children.