Category: Fluency

Play Double your number

You need:

A game board.

A set of counters for each player. One colour for each player. You can download Digit Dog counters here – print on card and cut out or print on paper and stick them on milk bottle tops.

A dice.

To play:

Take turns to throw a dice.

Double the number you throw, find the answer on the board and put your counter on it.

The winner is the first player to get three counters in a row.

Variation

Use a set of digit cards 1 – 19 and this board. Take turns to turn over a card, double the number and cover the answer on the board.

 

 

 

 

Digit Dog and Calculating Cat are playing Pass the Peas Please, a game they found on www.nrich.org

A game for 2 or more players

You need:

A game board

2 dried peas (or beans or counters or sweets).

A plastic cup.

A piece of paper and pencil for each player.

To play:

Each player begins by writing 50 on their piece of paper.

Player 1 places two dried peas into the plastic cup and tosses them onto the game board.

They add the two numbers the peas land on and then take the total away from 50 and write the answer on their score sheet.

The next player takes a turn.

In the following turns, the players take the sum of the numbers away from the new remaining number.

The first player to reach zero wins.

Variations

Start with 0 on your score card and keep a running total of scores. The winner is the first to reach 50.

Use one pea instead of 2 and either subtract the number the pea lands on from 50 or keep a running total.

Use 3 peas to play the game.

Change the number you start with on your score card – make it higher or lower.

Each player takes a turn to throw two peas and add the numbers. The player with the highest total wins that round. Play 10 rounds.

Each player takes a turn to throw two peas and add the numbers. The player with the lowest total wins that round. Play 10 rounds.

Each player takes a turn to throw two peas and finds the difference between the numbers. The player with the highest difference wins that round. Play 10 rounds.

Use this board and start with 10 or 20 on your score cards.

Make your own boards. Choose the numbers you put on the board.

Odd addition

2 – 5 players

You need:

Digit cards 1 – 10 (a set for each player) or playing cards with the picture cards removed.

To play:

Shuffle the cards and place in the centre.

Each player takes two cards from the pile, adds the cards together and tells everyone the total.

If the total is odd, the player keeps the cards. If the total is even, the cards are returned to the centre pile.

Play ten rounds or until there are no cards left.

The winner is the player with most cards.

Variations

• Leave the picture cards in and give them a value e.g. J = 11, Q = 12, K =13
• Subtract the numbers on the cards instead of adding.
• Deal 3 cards to each person.
• Keep adding the totals of the cards you keep. First player to reach a total of 50 wins.

 

Break the Bank at 27

A game for 2 – 5 players

You need:

A pack of playing cards – picture cards worth 10, Ace worth 1

To play

Deal out the whole pack of cards to players. Players put cards face down in a pile in front of them.

The first player turns over the top card and puts it in the centre. The next player puts their top card in the centre and adds the value of the two cards. Play continues like this, each player placing their card on the centre pile and adding the value to the total. When the total reaches 27 or more, that player takes the cards from the centre and puts them in their pile.

For example, in this game:

Digit Dog put down 2 and said “2”.

Calculating Cat put down 9, added it to the 2 and said “11”

Digit Dog put down 6, added it to 11 and said “17”.

Calculating Cat put down 6, added it to 17 and said “23”.

Digit Dog is now hoping to turn over a 4 or more so that he can take the cards.

The game continues for an agreed time or until one player has no cards.

The winner is the player with most cards.

Variations

Give the Ace and picture cards different values e.g. A = 11, J = 12, Q = 13, K = 14.

Change the number that breaks the bank – make it more or less than 27.

Quick addition

Two players

You need:

A pack of playing cards – picture cards are worth 10, aces are worth 1

To play:

Deal out all the cards to the two players and place in a pile, face down.

Players take turns to say 1, 2, 3 GO! and both players turn over their top card.

Players add the two numbers on the cards and the first one to say “the total is…..” (correctly) wins the two cards.

Play until all cards have been used, then each player counts how many cards they have won.

The winner is the player with most cards.

 

Variations

Play quick subtraction where players subtract the smaller number from the larger.

Play quick multiplication where players multiply the two numbers and say “the product is…..”

To make the game easier:

• Remove the picture cards
• Just use cards Ace to 5.
• Play with digit cards – make several sets of 0 – 5 cards.

To make the game more challenging:

• Give the picture cards different values: J = 10, Q = 11, K = 12
• Have 3 or 4 players and add all the numbers.