Playful ways to learn...

Not all learning resources provide the same opportunities for developing children's numerical thinking and learning. This is why MASTERING MULTIPLICATION is an ideal choice for use in the home or in classrooms and is designed to grow with your child. Want to put the JOY and the FUN back into times tables? Try these, easy to play games. 

 

Let me show you some easy to learn games and ways to master multiplication: 

 

 

Playful Pedagogy

War is a classic, and applying it with the MASTERING MULTIPLICATION cards gives us an easy way to reinforce fact fluency with a little extra incentive! A favourite in my household and with learners in the classrooms where I teach:


MULTIPLICATION WAR - Mix up all the flash cards (or a subset of them for a shorter game) into equal piles, and give one pile to each person. Everyone plays a card at the same time (without looking at the product), then players go around in the circle and say the product they played. Whoever plays the highest product wins all the cards, and places them on the bottom of their pile. Play until one player has all the cards. For a shorter game, just play through your pile once, and count the captured cards to see who wins.

If you like this game you might also like these variations: 

Addition Double War: Follow the rules of War with each player turning over two cards at a time. Players add the value of their two cards and the largest sum wins. learners can practice addition strategies: counting all the “pips” on both cards for the sum, starting with one card and counting on using the pips on the second card, doubles facts, special “tricks” for adding ten and nine, sharing, and making a ten. To make this game a little more challenging, turn over three cards each time and find their sum.

Subtraction Double War: Follow the directions for Addition Double War, only the biggest difference wins. Good opportunity to practice subtraction strategies and facts.

Multiplication Double War: Follow the directions for Addition Double War, only this time the largest product wins. For a student just learning multiplication facts, use two decks of cards and start with the easiest fact families first, gradually adding the larger numbers. 

I’m just going to say it: this is the best way to help your learner become fluent with skip counting in a meaningful way… The good news is: it's easy and quick to set up!

 

FOLLOW THE PATH

A 1 player game OR a game for MANY! Player/s create a number line with the green suit of cards. This creates a sequence of multiplies. Players take it in turns to count forwards and backwards in multiples and on finishing their turn they flip over a card (of their choosing) revealing a different representation. This allows for meaningful connections and increases the challenge each time! Play continues, counting forwards and backwards in multiplies until the whole numberline has been flipped to reveal the yellow suit.

Read more about how to play:

One of my all time favourite games to Master Multiplication is 'SCRIBBLE IT OUT' It’s a variation on 'Flip it Over'. I can't wait to share this easy to play game with you...

Players take it in turns to count forwards and backwards in multiples of 2 (or their chosen multiple)  and on finishing their turn they SCRIBBLE OUT a multiple (any). The sequence is then read aloud (forwards and backwards including the scribbles out multiple as they count) by the next player before they scribble out another multiple. Play continues until all the multiplies are scribbled out. Play gets progressively more challenging the more multiples that are scribbled out.

Full instructions can be found here with FREE DOWNLOADS:

 Which One Doesn't Belong (WODB)

 

SIX CARDS

 

JUST SNAP!

 

THE SAME AS

 

NOUGHTS and CROSSES

 

 RETRIEVAL PRACTICE. SPACING & INTERLEAVING