Card sort is a game that allows children to practice sorting, matching and number recognition. Kids can play this game with partners, in a small groups or by themselves. Give each child or group of kids a deck of cards and ask them to sort it. You can allow children to decide how they want to sort the cards, or you can instruct them to sort by color, number or suit.
Some students, parents and teachers might know the card game "number battle" as “war.” Number battle requires children to compare numbers and determine which is higher. This game is easiest to play in pairs. Have kids deal the whole deck face down, then reveal each card simultaneously. The player with the higher card keeps the pair. If kids turn over cards with the same number, they have a “battle” where they each place three cards face down and turn over a fourth card. The player with the highest fourth card wins all of the cards from that battle. Aces can be given a value of one, and face cards can be ranked from lowest to highest so a king beats a queen and a queen beats a jack. For younger children, remove the face cards and just use numbered cards.
Dominoes can be used in several ways to help strengthen math skills for children at different levels. Students who are mastering counting and number recognition can benefit from the game "domino parking lot." This game is designed to be played in small groups of two to four players. Provide each group with a full set of dominoes and a “parking lot mat,” which is a basic chart with 12 numbered spaces. Place the dominoes face down and have students take turns choosing one each, determining the number of dots and putting the domino in the correct “parking space.”
Dice can be used in games that help children learn counting, addition and number facts. "Roll and record" is a game that can be modified in many ways to be relevant to students at different levels. The simplest version of the game is good for kids who are practicing counting. Provide each child with a worksheet containing squares with numbers one through six or one through 12 on it, depending on how many dice will be used. Kids roll the dice, count the dots and color in or mark off a square containing the same number. For more advanced students, give each child a sheet with chart that has numbers two to 12 written vertically and a few columns next to each number. Have children roll two dice, find the sum and make an "X" or check in the square next to the corresponding number. Both versions of roll and record can be played in pairs, small groups or individually.