First Grade Math – Games for Math Fact Practice
Over the past couple of weeks, ED and I have been having a lot of fun with her math and she’s made some really good progress with her subtraction facts and with her skip counting. I thought I would share some of the activities she’s been up to.
It had been a while since we pulled out our Fast Track math board game. That definitely infused a lot of energy and enthusiasm back into math time. In fact, she *insists* that we play these games (even when I’ve tried to beg off to get other things done!). Years ago, I read about this idea in Peggy Kaye’s book, Games for Math: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn Math, From Kindergarten to Third Grade (affiliate link). We made this giant board (and you can tell it has gotten a LOT of use!!) with several START space, several WIN spaces, and lots of options around the board.
The past couple of weeks we’ve used the game in this way. We used the QR Code – Minecraft math cards I made (addition and subtraction). On her turn, she takes a card and solves the problem. Then she rolls the die and moves that many spaces. If she lands on a “draw again” or “double move” space, she takes another math problem solves it and rolls the die again and moves forward. (For the “double move” space, if she rolls a 6, she moves ahead 12 spaces.) Once she cannot move any more, her turn is over. She has to solve one problem on her math practice (that you see pictured) while I take my turn on the Fast Track board. The first person to land on one of the WIN spaces wins. But, since she *loves* this game and begs to play another round, I feel like I’m the winner with all the math fact practice she’s getting in!!
Here are the cards she is using. Click on the picture to see that post where you can download them free! 🙂
We have also been playing the Egg Races game a lot!! Since it is such a fast-paced game, she is well on her way for learning these 6 subtraction facts (she’s working on 12-8, 11-6, 14-8, 15-8, 15-7, 18-9). My other two usually come running over to (they use the division die you see in the photo below). I made her a new game board with really cute wild animals that I’m sure I’ll share at some point soon! 🙂
Several years ago, I was contacted by a fellow homeschooler to review a math skip counting game called Speed! (This is an affiliate link to Amazon.) You can see that full review here: Math Skip Counting Game: Speed!. We recently pulled those cards out and have been playing them daily. There are 8 decks so kids can practice skip counting anything from 2s through 9s.
We have used these cards in a couple of different ways. Some of the time, I’ve had the kids just put all the cards face-up and place the cards in order as quickly as possible.
We have also been playing many, many rounds of the game of Speed! Below we’re playing 2-speed. Each of us has two large piles of cards. We have five cards in our hand (though they are face up in the photo below). In the center there are two playing piles and two sets of cards to turn over when we are “stuck.” To play we quickly put cards on the playing piles as quickly as possible. ED is placing a 12 on top of the 14 (though if she had a 16 card she could also place that on top).
It’s such a great game — It’s quick. It’s fun. It makes you think!
The best thing about this game is that the other kids demand to play as well. 🙂 Below DD and I are playing a game of 9 Speed.
And though this is not a game, I just thought I’d mention that she is still working through the Montessori-style subtraction pages. She has the hang of borrowing now and it’s just a matter of getting those facts down pat! Those math sheets are free to download.
If you found anything helpful, we’d love to hear from you here or at our Homeschool Den Facebook page!
Disclosure #1: Please note that some of the links to books and the Speed! game above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase.
Disclosure #2: Several years ago, I received a free set of Speed! playing cards. I was not requested to review this game. Opinions expressed in this post and in the original review of Speed! are entirely my own.
You might be interested in these related posts:
- First Grade Math: Addition/Place Value — This post is always one of my most popular posts.
This is a math video post I made about Place Value:
Place Value Materials
- Minecraft Addition-Subtraction Pages — These are not the pages you see in the top photo above, but are similar.
- Montessori-style subtraction pages
- Free Montessori Style Addition Sheets (Without Regrouping)