Top 5 Multiplication Board Games
When kids think of multiplication, repetitive worksheets may come to mind. When kids think of multiplication board games, they think of play and fun experiences with their friends. Get where we are going with this? Transforming your child's experience with multiplication means less planning and boring worksheets while doubling down on play! Why gamify math? Because play leads to less learning resistance and creates an ease and enjoyment that makes math more tangible to learn. Keep reading for SimplyFun's Top 5 multiplication board games, plus fun tips for introducing them into your classroom or family game night!
A Parent's Guide to Selecting the Best Multiplication Board Games for Kids
Statistically speaking, math is often considered the least favorite school subject among students. When children struggle to learn multiplication, parents and teachers may feel compelled to double down on math drills and worksheets, which often results in student frustration and resistance to learning. However, when play is at the heart of learning, children open up to the possibilities that play offers. Not only do multiplication board games help children explore math through their imagination, but they also have a secondary benefit: the development of soft skills. Yup! When children play multiplication board games, they are undoubtedly learning math, but they are also developing future skills that will help them thrive in school, college, and the workforce. Soft skills, such as planning, strategy, critical thinking, spatial reasoning, empathy, and collaboration, are all skills children develop while playing a game without even realizing it.
Why Multiplication Board Games?
Studies show that students perform substantially better in classrooms when math gaming is at the heart of learning. Multiplication board games enable children to find enjoyment in math, even if they don't necessarily think they excel at the subject. With the pressure to perform off the table, children of all math aptitudes can enjoy and engage in the experience at their current level, improving their speed and agility in math through diligent practice and by engaging their problem-solving skills. If inspiring students to enjoy learning is essential to teachers and parents, let's pave the way to a child's academic success with play!
How to Use Multiplication Board Games in the Classroom
Start by finding your classroom's ideal multiplication board games. You can easily find math games by subject, age, and number of players.
Next, consider how many copies of the same game you will need. For a classroom of 28 students, this will require seven copies of a game that allows up to four players. SimplyFun also offers discounts on school purchasing, which is ideal when buying games in bulk.
Now it's play time! Set up gaming stations with your multiplication board game of choice and divide students into groups according to the game box's maximum players. Each product page features a video demonstrating how to set up the game and play, providing an easy-to-follow visual guide. Teacher tip: Prepare the games ahead of time or during recess, to ensure the games are correctly set-up and ready for play.
Give children the rules of the game, and unleash the fun! Teachers can move around the room and observe how children interact, while providing assistance when needed. Let groups assign a scorekeeper per station and allow students to work somewhat independently. Winning isn't the main goal, but rather practicing multiplication in a fun and stress-free setting.
Bonus* All our games are backed by a piece replacement policy. If you lose game pieces, and we have them in stock, we will replace them free of charge.
Top 5 multiplication Board Games
Owl Solve That! - Solve Math Mysteries with this Multiplication Game
2-4 players • 30 minute playtime • Ages 10 & up
Join the detectives from the Owl Solve That! Agency by using math operations and problem-solving skills. In this engaging math detective game, players create equations that match the solution cards in their hands using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The goal is to be the first player to reach 25 points on your scorecard as you solve brain-teaser math mysteries!
Plundering Times – Use Multiplication to Island Hop for Treasures
2-4 players • 15 minute playtime • Ages 8 & up
This pirate-themed multiplication board game uses reverse problem-solving to make math a treasure chest of FUN!
Get ready to island hop for pirate treasures in our latest Reiner Knizia multiplication game, Plundering Times. As the captain of your ship, you'll select two pirate dragons from your captain's board to multiply together on each island. Meet or come close to each island number (without going over) to plunder yer' opponent's treasures!
Math Medalist - Train for the Math Olympics
2-4 players • 30 minute playtime • Ages 8 & up
Go for the gold and master your multiplication and addition math skills in this two-in-one math board game! Flex your math skills by using addition to score to 100 in 10s, then flip the board to harness your inner mathlete by solving multiplication problems that will help you level up your math skills.
Shore Seekers - Help Sea Turtles Nest With This Multiplication Game
2-7 players • 30 minute playtime • Ages 7 & up
Seas the day, and let's play addition and early multiplication board game, Shore Seekers! Stroll around the island using addition and early multiplication to help sea turtles lay their precious eggs.
Roll dice to move your turtles and collect cards to determine how many turtle eggs will be in each nest. The player whose turtle has laid the most eggs when all the cards run out wins!
Walk the Dogs - A Multiplication Game that Barks FUN!
2-5 players • 30 minute playtime • Ages 8 & up
A dog conga line? Now, that's what we call a fun way to learn multiplication math! In Walk the Dogs, players use predicting, counting, and multiplication to create a conga line by matching dog breeds for points. Just make sure to watch out for the dog catcher! Predict your moves and see who can collect the most furry friends!
Looking for a Portable Multiplication Game?
Sumology - Tile up Four Basic Math Operations
2+ players • 30 minute playtime • Ages 8 & up
The key to gaining math confidence? Practice and, of course, learning in a way that makes kids say, "Let's play again!" With Sumology, players use number tiles to place valid equations in the interactive play area. Build off your opponent's equations to score more points, and the player with the highest score wins! You'll love Sumology's portable size for a fun portable way to practice math on the go!
The Joy of Learning Multiplication with Family Game Nights
Multiplication board games aren't just for classrooms! They also make for a fun family game night. Did you know one of our best-selling family games, Walk the Dogs, just so happens to feature multiplication? Sneaking in multiplication into dog conga lines, pirate adventures, or solving math mysteries is our multiplication vibe! Our promise to families is that our multiplication board games don't compromise fun for the sake of learning. Rather, it's a creative challenge that our in-house product development team loves to tackle because we know when multiplication board games are fun and offer exciting experiences; children can begin to relax and enjoy learning math without anxiety, hesitation, or embarrassment.
When families incorporate multiplication math into everyday life, such as family board game night, it enables children to learn through repetition without the boredom of worksheets. It also allows students to feel less anxious since they are not being graded on their performance in the traditional sense, such as a passing grade. The result? Children are more open to challenging themselves to try and try again, even if they lose a round of gameplay. The resilience that multiplication board games offer students can mean children are more open to working through difficult equations with curiosity rather than anxiety. Playing multiplication boards in a casual setting gives children the experience and confidence to play with numbers and test their abilities to solve equations. This is key for helping kids thrive in multiplication and helps them build on skills as they advance into more complex math subjects when they enter middle and high school.
Why Introduce Multiplication Board games into Classrooms or Homeschools:
- Multiplication board games create a sense of ease in learning without the pressures of passing grades.
- Multiplication board games make learning visual and tangible for students.
- Multiplication board games strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Multiplication board games help children practice social interaction.
- Multiplication board games develop essential skills such as planning, critical thinking, collaboration, and fair play.
- The competitive element of multiplication board games adds excitement to the learning process, helping kids become engaged and motivated.
- Multiplication board games combine imaginative thinking with math, creating a more enjoyable experience for kids.
Playing games comes naturally to children. Math, on the other hand, can feel quite unnatural to many of them. The solution? Play fun and adventurous multiplication board games that make math an adventure!
When combining multiplication and the power of play, skies the limit to a child's potential in math! Even if it doesn't come naturally to them, through math board games, we are creating pathways that allow even the most skeptical math kids to explore, play, and, best of all, have confidence in themselves to believe that they can learn to love math, or at the very least, understand math concepts with a little practice.
If you have ever felt like, no matter how much you try to help your child thrive in multiplication, nothing seems to help, playing multiplication board games can change all that. Making math fun and hands-on helps bypass children's reservations about learning a new subject while igniting their curiosity and imagination. Ready to make multiplication math a tactile learning adventure?
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